So , that leaves us with this interrogation : which is better ? When it comes to library size , good caliber , and pricing , Tidal and Qobuz submit many law of similarity but a few remainder that may make choosing one over the other a no - brainer for some . To that end , we ’ve put together this equivalence piece to help you perfect in on the unspoilt medicine streamer for you and yours .
You may also need to check out comparisons ofTidal vs. Spotify .
Price
For many years , Tidal has support out for itshi - res musicofferings , a lineament long share with Qobuz . However , the landscape has changed , and now other services likeApple MusicandAmazon Music(and soon Spotify , hopefully ) have also ventured into the hi - res euphony space .
Tidal ’s going of near exclusivity on the hi - ray front is likely the reason behind itsApril 2024 terms drop and subscription changes . Tidal ab initio offered higher - priced HiFi and HiFi Plus plans . Today , however , it provides plans that are more in furrow with what other services charge and these plan still offer euphony in hi - res formats . It ’s also deserving mention that as of July 2024 , Tidal no longer bear theMQA and 360 realism Audio format , limiting its hi - res offering to FLAC and Dolby Atmos encodings .
Tidal ’s up - to - engagement subscription consist of an individual plan for $ 11 per calendar month , a class plan for $ 17 per month ( which cover up to six family members ) , and a scholar program for $ 5.50 per calendar month . There is no longer a free Tidal architectural plan . Tidal for DJs is a $ 9 monthly add - on to the individual design . This architectural plan allows DJs to immediately access Tidal ’s library using the DJ software .
With any of the above subscription , you could access more than 110 million rails in lossless , hi - res FLAC , andDolby Atmosformats . The ad - free service provides offline listening , personalized mixes , editorial play list , and live sessions .
you’re able to enjoy a 30 - solar day free trial if you ’re novel to Tidal , during which you ’ll have access to Tidal ’s entire advertizement - free , lossless catalog and streaming features at no price .
Qobuz provide two primary subscription plan , Studio and Sublime . The Studio plan has option for individuals ( $ 13 per month ) , twosome ( $ 18 per month ) , students ( $ 5 per calendar month ) and family ( $ 22 per calendar month for up to six members of the same house ) . If you devote each year , discount of up to 18 % are available on each plan . For instance , a Studio solo account can be purchase for $ 130 upfront for a class , which is $ 10.83 per month .
A Qobuz Sublime subscription is also available . Like the Studio design , it offers three tiers . The plans must be paid yearly and include solo ( $ 180 per year ) , duo ( $ 270 ) , and family ( $ 350 ) plans .
The Studio and Sublime plans offer access to Qobuz ’s subroutine library of more than 100 million tracks inhigh - ray lossless FLAC . The service include offline heed , personalized mixes , editorial playlists , and more . Sublime come with all the same base of operations perks as Studio , plus up to 60 % off hi - res download purchase .
Qobuz does n’t offer a devoid or scholar plan . However , new exploiter can check out the service for gratuitous for 30 day .
Tidal is less expensive than Qobuz and propose a more extensive library . When comparing damage , Tidal is the unmortgaged drawing card .
success : Tidal
Supported devices
Through its website and apps , Tidal is available on both background and mobile platforms . It is compatible with audio devices such as Sonos , Bluesound , Denon , Cambridge Audio , and many more . you could also access on Samsung , LG , Sony , and Vision bright goggle box , Chromecast , Apple TV , Roku , Android TV , and Fire TV . It is preinstalled on Tesla , Mercedes - Benz , and Volkswagen car audio systems and supportsAndroid Autoand CarPlay .
Qobuz can be accessed through its official site and desktop and wandering apps . Numerous audio ironware company , include Devialet , Klipsch , Naim , Sonos , McIntosh , and more , endure the brand . Qobuz supports Chromecast and is preinstalled in late - modelSamsung idiot box . you may also get at Qobuz via CarPlay and Android Auto .
Both streaming medicine plans are useable on various twist , such as mobile , desktop , high - end audio systems , and car audio systems . However , Tidal is more wide accessible as it can be used on specific car amusement system , voguish TVs , and idiot box amusement systems .
Music variety and catalog size
Tidal offers 110 million song titles versus 100 million for Qobuz . you may undoubtedly find Tidal ’s spear carrier if you front heavily enough , but you ’d be hard - pressed not to discover the most mainstream Song across multiple genres on both service . However , the service go in different centering when it comes to curation .
Tidal caters to all genres and places a agiotage on spotlight the most relevant content for each drug user . From the moment you join Tidal , it seeks to empathize your musical druthers and tailors a unequalled experience just for you . This individualized touch extends to the ingathering of curated play list and editorial content you ’ll observe while using Tidal , making you feel genuinely appreciate as a music partisan .
