What is the highest bit rate streaming service?

Graeme,

Qobuz, full fat version, delivers flac 16bit/44.1kHz. Mighty fine improvement over 320kBps and you can subscribe a month at a time without penalty for cancelling.

Andy

How much material is their in the Qobuz catalogue?  I mainly listen to rock, blues type stuff.  Is there good coverage of that?

David

Hi, Graeme,

I get amazing SQ from Spotify Premium via SBT / nDAC / 555DR.  Maybe the iPad direct-wired to the nDAC is not as good?  I'll experiment and compare.  I will be interested if you find a better-sounding service using your iPad as source.

Best,

Nick

Qobuz:

- Rock.  24703 albums

- Blues.   4549 albums

Cheers

Aleg

Hi.

can anyone tell me how to access the qobuz service as its all,in French. I have heard good things about this service and I am keen to try.

thanks

grahm

Graham,

top right hand corner there's a translate widget that says 'Select Language' It's a drop-down box with numerous languages. Not perfect, but it'll get you up and running.

Andy

Thanks for the reply Aleg - that was way more accurate than I was expecting :-)

You're welcome,

It was the easiest thing to determine because they give you the total number of albums when selecting a subcategory. :-))

Looks like an interesting service. Now the idiot question . I have an HDX/NDAC - what is the easiest way for me to access it  ? Have to add that i am pretty illiterate when it comes to techie stuff so easy to follow, step by step , instructions would be gratefully received !

For Streaming:

Step 1. Wait till November when it becomes officially available in the UK too.

Step 2. Buy a new or use an existing computer to run the Qobuz Desktop Player (can be downloaded from Qobuz for free)

Step 3. Connect your computer to the Internet on one side and digitally to your Naim DAC using SPDIF coax cable or TosLink Optical on the other side.

Step 4. Login to your Qobuz account, search for and select the album and press play.

improvements in sound quality are possible in:

- Step 2 by setting up a dedicated and optimised computer for audio playback

- Step 3 by using high(er)-end USB-SPDIF converters (highest end can cost you so know what you are beginning with) to connect your computer to Naim DAC.

- Step 4 by using the best playback engine for Windows in existence (JPlay) and have Qobuz Desktop play into JPlay. When using JPlay, further improvements are possible in Step 2 by using two dedicated computers and go for hibernation mode. Advanced users can go even further and use Windows 2012 Server Core for Operating System and have it optimised by some available optimisation scripts.

All easy, peasy and very enjoyable.

Cheers

Aleg

Thanks very much for your reply Aleg. Greatly appreciated.   Just to show my ignorance , can the computer be linked into the router , which is linked to the HDX instead  ie not directly into HDX.   That would be easier due to location of rack..Graham

Graham.

It can indeed. Computer and HDX connected into separate ports using Ethernet cables with RJ45 connectors (the standard end bits). Reasonable quality cables/connectors should suffice.

Andy

Alegre.

hi.

so is that a definite for November. I currently use the sonos into naim, so will that handle the streams from qobuz , or will I need to add a naim streamer please.

thanks 

graham

Really interesting replies.

Further to the above - Will I be able to connect my iPad via USB to the HDX and stream cd quality files at way?

Many thanks.

Graeme

Graham

There has been an announcement on June 14th by Qobuz about wider european availability:

"qobuz will start services on November 1st 2013 in Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxemburg."

Also there appears to be an application for use with Sonos which will allow you to stream Qobuz via the Sonos. Look on this page: http://www.qobuz.com/abonnemen...reaming/applications

And more here: http://blogs.qobuz.com/qobuzbl...en-vraie-qualite-cd/

Cheers

Aleg