Quboz...all is not well?

I tried it and thought it was terrible. Limited catalogue, too expensive and the layout is an absolute mess. Apart from the quality, Spotify blows it out of the water in every shape or form.

If anyone thinks HDTracks are good then Qobuz are better. Less expensive, at least as good catalogue and good service. If you buy an HD album you can download it as many times as you like (if you make a balls up like I did) and in any of the available formats. It'll be very sad if they fold, I wish them well for the future.

As posted on another thread it appears Qobuz Music Group SA are doing very well at the moment with their expansion plans and are busy recruiting... I wish them well also.. 

..........  limited catalogue, too expensive and the layout is a mess.

+1 & 100%, the most user unfriendly clucky www site around the audio world

.......... If anyone thinks HDTracks are good then Qobuz are better.

Oh no they're not

.......... at least as good catalogue

Their catalogue is nowhere near as extensive as HDT

......... If you buy an HD album you can download it as many times as you like

I like this especially in a different format.

But if you end up having to take a zipped download, as I did last weekend,  they need to have some track title editing to look right in nStream

It’ll be shame if they fold,  we need this sector to grow & with competition we should get the prices at a sensible level.  Done & said all unlike record stores with CD & Vinyl,  it's not that they have to have physical stocks with the warehouse & transport that entails

Originally posted by Mike-B and Stephen:

"..........  limited catalogue, too expensive and the layout is a mess.

+1 & 100%, the most user unfriendly clucky www site around the audio world"

Strange - I actually like the Qobuz site and find it pretty slick and intuitive. I guess it's a subjective thing. What browser do you use?  

Qobuz also has a very responsive support desk.

Who is Quboz?

Perhaps Naim/Focal should buy Quobuz??

Google Chrome 

I am not convinced about a responsive support desk; I had a problem last weekend when the Qobuz download system failed & it resulted in 1 track labeled as "error" that I could not retrieve as a single track.

I could get it as a whole album zip (which I did & that gives a messy extraction format)  but out of courtesy to Qobuz & my education I sent a note to Qobuz on Saturday - they did not reply until Thursday.  

Mike,

I use the latest version of IE, and the site seems pretty slick to me. I have now downloaded a substantial number of albums from Qobuz over a period of months, and on the few occasions where I have encountered a problem, I have had a same day response (often within 30 minutes) to any query I have raised.

My current batch of (£240) downloads using the promotion code have downloaded flawlessly using the Qobuz download manager. 

Mike

it is rare that I disagree with one of your posts but in this instance I do. I find Qobuz much better than HD Tracks both in terms of the web site and the download. The offers are better as well. I don't know if it's a issue but my experience is with the French site and it may be that the UK version needs to settle down.

I was going to post on your download problem but you had sorted the issue when I saw your post. I have found when using the Qobuz downloader that if you run the download again it will default to the problem track and download it again.

No probs Camlan,  we will agree to disagree. 

Most of my experience was with the French site,  the one time I used UK was last weekend. 

I just find HDT so much easier, the page opens, you search, select & order, page changes are fast & the response pop ups & download function slick & the actual download connects & completes with my PC much easier than Qobuz - plus it knows if & when a file has not downloaded successfully & prompts you to go again.   

-  apart, I hasten to add,  the need to work around the IP address issue on the US site. (but I have that sorted)  I just like HDT better - at the moment. 

HDT UK has yet to get close to the US for availability & it makes me mad that prices are higher, I guess a US sales tax vs UK VAT anomaly.

However I am not giving up on Qobuz, last weekend was a glitch & outside their control (I guess)  & I will look into their www as a matter of course as & when I start shopping around for albums. 

Thanks Mike

For some reason I just don't share that experience. I run iMac and therefore Safari but that shouldn't have that sort of impact.

I think it's the French vs the UK site. The one thing they do not seem to be duplicating on the UK site are the special offers. For example the French site currently has a Studio Masters promotion that includes Blood on the Tracks for €8.99. Not in the UK as far as I can see.

I agree. I have only downloaded about 20 or so Hi-Res albums from them usually in batches of six to eight at a time. The purchase and download procedure has worked flawlessly via the Qobuz download manager on a MAC OS X 10.9.4 using Safari. However I have found the actually search for music a little bit clunky but perhaps that is just me getting used to finding my way around the site. 

It's also worth bearing in mind that they will let you download it as often as you like, in a different format if you wish. Might be useful in an emergency.

Mike I too nearly always agree with your posts, but on this point I differ, to me Qobuz is a breath of fresh air compared to HDT. True some of the prices on Qobuz are slightly higher than I would pay, but there are some absolute steals as well.. I guess it is always worth shopping around. The new online download purchase site seems to work really well for me on Chrome and Internet Explorer.

Horses for courses.

Simon

I'm telling it as I find it Simon. I might have had a run of bad luck, but each of the last 3 download sessions ran into a problem of some sort  & 5 days to answer a help request,  not impressed. 

Like I said to Camlan, we will agree to disagree, maybe a better run of luck will change my mind.  That said I'm not giving up on them & they are still on my shops to visit list.

Mike absolutely - it sounds like  your experience has been far from ideal.. fortunately my experience has been positive to date - as opposed to my experience of HDT and their download manager early on - and some substandard media. (IMO)

Simon

Happy guy - the support team fixed my problem, I am now in the process of downloading a great collection of music for 50 percent of it's retail value....

Allen I also have a MBP with the latest Mavericks and had no problem downloading and installing the manager again only a few night ago. This does not help you but lets you know it is working fine. Can you just try to download the music now, this may kick the download manager into booting up.

Allen, I just tried to install the downloader on my MBP and indeed it crashed.

However I use the Qobuz desktop player downloader on my MBP, as I have set that up just to pop downloads into my NAS already for streaming with zero hands on.. So give that a try.. Follow the OSX desktop player download links. On the download page you have an option of using the beta desktop downloader.. That's what you should select after you have installed the desktop player.

Simon

Well the Qobuz software isn't bug free for sure..... I use my iPhone 5 or IPad air with the latest Qobuz app. and sometimes it crashes or plays two numbers at the same time(on/from the same device). Re starting the app. is the only solution. And Yes, being a Spotify user as well, despite the (slightly) better SQ from Qobuz, Spotify is superior in all other areas.

I use the UQ2 with NAP100 over AirPlay or the front USB (definite better SQ!).

For any of you trying to use up your discount, in addition to The Creation mentioned earlier in this thread, may I draw your attention to the three albums of Tucker Zimmerman available. Although 'only' 44.1/16, they sound excellent and his stuff is virtually impossible to find, and at £7.99 before discount, they won't break the bank. 

Started downloading my bumper download using pretty much all my 50% discount  limit. I suspect it will take 24 plus hours to download this lot 

I really don't agree with that. As someone who listens mainly to classical, the provision of (most) CD booklets, containing vital texts and translations etc, is a big Qobuz plus. And my feeling is that the SQ advantage of CD quality vs 320k is more than slight.

Goon, I agree the Qobuz booklets are a nice feature.. If only they would do it for more albums.

Also the difference in quality is significant even with rock through my MBP speakers!