qobuz Qobuz USA launching soon!

[tapatrick]

1 hour ago, left channel said:

@tapatrick as @jhwalker said there is a hi-res streaming tier, Sublime+. It may have been created after you left Qobuz.

Sublime+ is not at all cheap, but one version of the US pricing I've seen makes it much more reasonable.

I saw this in the small print too which made me wonder.... 

 

“At the request of the right holders or artist representatives, it is possible that all or part of their discography is missing from the music streaming services. In that case, you will only have access to a short sample. Qobuz, by also offering paid downloads, allows you to “unlock” streaming by buying these albums.”

 

I will give the sublime+ a go to see how it works and sounds. 

[jtwrace]

I'm really enjoying Qobuz.

 

 

[left channel]

7 hours ago, tapatrick said:

I saw this in the small print too which made me wonder.... 

 

“At the request of the right holders or artist representatives, it is possible that all or part of their discography is missing from the music streaming services. In that case, you will only have access to a short sample. Qobuz, by also offering paid downloads, allows you to “unlock” streaming by buying these albums.”

 

I will give the sublime+ a go to see how it works and sounds. 

 

An equivalent situation on Tidal is when most tracks of an album are greyed out and you can't click on them. Also if no part of an album can be streamed on Tidal, then the album isn't even displayed. Tidal tried selling downloads for a while but dropped the idea, so with them that's as far as you can go. On Qobuz in the same situations you can at least listen to samples and buy downloads.

[left channel]

I've just learned Amarra Luxe will soon be including Qobuz too: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/amarra-anyone-using-it.428550/page-58#post-14528060

[left channel]

Looks like the folks at Qobuz were busy launching a new pricing scheme in Europe last week, and this bodes well for potential US customers. There is a new Hi-Res streaming-only tier called "Studio", available monthly or at a discounted annual price, and price of the annual Hi-Res "Sublime+" tier for streaming plus discounted downloads has been reduced as well:

 

 

More info: http://blogsv2.qobuz.com/qobuz-blog-en/2018/10/10/qobuz-studio-launch-the-first-monthly-and-unlimited-hi-res-streaming-subscription/

 

 

[firedog]

On 6/22/2018 at 4:00 AM, rickca said:

I was expecting it to slip and it did.  But better late than never.

Better late than f**ked up, which would probably sink them in the US from the get go. They are smart to delay until it is working properly. It will lose them zero customers and possibly ensure success.

[rickca]

@David.. Qobuz, Hi-Res Music Evangelist what is the main thing holding up the Qobuz USA launch?

[exdmd]

I was lucky enough to get in on the beta test so I am subscribed now to Quobuz in the US. I did notice some problems with the desktop app on Windows 10 Pro sometimes playback would distort and I would have to clear the cache and restart the app to correct the problem. Bugs like this might be the reason for a delay. That being said, once I installed Audirvana+ I have had no problems at all streaming from Quobuz or Tidal.

[jtwrace]

The launch has been delayed to 2019.  

[TAV]

18 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

The launch has been delayed to 2019.  

Curious,  do you have source for this information? 

[jtwrace]

2 minutes ago, TAV said:

Curious,  do you have source for this information? 

https://forum.psaudio.com/t/qobuz-in-the-usa/5970/104?u=jtwrace

[left channel]

21 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

https://forum.psaudio.com/t/qobuz-in-the-usa/5970/104?u=jtwrace

 

Dang. Al Griffin is a Sound & Vision editor, so that was no wild guess from a random commenter. But thanks for finding and sharing.

[shadowlight]

I guess we will find out either 1st or 2nd week in January during CES.

[TAV]

1 hour ago, jtwrace said:

https://forum.psaudio.com/t/qobuz-in-the-usa/5970/104?u=jtwrace

 

Thanks,  disappointing news.  I'm using a society account that expires in December so will have to go cold turkey for a while.  Not going back to Tidal so I'll have to rely on Deezer for my streaming fix until Qobuz launches next summer (just my estimate not supported by anything except my hunches)   

[mourip]

On 11/26/2018 at 12:33 PM, exdmd said:

I was lucky enough to get in on the beta test so I am subscribed now to Quobuz in the US. I did notice some problems with the desktop app on Windows 10 Pro sometimes playback would distort and I would have to clear the cache and restart the app to correct the problem. Bugs like this might be the reason for a delay. That being said, once I installed Audirvana+ I have had no problems at all streaming from Quobuz or Tidal.