If you ’re interested in research new music , Tidal rebellion furnish global access to subject matter from emerging artists with just a pawl . Tidal also offers exclusive interviews and a comprehensive telecasting subroutine library , which adds deepness to your hearing experience .
From a curation perspective , Tidal also does an admirable job of target music for different moods , activities , and event . In addition to the DJ add - on mentioned above , you could get hold workout and wellness - well-disposed playlists , cross - genre hits , faculty pick , and a modified selection of podcasts .
Qobuz also offers euphony across most genre , but clear focuses on Greco-Roman , wind , and similar musical genre . Qobuz enrich your experience with its in - astuteness editorial content , include album reviews , creative person consultation , and digital booklets . This wealthiness of information leaves you feel enriched and more informed about the music you bang .
Because of the service ’s limited focus , it offers a work up - in Qobuz Magazine , which play up curated message , including articles and related media . The magazine also contains helpful guides on using Qobuz ’s characteristic or understanding audio formatting .
For those look for further immersion , there ’s the Qobuz Club . approachable through theQobuz websiteand uncommitted foriOSandAndroid devices , QC users can connect with other euphony enthusiasts and learn more about listening to high - calibre music . They can also practice the meeting place to transmit with Qobuz about issue or concerns .
Sound quality
Understanding the high - res track format is crucial when you heed to music online . Tidal offer howdy - re FLAC at up to 24 - bit/192kHz . Some tracks may be in 24 - bit/96kHz or 16 - bit/44.1kHz . If a track is unavailable in hello - res FLAC , it will be usable in AAC , WAV , or MP3 .
Qobuz also offers 24 - bit/192kHz songs and albums . Depending on handiness , you might stumble upon titles in 24 - bit / up to 96kHz and CD quality ( 16 - bit/44.1 kHz ) .
Both services identify the type of how-do-you-do - res played on every track , whether you ’re using a roving app or desktop .
It ’s essential to recollect that the quality of high - resolution audio dramatically depends on the portion of the audio delivery chain , like thedigital - to - parallel convertor ( DAC),amplifier , and verbalizer or earpiece . If any of these components are low - quality or not compatible with high - solving audio , you may not fully live high - calibre audio as intend .
What about Dolby Atmos ? Dolby Atmos is a surround speech sound engineering presently being utilize by some service . It creates a 3D soundscape where sound can move around , above , and behind you . Like general audio quality , you need stomach equipment to hear Dolby Atmos . Of Tidal and Qobuz , only Tidal bear out Dolby Atmos .
Tidal and Qobuz offer splendid legal quality , make it hard to determine a unmortgaged winner . Because Tidal plunk for Dolby Atmos , the edge goes to Tidal .
Podcasts and videos
Companies such asSpotifyand Apple have a consecrated focus on the podcast securities industry . However , Tidal and Qobuz are not as invest in this region . Tidal extend access to a circumscribed extract of curated podcasts chiefly focalise on music - relate cognitive content . However , it does not provide a vast library of podcasts like other armed service such as Spotify orApple Podcasts . Qobuz does n’t number any podcasts on its app at this time .
In terms of picture content , Tidal offers over 650,000 title principally used for discovering music or select creative person . On the other hand , Qobuz does not offer up any videos .
Winner : Tidal ( by nonpayment )
Latest features
Both Tidal and Qobuz are constantly meliorate UI , piece up package glitch , and contribute new feature . One of these new abilities is Tidal ’s worldwide linking . Now when you love a song or record album , Tidal lets you portion out a universal linkup that can be opened by other music streaming political program , including Spotify and Apple Music .
Qobuz also did some mulct - tuning to its mobile and desktop UI , allow contributor to filter playlist by album , artist , recording label , or alphabetically . Qobuz ’s latest UI also puts a spotlight on artist you bonk by providing link to artist page and related message . And last but not least , now you ’ll get runway suggestions directly in your play list queue .
Conclusion
Tidal and Qobuz are excellent choice to more extensive medicine streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music . However , Tidal is the inspection and repair closelipped to offering similar content overall . Unlike Qobuz , Tidal does not condense on specific writing style . Instead , it aims to provide a variety of content for everyone , include euphony video and podcasts . Tidal is also less expensive than Qobuz and offers a student plan .
If you primarily enjoy classical or jazz music or want to learn more about these writing style , Qobuz is a better selection . It is also the favorite option for anyone interested in own euphony in those music genre , as you could get significant deduction through at least one of its subscription architectural plan .
Overall success : Tidal
