When people hear Qobuz, they usually think about one thing: high-quality music.
And that's definitely a big part of it.
But Qobuz is quite different from a typical music streaming service. It combines Hi-Res streaming, music downloads, editorial content, detailed album information and Hi-Fi integration into one platform.
So if you've only heard that Qobuz is good for audiophiles, there is quite a bit more to discover.
Here are 10 things you probably didn't know about Qobuz.
1. Qobuz has been around since 2007
Qobuz isn't a new streaming service trying to compete with Spotify.
The company was founded in 2007 and has been focused on high-quality digital music for almost two decades. Qobuz describes itself as a pioneer in high-quality sound and has received Hi-Res certification from the Japan Audio Society.
That long history is part of what makes Qobuz different.
It was built around music quality from the beginning rather than adding Hi-Res audio years after launching.
2. Qobuz offers more than 100 million tracks
Despite its more specialized focus, Qobuz has a huge catalog.
The service currently offers more than 100 million tracks across major and independent labels and a wide range of genres.
So Qobuz isn't only for classical music or audiophile recordings.
You can find everything from mainstream releases to jazz, electronic music, rock, hip-hop, metal and much more.
3. Hi-Res audio can go up to 24-bit/192 kHz
This is probably the feature Qobuz is best known for.
Qobuz offers 24-bit FLAC Hi-Res audio up to 192 kHz, while CD-quality streaming is available at 16-bit/44.1 kHz.
Not every album is available at the maximum resolution, because the available quality depends on the version supplied by the label.
But the Hi-Res catalog is huge, with Qobuz currently listing more than 240,000 Hi-Res albums on its Sublime offering.
For anyone with good headphones, speakers or a proper Hi-Fi setup, that's a pretty interesting proposition.
4. Qobuz is also a music download store
This is one of the biggest differences between Qobuz and most streaming services.
Qobuz doesn't only let you stream music.
You can also purchase and download albums, including Hi-Res versions.
That means you can actually own the digital files rather than simply accessing them through a subscription.
And if you have a Qobuz Sublime subscription, you can also get discounts on eligible Hi-Res purchases, with discounts of up to 60% on the Sublime plan.
It's a very different approach from the usual streaming-only model.
5. Qobuz has its own magazine with hundreds of thousands of articles
Qobuz isn't just about pressing play.
The platform has a substantial editorial side covering album reviews, artist interviews, music history, Hi-Fi equipment, news and more.
According to Qobuz, its editorial platform contains around half a million articles.
This is one of the things that makes Qobuz feel more like a music-focused platform than simply another streaming app.
You can discover an album and then actually read about the artist, the recording or the story behind the release.
6. Qobuz is heavily focused on albums
This is something that comes up quite often when people compare Qobuz with Spotify.
On Reddit, Qobuz users frequently mention that the service feels more album-focused and less playlist-focused. Users also praise its straightforward new-release sections and music-focused interface.
That's an interesting difference.
Instead of constantly pushing you toward whatever algorithm thinks you should hear next, Qobuz puts a lot of emphasis on artists, albums, genres and curated selections.
For people who still enjoy listening to full albums, that's a big part of the appeal.
7. Qobuz Connect supports Hi-Res up to 24-bit/192 kHz
Qobuz Connect makes it easier to use Qobuz with compatible Hi-Fi equipment.
You can control playback from the Qobuz app and send music directly to supported devices.
And importantly, Qobuz Connect supports Hi-Res audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz on compatible devices.
That's particularly useful if you have a dedicated streamer, network player or other Hi-Fi equipment.
You don't have to limit yourself to listening through your phone or computer.
8. Qobuz has a huge amount of music knowledge built into the service
Another interesting part of Qobuz is how much information comes with the music.
The platform provides editorial articles, artist information, album details, metadata, digital booklets and curated playlists.
That makes discovering music feel a little different.
You're not just getting a song title and an album cover.
You can actually learn more about what you're listening to.
And that seems to be part of the reason some users prefer Qobuz over more algorithm-heavy services.
One recent Reddit discussion described the appeal as the human aspect, weekly releases and recommendations that encourage people to explore music they might not otherwise try.
9. Qobuz isn't trying to be Spotify
This might actually be one of the most important things to understand about Qobuz.
If you're expecting a direct Spotify replacement with exactly the same features, you might be disappointed.
Reddit discussions regularly point out that Qobuz has weaker areas, particularly around recommendations, search and some missing features.
But that's also why many users like it.
One recent Qobuz user described the service as easy to use with great sound quality, while acknowledging that search and recommendations could be better.
Qobuz seems to know what it wants to be.
A music-first service for people who care about the music itself.
10. Qobuz is built for people who care about sound
This is probably the biggest takeaway.
Qobuz combines lossless streaming, Hi-Res FLAC, a large Hi-Res catalog, music downloads, editorial content and Hi-Fi compatibility in one platform.
And Reddit discussions show that this is exactly what attracts many users.
People often mention the sound quality, album-focused experience, Qobuz Connect and the more music-focused interface as reasons they stay with the service.
It's not necessarily designed for everyone.
But if you're the kind of person who notices the difference between compressed and lossless audio, enjoys full albums and has good headphones or a Hi-Fi system, Qobuz starts to make a lot more sense.
The Bottom Line
Qobuz is much more than another music streaming service.
It offers over 100 million tracks, Hi-Res FLAC up to 24-bit/192 kHz, a huge Hi-Res catalog, Qobuz Connect, music downloads and a large amount of editorial content.
It also has a very different philosophy from many mainstream streaming platforms.
Less focus on everything else. More focus on music.
And that's probably the best way to understand Qobuz.
If you want to explore Hi-Res music and get more from your listening setup, Qobuz is definitely worth checking out.
