I want Qobuz integration!

If I understand it correctly I believe Naim have chosen to not go with individual streaming services, which in some regions are restricted, & instead provide access to any & all such services with Chromecast.   

As a youngster I was always told: 'I want' never gets...

The simple answer is no. It will not be integrated into the streaming software for what Naim call ‘legacy products’. You can get it using google cast on the new Uniti boxes, so it’s probaby reasonable to assume that a 272 replacement with the new streaming platform on board would be able to get Qobuz using google cast. Whether google cast sounds as good as full integration I’ve no idea. But none of that helps us now. I’d love to have Qobuz on my 272, just like you. 

Henk Molenaar posted:

Come on Naim, as a serious music lover,  please integrate Qobuz in your application!!

You can't access it directly ... but (as I recall, I don't use Qobuz) you can gain full access by...

1) Install BubbleUPnPServer software on your NAS or a computer on your network which is always / usually available.

2) Set up BubbleUPnPServer to provide a "proxy" OpenHome compatible renderer from your Naim streamer.

3) Download the Linn Kazoo app (iirc the Lumin app is an alternative).

4) Put your Qobuz credentials into the Linn app.

5) Enjoy Qobuz (almost) direct to your Naim streamer.

Yes you're right about the 'legacy' products HH, I should have mentioned that.   Qobuz aside I would love to have Deezer on my NDX with a far better music & genre portfolio for my tastes,  but I'm just as happy to live without it.

My dealer keeps hinting that perhaps a straight 272 replacement is wishful thinking and that Naim may have other ideas, that I have not thought of. Well I am sure the latter is true, guess we have to wait....

Dear Qobuz lovers....

All your replys makes me a bit angry......because your suggestions are all work arounds to receive Qobuz...I don't like work arounds after buying an expensive serious streamer!!! I think there are other (personal, commercial, strategic? ) reasons why Qobuz is not integrated into the streaming software....which is a pitty because Qobuz is serious player into the (high-res!) streaming world.

Of course it costs (a lot of) money to integrate Qobuz, but (for music lovers) maybe putting money in Qobuz is more reasonable than sponsoring Bentley........but who am I.........

But thank you anyway for your replys!

I don't think Naim sponsor Bentley at all. Naim supplies audio kit for Bentley.

best

David

Hello Henk,

you have bought your naim device without qobuz support. Why do you think it should be enhanced by supporting qobuz for free? If naim would do it, it would be great. But if you buy a car, no features will be integrated afterwards, too.

Greetings
Gert

Just to clarify, as a Bentley partner, Naim are a sponsor for Bentley's GT3 race team.  The music played in the pit garage and hospitality usually comes from a Mu-So or two (or three).  It is a small but important part of Naim's ongoing relationship with Bentley.

Naim for Bentley

Hallo Gert,

In my opinion the answer why Naim should implement Qobuz is simple.......They do have a lot of Europeeen customers who like Qobuz.......so if Naim wants to sell streamers which are really plug and play, so ready to use with all serious streaming services with no "work arounds and trics" to be implemented before listening...... I live near Toulouse in France, for our Naim dealer in Toulouse it's bad to say to potential new Naim customers that Qobuz is not implemented.......... And finally some people will choose for another hi-end provider which is a pitty, because Naim is sooooo goooooddddd......... 

But maybe, there are serious reasons for Naim to decide which I have to accept.....and as a Naim fan, I will................. 

Richard Dane posted:

Just to clarify, as a Bentley partner, Naim are a sponsor for Bentley's GT3 race team.  The music played in the pit garage and hospitality usually comes from a Mu-So or two (or three).  It is a small but important part of Naim's ongoing relationship with Bentley.

Naim for Bentley

Yes but do the race team want to listen to Qobuz?

Henk Molenaar posted:

Hallo Gert,

In my opinion the answer why Naim should implement Qobuz is simple.......They do have a lot of Europeeen customers who like Qobuz.......so if Naim wants to sell streamers which are really plug and play, so ready to use with all serious streaming services with no "work arounds and trics" to be implemented before listening...... I live near Toulouse in France, for our Naim dealer in Toulouse it's bad to say to potential new Naim customers that Qobuz is not implemented.......... And finally some people will choose for another hi-end provider which is a pitty, because Naim is sooooo goooooddddd......... 

But maybe, there are serious reasons for Naim to decide which I have to accept.....and as a Naim fan, I will................. 

And the impression I have is that there a a lot of customers in Britain who would like it (N.B. they are European, too!)

But I assume there are good reasons for not implementing, or limitations to being able to. However, and interestingly, Audirvana, which I use as renderer, integrates both Qobuz and Tidal, so Naim's integration of one but not the other in some products seems a bit odd - but where neither is integrated it is conceivable that it could be due to hardware limitations of the platform.

From a different angle, online streaming is inherently at risk of greater compromise to sound quality than streaming from one's own local store, and I have read criticisms of the Qobuz sound quality from people who have used it, not sounding as good as the same files downloaded - much as there are with Tidal. 

Acceptance may be easy since streaming Qobuz via a Naim renderer is even easier to accomplish than already mentioned above by Eloise. 

