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Can Qoboz Connect sound better than Qobuz viz Aurender Conductor?

Experience that does not make sense. In my system, streaming directly via Qoboz Connect produces better sound than streaming via Qoboz through Aurender Conductor app. Sound is more intense and liquid and soundstage is larger. (I dislike this lingo but in brief sound is more analog.) Does Quboz Connect somehow organize stream in a better way than other pathway? You would think Aurender would optimize its app for its streamers. Mine is an Aurender N150 that feeds a Berkeley Audio Design (BAD) Alpha USB 2, which in turn feeds a BAD Alpha Reference DAC 2. USB and AES/EBU cables are Audioquest Diamond. See my profile for description of entire system.

bosssound
simonb
36 posts
 

@bosssound    With Qobuz Connect you can use a browser (I use Firefox) to connect to your Qobuz Connect device. Nice if you like a big screen.
 

romanesq
121 posts
 

Another vote for Qobuz Connect. It's been a noticeable improvement in my sensitive tube amp monoblock full range system. 

Don't see myself giving up Qobuz Connect in the future either. It is as intended a great "route" pardon the pun from a fiber optic router/service. Roon doesn't compare. It doesn't make sense IMHO to layer additional hardware in-between to an audio system. 

At best maybe you can get a different sound as some indicate but IMHO, it's not for the best. It's merely a hardware flavor on top. 

In addition to a fiber router incoming, I use Blue Jeans Ethernet cables through two modified Cisco Meraki to the streamer. Both have made a nice impact. 

I'm curious if Qobuz will add features to Qobuz Connect but it's really great now and being able to jump to any device: computer, tablet, phone and control what is playing and make changes is quite nice. 

Qobuz Connect is so good, I can't even say that HQPlayer 5 sounds superior when I've compared through a M1 MacBook Air. HQPlayer sounded better prior but now with Qobuz Connect, I strain to hear one better over the other. Impressive. 

 

 

bassbuyer's avatar
bassbuyer
880 posts
 

I use Qobuz Connect too with my Innuos MK3.  It sounds better and the ease of use is better since it’s using the Qobuz app instead of the Sense app.  I have to check at the bottom that it’s using my Innuos streamer since it will also show my iPad and iPhone since they both have the QC app. 

rbstehno
1,630 posts
 

Qobuz connect sounded better than my default Roon setup. But the interface with QC is pretty weak. The last change I made to Roon was to turn on upsampling to DSD256 and now Roon sounds better than QC. My dac does dsd256 using i2s.

gnobber
47 posts
 

I am also a huge fan of Qobuz connect by itself.   I started with an Innuos Zenith Mk3 and Roon.  With many experiments, I decided I liked Innuos Sense better than Roon.  Eventually I determined that eliminating Roon and the Innuos was even better.   I now run ethernet into my Meitner MA3i DAC and feed it with Qobuz connect, no more server.  For me it sounds better, and has let me sell off a server, expensive power cable, and extra ethernet cable.  I was surprised and happy!

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