Tidal FLAC vs. Qobuz

@p05129  Can you tell me the program you used to transfer your Tidal library to Qobuz

It’s been a while since I did this. When I signed up for Qobuz, Qobuz asked if I needed to convert from tidal and when I said yes, they gave me access to this program. I’ll see if I can find this program.

Was it Soundiiz?

Soundiiz can transfer playlists between services, though it didn't work that well for me. There's a fee for large playlists.

Soundiz is the one that I tried. Doesn't work too well for me either.

Tidal Connect does not "stream wirelessly" to a streamer connected to the network with an Ethernet cable. I could be interpreting OP wrong, but it appears OP is under the impression that Tidal Connect works by wirelessly transmitting to the app on the phone/tablet which then wirelessly streams to the streamer. This is incorrect. I apologize if I am misinterpreting OP.

I use Tidal and Spotify. I used Qobuz on a trial that finished yesterday. I didn't renew it. My accompanying system is Blusound Node streamer with a Gato Audio AMP150 AE and Gato Audio FM15 bookshelf speaker.

You can play high res from your Tidal app (iPhone or PC - maybe others too but I don't use Android/MAC) in high res over wi-fi. You don't need to use Bluetooth. If you use BT then you can just use Spotify.

For Qobuz, the selection was okay but the app sucks. You can not play via WiFi from either the PC or the iPhone app. You have to go to the service in Bluesound or any other streamer you use to play it on WiFi- which honestly sucks. The Bluesound app is not as good as the streaming apps.

I have a Bluseound Vault too but for the last several years use it as a hardwired backup streaming source to my ARC/Wilson system (when Roon goes down- which it does about once a month for an hour or two) I flip over to the Vault and access Quboz and Tidal. It does a decent job but if you have a nicer system then I suggest a better streamer/DAC - it'll make a big sonic improvement. I default to liking the selections of Quboz - Tidal is still skewed toward explicit lyrics / rap etc but has overall a good mix. Sonically I can't tell them apart by the way. And, with a hardwired system the issue you raise about FLAC is moot. I bougth a Lumin PI for my main streamer/DAC and love it. It also gives access to Spotify, which the PS Audio DirectStream Jr I had previously did not. 

@p05129 I too was angry that Tidal didn’t honor their agreement with Best Buy’s customers and negated those who had already paid for a year’s subscription and forced us to start paying the full monthly price - without offering a discount for a yearly subscription. So far, I’m still with Tidal, but yeah, that definitely rubbed me the wrong way and makes Tidal "expensive" compared to yearly subscriptions of Apple Music and Amazon HD. After jumping through hoops using a 3rd party software (TuneMyMusic, which is not free for large collections, I had to temporarily subscribe to it, do the transfer, then cancel) to transfer all my Spotify albums, tracks, and playlists to Tidal, I guess I’ll stick it out and see how it goes, and if they’ll ever offer a yearly discount again.

One cool thing about TuneMyMusic was that I was also able to download a comma delimited file (.XLS format) of all my music.  That was a definite plus. 

@mojo771 Tidal connect does not stream wirelessly to the Node.  Tidal connect controls music on the node much like Roon.  It is essentially the same as playing from the Node.

Why does anybody like blusound??

The interface is hardly helpful and difficult to work with and is not as good as going to the source like tidal or qobuz.

It's just an interface that's poorly designed. Personally I prefer roon.

I too would still be with Tidal if they hadn’t cold-cocked us with dropping the Best Buy annual membership mid year and made us subscribe at twice the monthly price for Hi-Res.  I drop-kicked Tidal’s plan, signed up for a year with Quboz, transferred all my music using third party software that I had to pay for 1 month.  Tidal had much more music I listen to and the sound quality is the same on like file levels. After a cooling off period I may have to sign up for Tidal reg plan just to get access to songs Quboz does not offer.  I have lifetime Roon so integration of the two is excellent.  Grrrrrr!

That’s what I’m doing while having the Roon lifetime subscription:

Tidal HiFi (regular) CD Quality at $10.99 for their 100 million tracks.

Qoboz Studio (Hi-Res) at $10.82 for their 424,000 Hi-Res tracks.

vs Tidal Hi-Fi Plus at $19.99 for their 100 million CD quality and 25,000 Hi-Res tracks ($1.83 difference w/out taxes in comparison to above). 

Like some of the previous users here, I’ve found Qoboz falling short on a few of the artists and their tracks I enjoy. Tidal seems to have a much higher success rate, but then again, some of the sub genres I listen to are pretty “eclectic.”

When I was younger making minimum wage I remember spending $16-$20 for a CD album - sometimes three or more per month. $20 now for both Tidal and Qoboz seems like a pretty good deal IMHO. Even if I only make $2 more than minimum wage :)

I believe Qobuz pays artists more than Tidal. The majority owner of Tidal is also Block inc which does not deserve my appreciation. That and the rap are reasons to avoid Tidal.  
 

About 4 years ago when trying to decide which music service to go with, I did a comparison of a few songs I am very familiar with using, and this is key, the exact same album on both QoBuz and Tidal.  Both in CD-quality, not Hi-Res.  After closely listening, in my opinion QoBuz sounded a little more realistic and micro-detailed on all the songs than Tidal, so I went with QoBuz. I have not tried Tidal again since, and I have been really satisfied with QoBuz as well as their array of music.  As others have stated, your personal tastes and experience will be the judge of which to use.  Good luck choosing your music source...  