It is two steps away only: just download the Bubble app - for Android in my case - choose your Naim as your renderer, go to Local storage - Cloud - Qobuz and enter your username and password for Qobuz and you are ready to go...

Is that not easy enough? 

Thanks for reply!

The sound quality of streaming is pretty good from Qobuz and Tidal (no difference noticed), after streaming / listening the cd several times I decide if I buy and download the HI_RES version of the cd from the Qobuz side to my MELCO N1A.   And to be honnest:  that sounds even beter!!! 

Bubble up or other third party stuff is not my piece of cake...., I simply use the Naim app, works perfect in combination with my Melco an N272....

Enjoy weekend!!

Innocent Bystander posted:

Henk Molenaar posted:

Hallo Gert,

In my opinion the answer why Naim should implement Qobuz is simple.......They do have a lot of Europeeen customers who like Qobuz.......so if Naim wants to sell streamers which are really plug and play, so ready to use with all serious streaming services with no "work arounds and trics" to be implemented before listening...... I live near Toulouse in France, for our Naim dealer in Toulouse it's bad to say to potential new Naim customers that Qobuz is not implemented.......... And finally some people will choose for another hi-end provider which is a pitty, because Naim is sooooo goooooddddd......... 

But maybe, there are serious reasons for Naim to decide which I have to accept.....and as a Naim fan, I will................. 

And the impression I have is that there a a lot of customers in Britain who would like it (N.B. they are European, too!)

But I assume there are good reasons for not implementing, or limitations to being able to. However, and interestingly, Audirvana, which I use as renderer, integrates both Qobuz and Tidal, so Naim's integration of one but not the other in some products seems a bit odd - but where neither is integrated it is conceivable that it could be due to hardware limitations of the platform.

From a different angle, online streaming is inherently at risk of greater compromise to sound quality than streaming from one's own local store, and I have read criticisms of the Qobuz sound quality from people who have used it, not sounding as good as the same files downloaded - much as there are with Tidal. 

I wonder if that sound quality difference perceived between online streaming and local store is due to flac files vs. wav files?

cat345 posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

 

From a different angle, online streaming is inherently at risk of greater compromise to sound quality than streaming from one's own local store, and I have read criticisms of the Qobuz sound quality from people who have used it, not sounding as good as the same files downloaded - much as there are with Tidal. 

I wonder if that sound quality difference perceived between online streaming and local store is due to flac files vs. wav files?

That is rather a different subject: in this case I think it is primarily to do with the process of real-time data streaming across a very complicated network, which is what the internet represents - but others with greater technical knowledge of the processes will be better able to explain than I.

Earlier this year I heard a track I am very familiar with, being played via a high quality streaming service - it's one I have used for years while I worked at the factory for Naim for evaluation of bits of kit - through a big active Naim system (speakers not Naim).  Frankly, it was a bit disappointing.  It was superficially impressive but also a bit grainy and obviously not realistic - realism is something that this recording does well.  Just a bit papery, like it was a later generation copy. I'm most used to playing this track via CD or ripped FLAC or WAV file. The electronics I knew pretty well, so it was either the speakers (possible but unlikely as they are getting some great reviews on here) or it was the online streaming service source.  

Richard Dane posted:

I'm most used to playing this track via CD or ripped FLAC or WAV file. The electronics I knew pretty well, so it was either the speakers (possible but unlikely as they are getting some great reviews on here) or it was the online streaming service source.  

Someone might know the answer to this ... but do Tidal (and Qobuz) etc. use "ripped CDs" or do they (like Apple for iTunes Store and presumably Apple Music) get High Res copies which are then downsampled as required?  In other words, could the difference be mastering rather then CD vs Streaming?

Or, if that's the case, could it be downsampling?  Or was it just a bad apple - a poor source file.  Who knows?  I can't test further as I can't stream audio reliably over the 'net here thanks to being in the countryside with a rubbish local infrastructure (still old aluminium cables etc..).

I have found significant sound differences when streaming Tidal and Qobuz depending on which album you choose. Multiple versions of the same file can be found in different albums. Usually, compilations or 'the best of..' do not sound as good so downsampling and mastering could be the culprit.

I think Simon in Suffolk has commented in the past that at busy network times, early evening etc, sound quality can be affected, I have also noticed this.

I have to agree with Henk -- it is a mystery to me why one wouldn't support the only streaming service that offers hi-res music... Instead of Waitrose streaming quality, we get the Aldi of streaming -- Spotify...  

Now you are talking!

For me Naim's choise of streaming providers is a mystery.............Qobuz is one of the most serious and enthousiastic and passionated  streaming providers with a good internet side with interesting information and tests and not to forget a lot of 24 bits HIGH RES cd's for sale.......and that where it is all about isn't it...........

Yes, but Qobuz is very European, while Tidal is more worldwide. I don’t really think it’s worth getting very excited about any of these streaming services. The sound quality fallls well short of music streamed from a server, and to my mind it’s a waste of a Naim system to have either Tidal or Qobuz as a prime source. They are great for exploration and checking out things before you buy, but for serious listening, they are a non starter.