[Yomaha]

I'm going to take them up on this tonight and see if I can do any kind of A/B'ing.  Curious if anyone else has put Tidal up against Qobuz and what were the findings.

[Tyson]

Yes, for me there was a difference.  I listen to mainly classical and with Tidal there was a slight homogenization of the sound of different recordings.  Qobuz let through more information. 

[mresseguie]

Yomaha,

Thank you for asking. I guess I had expected a bunch of folks commenting on Qobuz since its official debut in the US, but there just haven't been many posts about it. It's not available to me in Taiwan, so I must wait to try it until I return to the US - which will be 4 days earlier than originally planned.

Tyson, can you offer any more thoughts on how Qobuz differs from Tidal?

Michael

[JohnR]

Use the VPN built into the Opera browser and set your region to the Americas. Then you can sign up to Qobuz.

[mresseguie]

Use the VPN built into the Opera browser and set your region to the Americas. Then you can sign up to Qobuz.

That's right....and I have a VPN service....and I didn't even think of this. 

I will hop on a flight to the US in 15 hours, so I'll just wait until next week.

[JohnR]

 

Qobuz allows you to import tracks and play them offline with the desktop app, Tidal only allowed that with the mobile app. (Not related to SQ but may be useful info for someone who travels a lot )

[Yomaha]

Yes, for me there was a difference.  I listen to mainly classical and with Tidal there was a slight homogenization of the sound of different recordings.  Qobuz let through more information.

Qobuz letting more information thru feels spot on.  I've been switching back and forth between tidal and Qobuz, and I have to give the edge to Qobuz...it's a slight edge, but definitely noticeable.  The Qobuz tracks feel a touch warmer and a touch livelier, more engaging.  That's been the case tonight across head to head comps of 16-bit 44k tracks  & 24-bit 96k tracks.  I'm signed into Tidal and Qobuz thru Roon, so it's pretty easy to go back and forth between versions. 

[A_shah]

I'm going to take them up on this tonight and see if I can do any kind of A/B'ing.  Curious if anyone else has put Tidal up against Qobuz and what were the findings.

I have had Quboz for about 4 months now in California , I utilize both services Tidal & Qobuz
 Maybe it is phycological since I like to "think"
Hi-Rez sounds better - on Qobuz , but Tidal seems to be more meat er a little more bass and Quboz more linear and better clarity , I find classical music , specially the violin played by Giulianola Carmignola Bach: Sonats & Parlitas or Mahler by Michael Tilson Thomas  to be very sweet sounding on Quboz( Hi-Rez) and non fatiguing
Although their are some software issues with Quboz when I play through android Shield streaming device it seems to get stuck  on the last recording and needs to be disconnected ( gapless playing ) and restarted again no such issues with tidal 
Asghar

[jd3]

Qobuz letting more information thru feels spot on.  I've been switching back and forth between tidal and Qobuz, and I have to give the edge to Qobuz...it's a slight edge, but definitely noticeable.  The Qobuz tracks feel a touch warmer and a touch livelier, more engaging.  That's been the case tonight across head to head comps of 16-bit 44k tracks  & 24-bit 96k tracks.  I'm signed into Tidal and Qobuz thru Roon, so it's pretty easy to go back and forth between versions.

I'm doing the same and I agree with your assessment.  I'm probably going to cancel my Tidal subscription.

[ricmon]

I just cant see how there can be much if any difference.  I'm sure they are using the same source material and both are streaming FLAC??????  Just my 1 cents.

Ric

[Tyson]

I just cant see how there can be much if any difference.  I'm sure they are using the same source material and both are streaming FLAC??????  Just my 1 cents.

Ric

Me neither, but there it is.  IME, direct experience often leads to surprising observations. 

[OzarkTom]

I just cant see how there can be much if any difference.  I'm sure they are using the same source material and both are streaming FLAC??????  Just my 1 cents.

Ric

I agree. Can anyone here tell the difference blindfolded?

[Tyson]

I agree. Can anyone here tell the difference blindfolded?

Sure.  There's a slight tonal shift, along with slightly more information via Qobuz that's not too hard to hear.  Want to come over and blindfold me? 

[ricmon]

After thinking about this for a minute I suspect Qoubuz is up sampling before shipping the data.  If that's the case my steaming software Daphile does that before it passes the data stream to my DAC.

Ric

[OzarkTom]

Sure.  There's a slight tonal shift, along with slightly more information via Qobuz that's not too hard to hear.  Want to come over and blindfold me? 

First I need to buy an insurance policy on you, and now you want me to blindfold you?

[Tyson]

First I need to buy an insurance policy on you, and now you want me to blindfold you?

Didn't I tell you my new plan is to free solo climb, blindfolded?  Guess you really will cash in with that policy

[OzarkTom]

Didn't I tell you my new plan is to free solo climb, blindfolded?  Guess you really will cash in with that policy