I used to be with tidal and loved it with MQA. Tidal also has more of the newer music (jazz, blues, prog rock, hard rock, new age) than Qobuz. But the BB/tidal fiasco sent me over to Qobuz. After converting all of my music over, I have some albums on Qobuz that have multiple tracks that are “unavailable” which can’t be played. The description for this is that the artist put a restriction that these songs could not be streamed thru Qobuz, but I streamed these just fine with tidal. So now I have to purchase these albums. The jury is still out on qobuz

If you're utilizing the BlueOs via a phone (apple or android) or tablet to control your Node and the source is Tidal, you aren't using bluetooth if everything is connected to your wi-fi network. The only way you would be using bluetooth is if you're using Apple Airplay or your Vault isn't connected directly to the internet. 

I stream Spotify/Radio Paradise/Tidal on my CXN via the Cambridge StreamMagic app over my wi-fi network. Bluetooth never enters the picture.

@bipod72 Yes, but you're not getting the highest audio resolution.  Qobuz has h res flac, and the Tidal Connect app does, but not regular Tidal.  

I can stream Tidal and Qobuz direct to my Bluesound and the phone is merely a remote.  But to get hi-res flac from Tidal you have to use the Tidal Connect app on your phone, but can only play over a 2 channel amp / tower speakers by using wireless hifi.  Wireless defeats the purpose of Tidal Connect and hi res streaming  

@mojo771 I get high-res because my CXN is directly connected to the internet via ethernet. My phone is merely the control just like you but I control via my wi-fi connection. I"m not transmitting the stream from my phone.

"But to get hi-res flac from Tidal you have to use the Tidal Connect app on your phone, but can only play over a 2 channel amp / tower speakers by using wireless hifi."

This isn’t necessarily true. If the Vault is connected to the internet via ethernet and the Vault is a direct input on your system, then the app on your phone is still just a wi-fi controller. Tidal Connect streams do not travel through the smartphone or tablet on their way to the paired network streamer.

I’m not sure if the OP’s Vault is directly connected to the net via ethernet or not. If the OP Is connecting the Vault via Wi-Fi, then yes high-res is compromised.

Except Spotify / Tidal are not hi res.  Only Qobuz is high res flac.  Qobuz also has many cd quality options that are not hi res flac. Tidal is mqa, which many say is not really hi res, Which is why they went to flac (on some recordings) but only thru Tidal Connect app.  And Tidal says you cannot get hi res flac unless you go to their Tidal Connect App which is not available on the Bluesound, so only mqa.    

@mojo771 I forgot you're the OP so apologies. I had to go back and reread. Tidal Connect is high rez but regular Tidal isn't, you're correct. The Bluesound website says its BluOS supports Tidal Connect which I take that you should be able to use Tidal Connect with your Bluesound. Do you have to manually update the firmware on the Bluesound or is it automatic via the BlueOS app? 

@bipod72  

This is where I got annoyed at both Bluesound and Tidal.  They are very careful with their wording on this issue.  I had to email them both multiple times to get a straight answer.  They seem to be intentionally misleading.  

Tidal is "integrated" into the BluOS.  So you can stream mqa from tida; usiing only the BS Vault.  And Tidal has flac thru Tidal Connect on the Tidal Connect app, that you can stream through the Vault - wirelessly.  But you cannot access flac direct from tidal thru the Vault. 

My BluOS app was just updated after an update prompt, and the Tidal Connect app was just released. 

So now, I subscribe to both Tidal and Qobuz.  I stream Qobuz hi res flac direct thru the Vault, and when they don't have a flac option available I stream mqa from Tidal.  I see no reason to use the Tidal Connect, unless / until they "integrate" into the BluOS as they do with mqa Tidal 

Guys will spend $50K+ on their rigs and then can’t see paying $300 a year fo have BOTH Qobuz & Tidal - it’s crazy. I switch between both services depending on what I want to listen to - seems simple, yes?

@mojo771 

Once you find a DAC you really like, upgrade to a better streamer like any of the offerings from Aurender or Innuos. As I mentioned in my first post, I used to own Vault and then upgraded to Aurender ACS100 (I cannot live without a ripper as I still buy CD’s). It’s 1000 times better than vault in terms of library management, app interface and can be used as a dedicated streamer. Or look for used ACS 10 for about $3K. You can thank me later :-) 

Das anyone know why "Tidal" streaming 320 kbps but not CD audio quality?I Use both Tidal and Qobuz, same music tidal 320kbps - Qobuz Flac 16bit/44.1? Thank you.

I'm not sure which application you are using @zokniai , but with Roon or my phone I often get Tidal to give me 44.1/16.  I suspect it's your settings.

I use Aurender a15 (4 conductor)

Easy choice here.  I don't like music made by anything that plugs into the wall, want to understand the lyrics, and I don't jump up and down while listening.

Also MQA is now a proven to be lossy and noisy process.  The Provence of some music has been shown to be questionable at Tidal.  Qobuz also sounds better to my ear.