Qobuz in the USA

Thanks, and that’s my plan as well. I have a 3 month trial through my recent purchase of Audirvana, so that ought to hold me over through the launch in the US.

Apparently, Qobuz is now in “closed beta” trial period in the USA where there are only invited guests of which I am one. I have no idea of how I got the invitation-although I am a subscriber via the Tunnel Bear system and love the service. They think I am in the UK. Have other PS Audio forum members been invited and are the invitees also UK or other country subscribers?

Just curious.

Mark.

I am in New Jersey. I have had a Qobuz account for several months Without having needed to register initially via a VPN service. At first, when I tried to register (perhaps
In September), Qobuz informed me that it was not offerd in the USA and I could not create an account. A few weeks later, I tried again and my account created successfully. I play through mconnect via a Bridge II and also through the Qobuz app on an iPad casting to a Google Chromecast Audio attached to a Directstream DAC through an iFI SPDIF iPurifier.

I reached out to Qobuz the other day and they said an “Open Beta” will be starting very shortly. Obviously looking to expand the audience…

Why do people say Qobuz sounds better than Roon?

Roon is solely a means of playing stuff, from whatever source, on or offline. I LOVE Roon (as a database more than sonically). It is a Monster of Database management. IMO, sonically, Roon tends to “average” out the sound of everything played through it, to some extent. It can make all sources sound similar, which can be a good thing - as you don’t end up being bent out of shape about it not playing one format as well as another. It all sounds fine.

Qobuz is a provider of streaming music, like Tidal, and it has comparatively more high-mids/high end, and you can hear the differences in formats more, Generally Speaking. They also offer Actual High Res Formats, vs. Tidal at this point. As with all means of playing back stuff, the source matters, and we can’t always know what source was used for a given service, etc.

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Very helpful, Mr. Bad.

Thank you very much, very good information. I meant Tidal, so thanks for addressing Tidal.

As I have said before, I am skeptical that PS Audio will be able to top Roon when it comes to database management, user interface design, and usability. On the other hand, I have great confidence that they will produce a superior sounding server and playback medium. I am open to having my mind changed, but the early prototypes of the GUI did nothing to dispel my expectations. The reality of core competencies is difficult to overcome.

This is the Bummer for us Roon fans, Tidal has been integrated into it for a while now, so you have One Database To Rule Them All, with your stuff on hard drives and Tidal (and other services, I reckon) - basically ANYTHING on your Network - ALL seen and organized by Roon.

Qobuz is not currently integrated into Roon. Who knows what the Politics of that is/will be going forward. But currently, it compels me (not going to presume re: others) to use two separate applications to play back stuff.

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@badbeef - Roon’s Database management is amazing. I only have Mconnect to compare w/ Roon and I was using DMP a lot (90%) and streaming… very little. Mconnect would freeze, slow, lose its mind… blah, blah blah… I then went Roon w/ Nucleus+ and AQVOX-SE w/ Sbooster LPS and now I use my DMP once a week if lucky. I just have the DMP to compare and the streaming now is almost as good as DMP and w/ Convolution Filtering… better in my room. Recently I went more hi-res and I see a big difference. I have only been streaming for 8 months and Roon about 3 months. I can say this. I would not have bought the DMP if I had this system before I bought it; however, glad I did for the SACD alone and CDs sound very good.

However, having an OPPO 103 and SSD in the Nucleus+ allows me to listen to my SACD files without the DMP and DSP functions added, not able to in DMP

@wakethetown - in the same camp. I believe the sound will be amazing. Then you will have to decide if SQ trumps data base management. I tell you I have been really spoiled w/ Roon and data base management. Yeah, that will be the watershed moment. I can say I will never use Mconnect again…

Recently compared “the same” tracks (at least the same res…not all provenances entirely known) from DMP, local HD rip of same, Qobuz and Tidal…and they came out in that order sonically. If you weren’t bending your sonic will toward discerning differences, I wouldn’t call the differences huge. (OMS/IMR…)

However, still have not heard anything streaming that bests the DMP by a long chalk, though admittedly (re: local HD playback) my modded Mini server is ancient history at this point ; )

Sorta biding my time with respect to new server tech : )

@badbeef - see, that is where we part company. I would have agreed 6 months ago before I set up the Nucleus+ w/ AQVOX-SE w/ Sbooster LPS. I was a DMP aholic till I heard my new setup. Listening to dsf from my SSD is amazing. Having CF DSP is another step up. I am so pleased with my streaming, I am using my DMP so infrequently, although I keep it on all the time for when the mood strikes me…

Also, I am so sold on streaming, my next step after going dual BHK 300 amps is to go PF 2.16. Running I2S right into the DS DAC and loosing the Bridge II.

It’s definitely their intention, Qobuz repeatedly stated they are in the works for full Roon-integration (provided the audio quality will not be compromised!).
Used Roon myself for about a year and liked it a lot, but despite dropped Roon given the comfort using the awesome native Qobuz app with it’s metadata and background info…

SO Many Variables…but it’s All Good-ish. Stuff Keeps On Keepin’ On. Just hard to say anything definitively, even given “In your System/Room”, etc.

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@wijber - I’m really looking forward to streaming hi-res w/ Qobuzz. I started streaming hi-res from my SSD and it is amazing. I want to try Qobuzz w/ Roon. I have heard Qobuzz does not have the Tidal library for music other than classical or jazz… Is that so, since you have used the service?

@badbeef - yeah, as long as you love your system and know what sounds good, in the end it is all about the experience and love of music.

What do you think about Qobuzz library against Tidal?

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Dunno. My brother and I are both new and old jazz fans (amongst other genres) and his early take was that Q was not very strong with regard to new stuff. I had read that it was good for classic/old jazz. But that’s one of those things I don’t have heaps of time for - so dunno.

Sorta like saying the Library of such-and-such a University is Better than another. Again, Variables From Hell ; ). And there’s a tendency to make judgements based on, “It doesn’t have the songs/artists/albums I was searching for”.

@badbeef - love smooth jazz, not a fan of improv jazz… back in the day we called it fusion jazz. Now they call it smooth jazz. Lee Ritenior… Brett turned me on to JB Radio-2 and getting back to rock more than jazz. That is an amazing radio station… 192/16 flac and have seen 192/24… man that hi-res streaming spoils you, it is so good.

Yeah, I get the college library analogy, just guess I will have to see for myself when they integrate.