Tidal VS. Qobuz (US)

Hey all. I have a question for all my fellow Americans..

I'm currently running the Qobuz (Beta), and it is fantastic with Rock/Jazz/Blues/Classical selections, the sound quality is terrific as well. Bit-perfect.

However, I signed up for the Tidal (2-month) trial because of Roon (also currently a trial), and integration is seamless.

Qobuz, apparently, is going to partner with Roon, but this far no press release other than a correspondence via email saying "in the near future".

Qobuz is officially launching in the US within early 2019.
As far as I can tell, correct me if I'm wrong (I know someone will )

Tidal = MQA (need full unfold for Hi-res 24/96), 16/44.1, and 320kbps mp3

Qobuz = FLAC 24/192, 24/96, 16/44.1, and 320 kbps mp3

I don't think either can stream DSD, however, Roon integrates it from your collection.

So are you team Qobuz, or team Tidal? And more specifically, why?

Thanks all.

It's a great time to be an audiophile. Cheers.

- Matt

 

I won't use Tidal because I don't want to support MQA, even if it may be just indirectly.

 

Neither
As I have no choice on what mastering's are being used-for older titles that have a compressed remaster.
As far as the store, it will be interesting to see how they deal with 'region' locked albums and singles.
For DL's I'm still using the French outlet (which I enjoy)
Sample and Bit rates don't mean anything to me if the mastering has been destroyed.
I actually think it's an awful time for being an audiophile.
With AF going out and fewer releases from MFSL (Scott and Shane having issues licensing etc...) ultra compressed 24/96 remasters that sound like crap being peddled off as 'audiophile'.... Great times indeed.

 

Tidal... because of ROON. Will keep it for a while due to existing playlist and familiarity.

I would change if I thought Tidal wasn't going to make it or some other value proposition.

Not interested in streaming hirez. Its my humble opinion that hirez is a fools erend in excess audio phoolery, and, I don't listen to audiophile music anyway.

 

Tell me how you really feel..

Really? I disagree. You can break into bit-perfect music inexpensively. You don't need but a few hundred bucks to hear audiophile quality recordings the way they were meant to be heard.

Choose good recordings is all.

 

Sorry Matt. I'm just sick of bastardized mastering's being paraded as being 'Audiophile' because of bit and sample rate- in the vinyl world it's called 180 gram & 1/2 Speed...

 

I would like to try Qobuz more for the DL store aspect, but a lot of stuff that they might offer in the European store isn't available in the U.S. store. Their download store prices are much better than Tidal.

I am a Tidal DL subscriber but it only makes up a small percentage of my listening. I will probably "wait and see" when it comes to Qobuz.

 

Tidal....love it!

 

Tidal, and they don't use MP3 but the superior M4A for less-than-HiFi streaming range

 

I'm currently using Tidal (primarily with Roon), but as soon as Qobuz launches in the US and gets integrated with Roon, I think I'm switching. MQA is just too much of a headache, especially since my primary DAC is the Schiit Yggdrasil.

 

It's all good. I'm just as sick of that as you are. Labels slap 180g on vinyl to trick people into thinking 180g=quality recording. This is obviously not the case, so I'm with you.

I guess that's really what it comes down to. I don't have the second "unfold" so I'm not benefiting from the hi-fi level. It doesn't look like MQA will go away, like it or not. And Roon at this point is pretty much Tidal and your library. With a magazine like feel on a tablet. Which is cool - but one issue I have is - it reminds me of Apple products on how you have to learn "their way" not the typical Windows UI and process to edit metadata. JRiver is a good example of Windows type UI.

I was like - Do I need Roon? Jriver does all of these things, its just ugly.

I will probably end up getting the stupid MQA Dac, if Qobuz doesn't sign on in a few weeks. I guess I can always switch!

 

Just give me a FLAC stream that works on mobile devices and I’m good. I don’t feel the need to support any streaming service from a loyalty standpoint. I prefer a month to month arrangement.

 

Couldn't get into the Qobuz beta. Don't care about Roon integration, I just use Tidal from it's own client streaming directly from laptop to DAC or via phone and Bluetooth in the car. The sound is very good but I don't have MQA capable playback so I'm not getting high res. Software is OK but not great. Music selection is good but not sufficient for me to have it as my only streaming source -- I'm mostly a jazz listener. Navigating classical is a bit of a nightmare. And I wish the client and recommendation engine was customizable and significantly more useful. I'm very curious about Qobuz and the high res streaming, but at the price, it will have to have a library equal to or better than Tidal's in terms of stuff like '80s and '90s DIW and Winter & Winter jazz, and better classical navigation for me to switch. I'll give it a free trial when it's open if I can't get into the beta at some point.

 

This is what the classical homepage looks like

 

Tidal will likely never correct the rampant problem of multi-disc albums having tracks out of order, so it is a pain to use for classical listeners such as myself:

 

I have to admit one thing Qobuz does that I absolutely love - is you can change between hi-res and 16/44.1 on the fly while listening. Pretty cool feature.

 

Idagio actually does a pretty good job with classical, that's all they do. FLAC for $10 per month and great recommendations and playlists.

 

I would wait. MQA isn't worth buying any additional equipment. Although I'm losing interest in Qobuz the longer I have to wait as well. They made a big mistake in my opinion by announcing the US launch so long ago.

 

Qobuz is coming to Roon, btw. No one can say officially, but, i can say, it is.

 

Tidal = MQA (need full unfold for Hi-res 24/96), 16/44.1, and 320kbps mp3

- How does one "unfold" to get the hi-res 24/96? All the files I play on my phone/receiver seem to be 16/44.1 but I definitely do have the "Hi-Fi" enabled. Is this not an option for phone/receiver listening?

 

Tidal for me!
I stream it through my Oppo 103.

 

• You can unfold on Android/Desktop. Limited to 24/96. Whether it really is 24 bits (its more like 13), is another discussion.
• Qobuz is 24/96 out - 24/96 in

I will be dropping Tidal once Roon picks up Qobuz.

 

thank you, so I'll take that as a no?

 

Unless you get a an MQA decoding dac. No I'm afraid not. There are two layers of unfold. First is roon, or desktop app, and dac is the second unfold.

 

thank you !