Recently decided to unsubscribe to the streaming platform we were using - which was Qobuz - with no particular complaints. Far from it, really enjoyed the ability to explore new music and albums and stream Hi-Res file. All good.
But, after about 2 yrs of subscribing to this great source of music, discovered maybe wasn’t using it very much.
We also use Roon, which we value much more highly. Amongst many other things, Roon tells you what you are listening to. Well, we found we were listening to our 1000+ CD collection maybe 85% of the time. To be fair, when we find something new and like, we are buying the CD and adding it to the server based collection. So, maybe we’re doing this whole “access to a streaming platform” all wrong?
We unsubscribed - as a bit of an experiment - to see if we missed anything or if we could do without it. So, currently about three weeks in and doing cold turkey.
Anyone else “unsubscribed” from a streaming service and maybe share your own story why?
I unsubscribed from qobuz I loved it but I don’t want to be dependent on a service and it doesn’t have everything so you can’t have all your music in one place. I’m also pretty boring in that I listen to a lot of the same stuff. I already had cds from my pre-subscription days and I began adding to my collection.
I will admit I have a slight cheat in that I subscribe to YouTube premium because I watch it a lot and pc adds can be insane. This gives me YouTube music free, so I’m using that to test music before purchasing either digital downloads or cds (often second hand). This means that I’ll always have access to my favourite music. I just worry that the music streaming services may one day follow the tv ones whose prices are rapidly becoming insane and still aren’t making enough profit.
And for some years now, we’ve enjoyed streaming music and music video via Apple devices ( such as iPad’s & iPhone’s) and into the front fascia USB socket on our nDAC. Works okay.
Yes, I also unsubscribed from Qobuz. I wasn’t finding much new music through that service. I tend to find new artists or new albums from artists I already know through FM radio (BBC) or internet radio. From that start I would search on Qobuz for the artist or album and if I liked it I would buy the CD from a high street store. Due to recent retirement and consequent desire to reduce spending caused me to stop paying for Qobuz. There are a couple of albums I haven’t found since leaving Qobuz, but in the main I haven’t missed it.
Since getting into streaming, maybe two and an half year ago - adding an Innous ZM and then a ND5 XS2 - at various times, we’ve used and enjoyed Qobuz a lot.
It could just be we are just going through a busy patch ( with work) and falling back on just the familiar, when we do get a moment to listen and relax.
When Roon starts to do its own things and select things for you, ( from Qobuz), which can get quite interesting. It plays new material, not known, which is always enjoyable and sometimes brilliant if it shares something you really really like.
We’ve always like Go Go Penguins. But, as a result of Roon exploring same or similar, ( from Qobuz) we’ve now got into Mammal Hands and also Portico Quartet.
BW
R
p.s. thanks for all those kind words and bits of advice, along the way, with Innous ZM.
Your experience mirrors mine. I had both Tidal and Qobuz at one point but now only one service. Yeah it’s annoying when a service goes down but luckily it’s only temporary.
I have 2,200 albums ripped, but hardly ever listen to them now. Qobuz allows me access to all the music I want wherever I go. At home with my streamer, in my truck with CarPlay and at work with my IPhone and AirPods Pro. I just started listening to “My weekly Q” and it is really very good, introducing me to a lot of new music.
Could not be without it, is my point.
Qobuz has served me well since they were introduced here in the US. I was using Tidal but swiched after a side by side comparison of the two streaming services. No issues to speak of over the years. The annual rate for service is a bargain for what I recieve in return. I find the music inventory is vast enough and accessing easy enough for this 72 year old.
I nearly unsubscribed, but I got distracted by a few car issues this week so it renewed yesterday to Sublime for the year.
I’m buying fewer downloads these days so was considering shifting to a non-Sublime offering or just unsubscribing for a while.
Trouble is even at £179.99 a year for Sublime it’s an utter bargain when I consider the vast amount of things I could listen to by streaming, and the Sublime discounts are very good.
I always think back to University days when I’d probably have spent £5-£10 a week on LPs in the late 80s. We’re very fortunate and youngsters really don’t know the value they’re getting with paid streaming services.
Great post @ratrat …I’ve just cancelled both Quboz & Tidal! I’ve been meaning to do it for an age.
My listening habits of late have been the vast amount of radio stations available. It’s good to see that even in the 21st century radio is alive and healthy. I’ve also got many albums ripped on the Core.
I’m also paying for Spotify which the family tends to favour. + we also have Apple Music as part of our family plan.
Memo to me…go through credit card and see other ways of saving more money!!
Tidal - was on the higher quality £20 tier after failing to cancel following a several month trial - seemed fair to continue for a few months. They then started giving 10% of the monthly sub to the highest played artists saying this was fair. Seeing that top 10 monthly play list I soon realised I was mainly streaming a few artists I really enjoyed but they tended to be very successful artists I’d already purchased many CDs/LPs or even downloads in the past. I’d have preferred being able to nominate an upcoming artist each month rather than those I’d already supported a lot. So that left we with Qobuz Sublime and Apple Music, why did I need tidal too?
Roon - Liked Roon, didn’t want to stump up £500 for lifetime so paid annually. After a few years I was irritated by a Qobuz integration whereby purchases were added to an all source ‘library’ when previously as with Audirvana or Qobuz app I could specifically view Qobuz purchases as a subset. Few people understood, but it irritated me. The information and similar music algorithms were good, but I didn’t really need them. Also sound quality was marginally worse subjectively for me.
Audirvana - purchased a few non-subscription versions - relatively unstable at time despite excellent SQ but maintenance versions of old purchases seem better and more stable. Tried the monthly subscription offering but a little buggy and couldn’t justify a monthly payment, though tempted to try it again. The purchased Audirvana 3 is great currently using 3.5.50 and it support Qobuz fine including Purchases history.
Tempted to ditch Apple Music Family but will wait until my daughter is older and can make a value judgement herself!
I am mainly a buyer of music…, that’s why it makes sense for me to stay with Qobuz as the combination with discounts on bought albums is just too attractive…, even while I don’t use the streaming options so much. In addition I also have a subscription of Tidal. This one I mainly had because my Muso in the fitness can only stream Tidal……, however lately I am also not using this extensively as I do most of my sports outdoor…., so let’s see what I will do longer term…
I want to add that with Qobuz it is important
(I think) that you click (like) on songs/albums that you enjoy or listen to a lot. I usually add new songs I want to hear again to playlists. This helps their algorithm choose similar music for the
“ My weekly Q” list of music similar to your taste.
I have used Roon before, and it is similar to
Roon Radio.
If you can be bothered to use a simple workaround, you can get Qobuz on your Muso by using multiroom on your ND555 (with its own sound muted if necessary). Then you wouldn’t need Tidal just for the Muso.