Coming from Spotify where I used to regularly stream from my PC/MAC I share @GeoffB’s frustration. However I don’t find it too much of any inconvenience or disadvantage to connect through my streamer’s app (equivalent to the Naim app), though would prefer the option to connect directly from Qobuz. That makes me the third person!
Can someone please tell me why it wouldn’t be possible to stream Qobuz from the PC? I have done it - open the Qobuz web player in Chrome, pick the streamer as output device, and play. Yes, granted, the stream moves through the PC and Chromecast makes the streamer work harder, but these aren’t terminal issues
That’s not a limitation of iPad OS per say, whether it’s a M1 iPad Pro or not. It’s a limitation of the Qobuz mobile app. Downloading files is already supported, M1 iPad or not. For example I use my iPad Pro to download PDFs all the time to my iCloud storage via the Files app.
I thought Tidal used Chromecast on the PC as well? Maybe not. Anyways, even if Qobuz needs Chromecast it seems to be working for me, so it’s not as if there was no solution for this use case or a fundamental incompatibility
@Oxbow Thank you for your considered and empathic response to Qobuz’s precarious position. I am sure you are absolutely correct in your reading of the situation unfolding. I was waiting for Spotify to unfurl its hifi tier, but its increasing corporate arrogance ( as well as it’s CEO’s investment in war technology ) eventually put me off and I decided to trial Tidal and Qobuz. Tidal is undoubtedly the slicker operation but there was a sincerity and deeper appreciation for music I sensed within Qobuz. But I was frustrated with my initial experience and I was pointed to the letter from the Software Director explaining the complexities of Qobuz and Chromecast and Naim. My lack of technical knowledge prevented me from entirely understanding it, but its account of problems entirely matched my own initial experience. Perhaps I over-reacted.
I want to stay with Qobuz for the reasons I have stated, but also feel that for its own expansion it does need to match the other services with its connection simplicity. Not putting resources into this will impede its progress when its competitors are offering easier connection options. There is a developing interest in hires/hifi streaming and the market I feel will take off. Qobuz’s sound quality stands for itself and I do hope it does succeed. It is a hyper-competitive market and profit margins must be low or non-existent as prices plummet.
My frustrations are as much about the closed world of audio, and the almost ‘mystical’ and esoteric qualities of some of its practices, softwares and equipment, and the large price tags which accompany the rhetoric. I prefer simplicity and am loyal to ‘solid’ equipment manufacturers, such as Naim and Kef. The developing streaming world resembles, to me, the language and hype which accompanied the reverential development of turntables years ago.
I dearly wish both Naim and Qobuz well; there are competing interests and products which may I guess Naim further developing a more sophisticated app for use with Qobuz, but I would welcome Qobuz continuing to develop its app and connection options.
@Mike_S yes, this selects one album. I would rather prefer to see larger icons of all of the albums forming a grid, rather than a long list I have to scroll down through. Within the native Qobuz app that is the format. Though I am sure with greater use I will become more accustomed to it.
« 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.«
But Chromecast is lossless too. Yes, not perfect for instance with gapless, but the whole situation is what it is and the blaming misplaced. A product, in this case Qobuz, not ticking all boxes that one would like is not something that’s unheard of
It’s probably because Naim don’t have apps for Windows and Macs
It’s true that the iOS app can run new M1 Macs, but only those. And it’s still an iOS app running on the Mac, and not what one might expect from a fully-featured native macOS application. Though true that it’s better than nothing.
For Windows, there is nothing until Windows can run Android apps, and then it will be be same situation, a mobile app running on Windows, not a fully-featured Windows application that makes use of a fully-featured desktop OS. Though, again, would be better than nothing.
Regarding Roon, you will know if you try it, explore its wealth of features, and - importantly - if you have a need for these features. Not everyone does, but it’s not even comparable if you do.