Tidal and Naim app sounded slightly louder, (a wee bit punchier) - they sounded the same. The input selection on the streamer indicated the source as ‘TIDAL’ when playing like this. Via Roon, slightly quieter perhaps a touch less dynamic. The streamer indicates the input as ‘Roon’.
I don’t know why that was? The inputs on the Streamer having different DB levels, the streamer’s Tidal API implementation on Naim versus Roon, Roon processing the incoming FLAC… I don’t know…
Can’t say I have noticed any normalisation on Tidal. Most of the Tidals streams I have compared to Qobuz have sounded the same, with exception of different masters. MQA Vs PCM hires is a mixed bag either way.
With Qobuz, I’m constantly looking for my remote to turn the amp up or down when different tracks come on my playlist, I don’t recall ever doing that much on Tidal.
Dont get that a lot on either Tidal or Qobuz, using Roon for both. Only time I do if its an old release pre loudness wars and this happens on both platforms. MQA does tend to be a bit louder but it is a different source. Got any tracks that stuck out so I can compare ?
The ‘introduction to Qobuz’ official playlist is an example:
For example, going from Regreso (album Mabruk) FLAC 44.1/16 to Could you be loved from Bob Marley (album Legend) FLAC 96/24 to Doin’ it right from Daft Punk (album Random access) FLAC 96/24 to Ten lakes by Superpose (album opening) FLAC 44.1/24.
Played several different tracks from an one Album on Qobuz and the same one on Tidal sounded the same. I also compared the mqa and hires variant and they also had same dynamic range so I hear no evidence of any normalisation on my system.
I am back to running Qobuz Sublime and Tidal HiFi and still Spotify.
Qobuz is the best sound wise, i feel Tidal does something artificial, when you can get 24bit its clearly better.
So why do i run all 3, Qobuz music is pants, Tidal is all Yank, Spotify is the best catalogue bit dire 320kps.
Deezer i tried, but again felt like Tidal they mess around with the media.
I found Qobuz to sound a little odd; lacking PRaT even.
Compared to a 24 bit file from Highresaudio the Qobuz 16bit version came nowhere near and sounded like a different mix or band. The Tidal 16bit sounded very similar to the local streamed 24bit file but wasn’t quite up there with 24bit version, understandably.
Qobuz 24bit is noticeably better than 16bit but the odd sound I couldn’t live with.
In addition to the above I’d previously done loads of back to back comparisons and it simply wasn’t good enough compared to Tidal. I was a bit narked about it really as I did want 24bit streaming.
I’m tempted to try Qobuz again but I’m all out of ‘free’ trial options. 
Maybe once my Supercap has run in…
for me the best sound quality came with bandcamp downloads. Some 16/44 are stunning, not even talking of 24 bits.
24 bit downloads on qobuz sound sometimes a bit forceful.
I like to purchase individual tracks, because it’s very rare that i enjoy the entire album. Highrezaudio is high quality on downloads, but impossible to purchase individual tracks.
I’ve never been a “track” person having been brought up on LPs.
I rarely buy 16bit downloads unless the CD version is hideously expensive.
I agree some 16bit is really good, it depends on the mastering I think.
with cds or lps we had not the choice. I enjoy having a lot of albums with only 1 , 2 or 3 tracks on my unitserve. It costs less, takes less space, and i don’t bother owning music i will not listen to.
I still enjoy lps, the physical format, the smell , the photos and descriptions… in parallel to streaming locally.
So i decided to end my Qobuz today and stick to Tidal Hifi, for now a reasonable minor compromise until Qobuz either go under or sort out their catalogue and 24 bit selection.
I was finding lately the Qobuz app (using with headphones and mobile) was very slow to load, was fine before.
I would go the other way personally so I might drop Tidal.
As an example there are a lot of very fine classical hi res recordings on the minor french labels such as Alpha and Mirare which you can’t get on Tidal.
Moreover I am finding Qobuz integration with Roon to be first class.
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