Confused re Qobus Connect

I just downloaded a hi-res album to my Qobuz offline library on my 2021 12.9 iPad Pro. Did you mean something else?

I am sorry assuming the fault may be Qobuz’s. It may be Naim’s. My knowledge is limited. There does seem incompatibility between the Qobuz app and Naim streaming devices prompting Naim to devise an app to step into the gap and reliance on 3rd party software manufacturers to create alternative solutions. It maybe this forum discussion can go no further without representation from Naim or Qobuz to explain further.

In the meantime my Qobuz app stutters when I try to Chromecast to my speakers and Naim software seems to bring relief and works well.

I just wonder if it will be possible to download albums from Qobuz or HDTRACKS…etc directly on an IPad, not using anymore a computer.

@GeoffB, you already quoted @Stevesky at the beginning of the thread, and he clearly explains the root cause of the problem.

Alternatively, you can try Tidal or Spotify, both of them provide a way of streaming audio directly from the google cloud servers.

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I think you are completely misunderstanding. Some streaming services, like Tidal and Qobuzt (but not Spotify) have an external interface that 3rd-party services can use to stream content from the streaming service. Such as the Naim app. This openness is intended and a good thing.

Alternatively, Qobuz and Tidal provide the option to use their own app to stream, or to stream from a browser on the PC. Tidal implemented Tidal Connect for the mobile app, and Qobuz relies on Chromecast. The dedicated solution like Tidal Connect has some advantages and most likely Qobuz would prefer to have something similar, but implementing it does not come for free and it’s not as if Chromecast was terrible.

None of this is “explosive information” and there is no reason for “the industry to put pressure on Qobuz”

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I think you two are talking about different things. You can download onto a mobile device for replay from a mobile device, but you can’t transfer the downloaded file to a music server - you need to download to a computer to do that?

I mean the later. Download to an IPad , like on a computer. For now I know it’s impossible. But with the new generation of IPad , maybe it will be possible. ( download = buy an album on Qobuz and then download it and store it and send it to a server or Nas).

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Very well said, @Suedkiez.

it’s down to Qobuz if they want to do it or not.

@anon23425299 I have just moved from Spotify as I was dissatisfied and am trialling Tidal as well as Qobuz. Tidal thankfully works well with no specific technical knowledge required. I think, however, I prefer both the sound quality, FLAC provision and need for no more ‘unfolding’ equipment of Qobuz. As a non-technical person ( there must be many people like me who want to listen to hires music without swatting up on conflicts and irregularities ) the initial stuttering and then the confusion around the cause for the stuttering, also work-rounds which were being kindly suggested, led to further confusion.

As I understand things better now I will continue using both the Qobuz and Naim software together to listen to Qobuz on my M1 macbook as I develop my photographic images.

I am dissapointed though there is not a single ‘plug and play’ option as with the other services you suggest. I am sure this is ultimately to the detriment to both Naim and Qobuz, and potentially to new subscribers to Qobuz who use Naim streaming equipment. Needing sophisticated knowledge in order to enjoy services now widely advertised to the general public should not be necessary. The only potential winners I can see are software providers such as Roon who will get new business out of the confusion; a number of the recommendations I received from helpful forum members suggested Roon and other software manufacturers when there was actually no need.

Qobuz and Naim are major players in the provision of quality streaming music. I wish there were not compromises the consumer has to make to enjoy their combined services. The compromise is to use 2 apps when their competitors only require the native app. Some may see this as not a big deal; people like me see it as inefficient.

I realise I maybe seen as ignorant, unreasonable and inflexible, but there are potentially millions of people like me who might wish to jump onboard the hires music revolution. Services surely need to work out of the box without complexity for that growth to continue and consumers to be satisfied and not patronised for their lack of technical knowledge. I am sure Qobuz and Naim will work together to eventually arrive at that situation and eradicate the stuttering once and for all from a native app.

Thank you personally for the explanations you have provided for me. I am grateful.

Back to the music and my photography, where I am very proficient.

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I completely agree with you @GeoffB , and i am also equally frustrated by the lack of the Quobuz Connect. If Qobuz supports the “Connect” technology, I would drop Roon in a heartbeat.

I’ve lost track now of what you are trying to do. I think it’s a pity though, that Naim don’t have apps for Windows and Macs.

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I am also confused about what your problem is and I have the impression that you are making a mountain out of a molehill, but in the post by Steve Harris that you found and posted further up it is clearly explained that Naim can do nothing about Chromecast and Qobuz using it in their app. The less-than-stellar Chromecast performance with hires is for Google to fix, and Qobuz using it is for Qobuz to fix. Nothing to do with Naim.

What Naim could theoretically do is improve their app and provide one for Windows, but that’s not easy or cheap, and we have to consider that many people like it as it is and don’t want more features. And going there would put Naim immediately in competition with Roon, which already does what a much improved Naim app could hope to achieve.

(Why anyone would want to use the poor Qobuz app is beyond me anyway, whether with Chromecast or Qobuz Connect).