 

When you say the "desktop app" do you mean Roon or just a new US version of their app?

 

It seems odd that their desktop app would have that issue since those who use the EU version from the US do not seem to report it.

 

Anyway 2019 is just a month away.

[left channel]

Count me as one of the UK account holders roaming in the USA who have never experienced distortion. I've been a Qobuz customer for over a year now.

[left channel]

 

On 11/26/2018 at 9:33 AM, exdmd said:

I was lucky enough to get in on the beta test so I am subscribed now to Quobuz in the US. I did notice some problems with the desktop app on Windows 10 Pro sometimes playback would distort and I would have to clear the cache and restart the app to correct the problem. Bugs like this might be the reason for a delay. That being said, once I installed Audirvana+ I have had no problems at all streaming from Quobuz or Tidal.

 

5 hours ago, mourip said:

 

When you say the "desktop app" do you mean Roon or just a new US version of their app?

 

It seems odd that their desktop app would have that issue since those who use the EU version from the US do not seem to report it.

 

Anyway 2019 is just a month away.

 

Count me as one of the UK account holders roaming in the USA who have never experienced that distortion problem. I've been a Qobuz customer for over a year now, using primarily the Qobuz desktop app.

[dmormerod]

US Pricing just announced :

 

https://twitteringmachines.com/news-qobuz-prepares-for-us-launch-announces-pricing-plan/

 

[left channel]

34 minutes ago, dmormerod said:

US Pricing just announced :

 

https://twitteringmachines.com/news-qobuz-prepares-for-us-launch-announces-pricing-plan/

 

 

Thanks! Nice to see official confirmation of those the prices. Other sites are also reporting plans for an early 2019 launch based on the same press release.

A note on that twitteringmachines article: in fairness to Tidal, I've used the same resource and each time came up with many more MQA tracks. Last time I checked, about 140,000. That pales in comparison to the 2,000,000 Hi-Res tracks on Qobuz of course.

[left channel]

ICYMI:

 

[bobbmd]

@left channel am asking you this as you seem to be quite knowledgeable about Qobuz in USA( i will also reach out to David Craff ,Jud and Audio Doctor)

I have had a Qobuz account since 2013 in USA with a 'French' address of New France(actually New York State)

What should I do with this account? Keep it or get a real USA account( if i change to STUDIO the price will be same as what I pay now in Euros for HiFi)? What do you think will happen to the hundreds of playlists I have made on my original account and that are also on A+3? Finally, do you think the wonderful European/world wide albums and artists offered on my current account ie new issues editors picks etc will be the same or  truncated for USA market?

I have also sent an email to Qobuz support but I don't know if they will understand what I am asking. I know I am not the only USA person who has had Qobuz since 2013 or earlier maybe someone else in my situation can tell me what they are going to do.

thanks

bobbmd

[left channel]

@bobbmd I don't know all the answers yet, and I suspect neither do the Qobuz staff, but here are my thoughts.

 

One of the Qobuz folks participating on AS (the-forum-formerly-known-as-CA :-) said something about intending to offer a path for users to switch from the EU to the US service, but had no details to offer and for all we know that will involve transferring credit only.  However, you can use Soundiiz to transfer your playlists between two Qobuz accounts. Someone else here has done that successfully to switch between Italian and French accounts.

 

It is also not yet clear what they will license in the US market and how that will differ from Europe, but at least one participant in the closed US beta has reported that the US catalog does not appear fully fleshed-out. I suppose as in Europe, satisfaction will depend on which genres you prefer. All I can say is that I intend to maintain accounts on both services to compare, at least until the next annual renewal of one or the other.

 

[Forehaven]

I have a trial, anyway to get this to play thru Roon, or if not, getting it to play through my DAC/Pre/Amp?

[left channel]

4 minutes ago, Forehaven said:

I have a trial, anyway to get this to play thru Roon, or if not, getting it to play through my DAC/Pre/Amp?

 

Qobuz and Roon have reportedly been in negotiations. There may be be an announcement at CES next week. Or not.

 

I use LMS/Squeezebox to play Qobuz Hi-Res around the house, and there may be other solutions. What hardware are you using for Roon?

[bobbmd]

@left channel thank you keep me posted and i will do the same