Well if you’re using a NAS (or even a RPi on your network) you could dl a container with bubble soft and use the Linn Kazoo app to stream Qobuz FLAC. Not ideal but easy enough to do.
Qobuz have been making noises about adding Connect for a while now so it may happen eventually, but don’t hold your breath. For me, Roon is still the best way to browse Qobuz.
Thanks again. So the optimal solution is to stop using my Macbook and buy an ipad. Would the Qobuz app then function more efficiently, or would I have to use 3rd party software to enjoy the full joy of using Qobuz. This to replace a Spotify Connect solution which was straightforward and just worked on my laptop. Or to use Roon ( which I have subscribed to previously ) which was marvellous but a further £10 per month to manage my single ‘end point’. If Qobuz were to develop a Qobuz connect that would be straightforward too and perhaps attract many other people who are either on a budget or not too technically minded. But what is clear is streaming from my Macbook is not ideal. Mconnect seems to provide a little more functionality than the Naim app although @jmtennapel helpfully suggests the Naim app may be better long term if I do continue with my MAcbook, and has explained the differences in how these combinations work. And others have suggested making favourites in the flawed Qobuz app I can then use easily for playback in limited 3rd party apps.
Mmmm…the murk of daylight is rinsing away the blackness of night. Perhaps in the new year I can save some pennies and consider an iPad. Progress is relentless. Thank you all again.
Hi Peakman,
I see the new IPad Pro has the M1 chip. Is it possible to download Qobuz albums directly on the new IPad Pro?
The best options here are to either access Qobuz through the Naim app, which will give hi-res quality, or use Roon. Roon has the advantage of a much better user experience and can be used on the iOS app or the Mac app. If you can consider the cost of Roon part of the general streaming cost, it’s by far the best option I think.
I seconded @Mike_S, I have several choices of playing Qobuz, some (for instance the native Linn Kazoo) even arguably sound better than Roon+Qobuz combo, but I always come back to Roon+Qobuz because its management of music, meta data, and excellent, uncomplicated way to explore music.
If you are comfortable with IT, Roon + HQ Player is a great, inexpensive way of improving the SQ of your system.
I have the M1 iPad Pro. There’s nothing about it that should prevent Qobuz downloads. Why would you think there is?
I get it, thanks. My main interest is photography with a Fuji medium format camera and my M1 Macbook serves that purpose very well, whereas iPads have not been powerful enough to manage large raw files, though that might be changing with the new M1 iPads. So there has been no need to purchase an iPad. I can work on my photo files and sort out my music in the background on my Macbook. It has been so easy.
Music has always been a love but upgrading my audio equipment to the Naim Atom about 1 year ago has peaked my interest in streaming hires music. Sorting out and understanding the technology comes with the territory and I guess is what’s happening now. I still fail to understand why desktop computers ( including my mac ) cannot operate the same way that ipads and mobile devices can in rendering streaming music more efficiently. Is the difference in the architecture of the devices or the software? Can anyone point me to some simple resource/reference where I can read about these issues in more detail. It frustrates me that I need another device other than my expensive 8 month old state of the art Macbook to optimally play music.
Similarly it frustrates me that Qobuz has produced an app which seemingly will not permit me to play its music how I want to play it, whereas Tidal, Spotify and Amazon seem to provide me with that facility.
Maybe I’m just old and grumpy. My 30 year old son espouses his Raspberry Pi and volumio and thinks me ridiculous for spending so much money on good audio. Mmmm…time for some music I think. Choices…
Well, the good news is that you can use the iOS Naim app on your M1 Mac as the M1 can run any iOS app, and stream Qobuz from there. Otherwise, use the Roon Mac app.
I’m afraid that it is not true in general, desktop (including your mac) is much more powerful than your iPad/iPhone for streaming music, it is just that in the Naim world, the Naim app is only available on mobile devices or the latest M1 Mac. As @Mike_S said, just use the Roon app (if you have it) on any MacOS machine or Naim app on your M1 Mac, then you are all set.
Thanks. So the whole issue is that my Macbook is fine for streaming hires music, but for Qoboz there are few apps available which support Naim streamers other than on portable devices. Luckily i have a M1 processor which permits me to use some of those apps designed for portable devices. I have got the Naim app and also installed Mconnect.
The main issue is that Qobuz has produced an app which, by the acknowledgement of Naim’s Softare Director himself, fails to adequately support the buffer requirements necessary to stream hires music. That is why Naim produced its software, to facilitate Naim streaming equipment to work with Qobuz. And it does work. Otherwise we find ourselves in the workarounds we have discussed for the majority of this thread.
I am just asking for Qobuz to either redesign its original software to correct its issues with Chromecast or issue its own Qobuz Connect which would simplify the process enormously. Naim’s app is great, is functional and workable, but shouldnt really be necessary.
So I dont need to purchase an ipad after all; I can continue using the Qobuz app to organise my library and playlists and then play them through either the Naim app or other third party software suchs as Mconnect on my M1 macbook and not lose any quality.
Great!
I would not use Mconnect because I hate its terrible UI, and I feel it does not sound good (maybe I just only tried it for a few hours), but I only speak for myself.
One more thing, if you can find the IP address of your Naim Uniti Atom, you can control it by entering the URL http://<ip_address>/webclient/
on browser.
Finding the IP is very easy, there are some iOS apps such as fing, etc. to help you to do it.
@anon23425299 Yes its fun. Thanks. I bought a much better router about a year ago and redesigned my network at the time. Unless you practice and keep up skills it amazing how quickly you forget them. Fing lays it all out for me again. Any further ideas or suggestions would be welcome.
Enjoy your music for now. You will find audio streaming open a whole new world later (if not now) as you go along, there are a whole lot of possibilities…
Naim doesn’t want webclient info to be posted anymore as it is not official/supported and was meant as a basic internal tool. Richard is moderating this now, happened to me too.
The IP is displayed in the Naim app by the way, no need for additional tools. The router config pages will show it as well and a decent router most likely assigns a DNS name anyway, based on the name given to the unit in the Naim app settings
So this is explosive information, but it describes my experience to a tee. If this is the case, why isnt internal pressure being applied to Qobuz from within the industry to correct it? Does 3rd party software developers indirectly benefit from these kinds of issues? Qobuz would do well to just ‘plug and play’ surely. It doesnt make sense to me.
Sorry, can’t answer your question. I have a new MacBook Air with the M1 chip and it’s the best i.e. fastest laptop I’ve had, including my laptop pro from way back when. Many iPad Pro’s are more expensive than the basic MacBooks and I like a keyboard I can touch type on, so the Pros have never really appealed to me. YMMV of course.
Roger
Maybe it will be possible one day, to download on an IPad.