[sts9fan]

80% of the US doesn't even know what "hirez" is and are happy with MP3. They make buying decisions based on price and convenience.

Sure but Spotify as a product is better then Tidal and Qobuz.  I have Spotify for "on the go" because of this.  I now have Qobuz for Roon integration.  Spotify is vastly better for discovering new music and their auto personalized playlists are fantastic.   

[JDoyle]

For those who made the switch and are using Roon, what happens to your playlists within Roon?
Do any formally Tidal tracks that Qobuz might not offer show as “unavailable”?

Thanks,

JD

[shadowlight]

For folks who are concerned about streaming, look into Audirvana as the front end for Qobuz.  My understanding is that Audirvana downloads the track to the system running Audirvana before it starts streaming, that way you get the benefit of streaming locally 

[guf]

Sure but Spotify as a product is better then Tidal and Qobuz.  I have Spotify for "on the go" because of this.  I now have Qobuz for Roon integration.  Spotify is vastly better for discovering new music and their auto personalized playlists are fantastic.

my experience too... they recently threw a new discovery playlist at me and I LOVED 20 of the 25 songs that I had never heard.

and I'm loving the Roon integration or Qobuz.

[witchdoctor]

Day 2 of Quboz-  I found Quboz is a little too bright in my system and listening fatigue set in. I tried redbook and hirez tracks, just too much micro detail and it gets fatiguing. That never happened to me with Tidal or even Spotify. It looks like I am going back to Tidal. After I identified that brightness  I just hear it on every track. At first it was a WOW but after a while it just starts to sound kind of gritty to my ears.

[yardbird]

I'm having issues with Chromcast audio. Signal keeps dropping and returning (1-2 x per minute). Return to Pandora and everything is fine. Using and Android device with the mobile app. I like the interface better than Tidal. The Rap-centric format for Tidal was immediately a turnoff for me. If they can figure out the glitches quickly i will likely stay and cancel Tidal. I do not have MQA.

[Todd R]

Started the free trial and am comparing it to Tidal through Roon. I've been listening to the same tracks with both services and there are some differences. So far not better or worse, just different. More listening to come, but I will probably stick with Tidal since I can get it for a discount.
FYI Tidal has discounts for students, active duty military and veterans.

[macrojack]

Tidal's suffocating devotion to rap has created an environment of inconvenience and distraction for those of us who fail to share their fealty. It reminds me of how ToysRUs used to force you to spiral through all of their specials and closeout stuff just to get in the store. I do not want to wade through what they hope to force on me just so I can reach the rap free browsing. Maybe I'm doing it wrong but Tidal annoys me from the get go. Rap needs to be just another section I have to locate ___ not a series of obstacles twixt me and my reason for subscribing.
Qobuz has my attention for this reason alone.

JayZ, are you listening? Do you care?

[OzarkTom]

I have never looked, is rap the only thing on Tidal? I hate rap.

[Todd R]

No problem here with rap getting in the way (I hate rap too). Maybe check your Genre settings at Tidal?

[mav52]

I have never looked, is rap the only thing on Tidal? I hate rap.

There is a lot of non rap on Tidal,, but since its owner and a few major part owners are rap thats about all that they show on the featured section most of the time. .   

[Tomy2Tone]

I’ve always used the search bar on Tidal to find a particular artist and when I do I like the section at the bottom that shows similar artists and who influenced them and those that came after them. I think it’s a cool feature that I find myself using a lot. Anybody know if Qobuz has something similar?

I usually go right to my albums or playlists so I had to find out what you guys are talking about with the rap stuff. I guess it is there, never really noticed until it was mentioned.

[OzarkTom]

Jay-Z might be ahead of the game. Most of the youth loves rap, including my grandkids, so he is probably looking to the future which is very smart on his part. Most of us older folks will be dead and gone in a few more years.

There was a 15 year old visiting them the other day and he has never heard of the Beatles.

[mav52]

I’ve always used the search bar on Tidal to find a particular artist and when I do I like the section at the bottom that shows similar artists and who influenced them and those that came after them. I think it’s a cool feature that I find myself using a lot. Anybody know if Qobuz has something similar?

I usually go right to my albums or playlists so I had to find out what you guys are talking about with the rap stuff. I guess it is there, never really noticed until it was mentioned.

Yes Qobuz has this (search) as well.  And once you pull up your artist, it will note on the right similar artist  And at the main page you can search by genres.  I say try it, its free for 30 days.

[Tomy2Tone]

Day 2 of Quboz-  I found Quboz is a little too bright in my system and listening fatigue set in. I tried redbook and hirez tracks, just too much micro detail and it gets fatiguing. That never happened to me with Tidal or even Spotify. It looks like I am going back to Tidal. After I identified that brightness  I just hear it on every track. At first it was a WOW but after a while it just starts to sound kind of gritty to my ears.

Maybe Quboz needs more burn in? 

I signed up for the first month free trial and agree with you for the most part. Out of 20-25 albums I compared with using Roon I maybe preferred Quboz’s extra detail on about 3. Tidal just seemed to be more musically engaging in my system where Quboz was a tad sterile. There were about 5 other albums I wanted to try but Quboz did not have them.

[Todd R]

There was a 15 year old visiting them the other day and he has never heard of the Beatles.

Oh man. I hope you fixed that for him.

[JLM]

Maybe Quboz needs more burn in? 

I signed up for the first month free trial and agree with you for the most part. Out of 20-25 albums I compared with using Roon I maybe preferred Quboz’s extra detail on about 3. Tidal just seemed to be more musically engaging in my system where Quboz was a tad sterile. There were about 5 other albums I wanted to try but Quboz did not have them.

Wonder if that's due to European versus American tastes?

[sts9fan]

Oh man. I hope you fixed that for him.

Were you guys up to speed on bands that broke up 35 years before you were born at 15?

Also, the ubiquitous use of “rap” here is telling of crowd.

[macrojack]

Were you guys up to speed on bands that broke up 35 years before you were born at 15?

Also, the ubiquitous use of “rap” here is telling of crowd.

Not sure about the "rap" clue you claim to have divined but I am one who believes that every musical genre has worth. In the case of rap, however, I cannot locate said worth. Is that due to my age? My son rather pithily observed the other day that the type of music you prefer is dictated more than anything else by when you turned 20. Could be true.

My mention of rap on Tidal refers only to the clutter they make of their offerings by dominating the home page with things I strive to avoid. I know why they do it. I'm just expressing my displeasure with having to be reminded of its existence. Niggahs & Hoes is not a theme I care to honor, and cannot enjoy. Supposedly the key to understanding Rap's place in music is to realize that the initial C is silent and normally not printed.

I have to agree with your point about the teenager's unawareness of the Beatles. I was born in 1947 and cannot name from memory any band from 1932. Not one.

Was expecting a lot of buzz about Qobuz now that any of us can sign up. Doesn't seem like many have if the forum comments are an accurate reflection. Comparisons to Tidal have been tepid about stating preferences.

[Todd R]

Were you guys up to speed on bands that broke up 35 years before you were born at 15?

Also, the ubiquitous use of “rap” here is telling of crowd.

I wouldn't expect you to know the music or even like it, but bands like that are common knowledge. It's like not knowing who Elvis is.