All I want to do is to use Qobuz with my Naim Uniti Atom using the native Qobuz app. There is incompability between Qobuz app and Naim streaming devices and the native app stutters and freezes. The way around it is to either use the app Naim developed to solve the problem, which although functional, it is not as user friendly as the native app, or use 3rd party software such as Roon or Mconnect. Qobuz’s competitors all work well from the native app.

My point is that I am not a technical person, and there must be many more people like me who just want the Qobuz app to work with Naim streaming devices natively, kind of ‘out of the box’. All of its competitors achieve this and I do not have to worry about using Naim and/or other 3rd party software to make music. One day, I am sure, Qobuz and Naim will achieve this but it is currently not the situation.

Personally, as many of us here, listening to music requires to sit relaxed on a sofa and be absorbed with the music, not sitting behind a pc.
As I understand however your needs, I don’t think it’s a priority for most of people. An IPad or phone is all they really need.

I’m not sure there is any reason why there should be a problem using the native Qobuz app for your Atom, but you might find Airplay more reliable than Chromecast. You could just use Tidal instead of Qobuz, as their app works fine with Naim and their catalogue is way more comprehensive.

Ok thanks, I understood now what you are trying. However, I don’t know where you got it from that there would be an “incompability between Qobuz app and Naim streaming devices”. There isn’t. Qobuz chooses to use Chromecast in its app, and Naim provides it. The quality of Chromecast is up to Google. It should not stutter but I don’t think that’s a general problem (it doesn’t for me even with 24/192), although, as Steve explained in the post you quoted, Chromecast is not designed for hires and has a tendency to stutter with this content. However, there is nothing that Naim can do about this. In any case, I expect that improvements in the network can fix this for you. Agreed that this is a bit of a faff, but it should only be ever necessary with hires (and most likely only the higher resolutions like 24/192) and it’s inevitable in this use case of streaming hires via Chromecast that the network has to be up to it. (Even 24/192 is only ~10 Mbit/sec, so it shouldn’t be that hard in a decent home network)

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I think my technical knowledge regarding the deficiency of Chromecast and how Qobus are using it, and Naim’s response to that, is letting me down. I am a non-technical consumer who sees how Spotify, Tidal et al work within the native app. For reasons explained above, I want to use Qobuz with my Naim Uniti Atom easily and without trauma.

I set up my subscription with Qobuz, download the native app, select my music for my library and also my playlists, and spend 3 hours trying to get the app to play without stuttering and freezing. I am immediately confused and put off, and need to seek information to make it work. Why should I have to do this?

I discover that it plays well on the Naim app, though the functionality ( small icons for albums etc ) makes it less pleasurable, but it functions. There is no stuttering nor freezing. So I use the native app to make my selections and then play through the Naim app. Fine - but not ideal. I just want to use 1 app which is both visually easy to use and plays music without stuttering.

Alternatives are to use apps such as Roon and Mconnect - again 3rd party apps general non-tech members of the public ( ie ME ) might find confusing and requiring further expenditure.

I want Qobuz to function like Tidal, etc ‘out of the box’ as a general consumer. I dont want complexity. These other providers achieve simplicity, why cannot Qobuz?

Mountain out of a molehill possibly. Pedantic possibly. As a consumer it is what I want. I dont care about the techncal reasons why it doesnt work. There are incompatibilities between the Qobuz app and Naim streaming devices which is causing me, the consumer, confusion and dissatisfaction. Period. I spend ÂŁ2000 pounds on a streamer which does not work with the native app of possibly the best hires music provider in the world. To make it function I have to accept compromise and potentially further expense. Remember I am non-tech and seduced by the alluring advertising of Qobuz and Naim.

As for sitting behind a pc, I am lying on my couch, with my tv on, tapping away on a 13inch M1 Mac laptop and very relaxed. I dont need a tablet. So many stereotypes in this micro-functioning world :slight_smile:

My download speed is 40+ Mbit/sec, my router is a 1 year old tp ac1750. Nothing else on my network falters.

@GeoffB I understand the frustration and, like you, I would love there to be a Qobuz “connect” equivalent like this for Spotify and Tidal. The reason there isn’t is quite straightforward. Qobuz is a niche player in streaming compared to Spotify and Tidal with a fraction of the customers and revenues of these two behemoths. It takes a huge a amount of resources and money to develop and maintain a “connect” type functionality across all the different hardware and software in consumers’ hands. Maybe they will develop this capability in the future, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

There is a war on between the streaming companies to dominant the market. Companies like Spotify lead on functionality and flexibility, but lag on SQ. Companies like Qobuz lead on SQ, but lag on functionality and flexibility. They are all converging towards offering everything and being largely undifferentiated from each other. As Spotify moves to offering CD quality I suspect Quboz will move to improving their functionality, potentially including offering a “connect” equivalent. Sadly I don’t hold out much hope for Qobuz surviving in the long term; they simply don’t have the customer base and financing to out gun the big boys. We shall see…

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Maybe you call it stereotype, but you are maybe the first here you complain not being able to stream Qobuz with a pc.
If you find the icons little, get a big IPad and you will be done.