Official Qobuz Issues Thread

[David Craff]

7 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

That's a bit disappointing, does this apple to all Channel Classics files?

 

For the moment we have only the Hi-Res rights on the purchase. Streaming rights are being negotiated with Channel Classics

[David Craff]

6 hours ago, rando said:

Des pommes aux pommes?  

 

Une bonne tarte aux pommes, c'est malin j'ai faim maintenant 

[left channel]

13 hours ago, rando said:

 

I mean you could just translate it.  Which practically every modern browser does quite easily.

 

The Android app does not not allow us to copy the text into a translation app. In the Windows desktop app you can select the text and, although right-clicking does not work, you can copy it with Ctrl-C. I have not tried the macOS or iOS apps. Anyway, regardless of how much fun that was for me to try, the problem should not exist.

 

7 hours ago, David Craff said:

Thanks, I contact the editorial team to correct this.

Regards

 

Thank you! They have already corrected it. As you are no doubt aware, Qobuz mobile app content does not include the formatting (bold, italic) or hyperlinks of the desktop version, but within those limitations this article has been corrected on all platforms.

 

While we're on this topic, I should also mention it is very clear to native English speakers that we are looking at machine translation and/or very hasty work by non-native speakers. The written content throughout the service is full of misplaced plurals, inconsistent tense, misused definite articles, awkward word choices, and more.

 

Polishing of this output by editors with native fluency is sorely needed. Although we early-adopters may find this "accent" endearing — even the awkward word choices hint at the sophistication of the original French — I would not be surprised if certain cranky reviewers and social media trolls begin ridiculing this enough to affect public perception of the accuracy and useability of the content.

[rando]

@left channel Far from agreeing or disagreeing with your concern.  All I was doing was making light of how much more serious work they are doing in preparation of this big move into the North American market.  Forgive me if you felt this was not taking your contribution seriously. 

 

Translation is very hard.  Especially into a language as complicated as English.  Particularly when the French aren't located across a short stretch of water.  Or the rest of the Romantic nations it draws so heavily upon bordering it.  Perhaps Qobuz would be open to vetting a few eager contributors directly interested in spot correcting linguistic sore spots.  It may even lead to helping them in the creation of digital liner notes.  An apples to apples likeness to texts being created in other languages for new releases.

[left channel]

@rando no offense taken, but the thing is localization is also serious work, and in fact should be part and parcel of any global product plan. I don't know how Qobuz got away with these rough translations in the UK market for so long — the British, like Americans, are infamously monolingual — but in a massive market like the USA this can no longer be ignored.

 

Paris like most global cities is home to a thriving community of translators, localizers, and other globalization professionals, and via the internet Qobuz also has access to outsourcing firms and freelancers around the world. Just a few part-time native speakers hired via proz.com could make all the difference. Machine translation (MT) isn't all the way there yet, and when it comes to cultural and literary topics may never quite get there. For many companies MT is an important part of the process now, as it definitely speeds up release cycles, but human post-editing is still necessary.

 

A globalization strategy that neglects quality localization is a short-term cost savings choice with potentially long-term financial impact.

[AudioDoctor]

11 hours ago, David Craff said:

 

For the moment we have only the Hi-Res rights on the purchase. Streaming rights are being negotiated with Channel Classics

 

If nothing else, I appreciate the feedback and answers.

 

Thank you.

[rando]

3 hours ago, left channel said:

@rando no offense taken, but the thing is localization is also serious work, and in fact should be part and parcel of any global product plan. I don't know how Qobuz got away with these rough translations in the UK market for so long — the British, like Americans, are infamously monolingual — but in a massive market like the USA this can no longer be ignored.

 

Paris like most global cities is home to a thriving community of translators, localizers, and other globalization professionals, and via the internet Qobuz also has access to outsourcing firms and freelancers around the world. Just a few part-time native speakers hired via proz.com could make all the difference. Machine translation (MT) isn't all the way there yet, and when it comes to cultural and literary topics may never quite get there. For many companies MT is an important part of the process now, as it definitely speeds up release cycles, but human post-editing is still necessary.

 

A globalization strategy that neglects quality localization is a short-term cost savings choice with potentially long-term financial impact.

 

I will cede that we have varied opinions of how hands on this hobby is and both have much to consider that doesn't need to cloud this thread further.  I can only hope whatever positive influence music contributes to your life inspires you to distribute it back into outside life.

[left channel]

10 minutes ago, rando said:

 

I will cede that we have varied opinions of how hands on this hobby is and both have much to consider that doesn't need to cloud this thread further.  I can only hope whatever positive influence music contributes to your life inspires to you distribute it back into outside life.

 

Thanks. And I hope my opinions, based on my experience with global product launches, will help Qobuz. If Qobuz does not succeed, my music listening hobby will be much less enjoyable, and the joy of Hi-Res music much more difficult to share.

[rickca]

I think our input is too late to really influence the US launch, but it's very encouraging longer term that Qobuz is listening to our ideas and  seems receptive.  We have both the US launch manager and the desktop player product manager participating in this thread.  I think it's fantastic to be able to communicate directly with them.   

[#Yoda#]

50 minutes ago, left channel said:

 

Thanks. And I hope my opinions, based on my experience with global product launches, will help Qobuz. If Qobuz does not succeed, my music listening hobby will be much less enjoyable, and the joy of Hi-Res music much more difficult to share.

I wouldn't be so much focused on one glorified redeemer. The business model of Qobuz is still dubious. There are other download stores for HiRes music and from what I've heard, HighResAudio.com is planning to expand their HiRes streaming service to the US as well.

Beside this, completely new HiRes music streaming services like Resonate.is with new ideas and formats, based on blockchain technology, will presumably be a game changing element. My concern is that DRM is inherent to this system, as far as I realize it.

[Jud]

12 hours ago, #Yoda# said:

Beside this, completely new HiRes music streaming services like Resonate.is with new ideas and formats, based on blockchain technology, will presumably be a game changing element.

 

Blockchain of course isn't magic. I looked at Resonate just very briefly but did not see specifically how they were making use of Blockchain, only a general mention.  Is there a link where they talk about it in some depth? 

 

I didn't find any artists I knew.  Are there any who are fairly widely known?

 

The idea of "stream to own" is intriguing, though I have no idea what the economics look like.

 

Lastly, I didn't explore deeply enough to learn what format(s) are offered. Do you know?

[Cebolla]

May be continue that conversation in a more relevant thread? Appears to be similar tech, though different startup:

 

[#Yoda#]

36 minutes ago, Jud said:

 

Blockchain of course isn't magic. I looked at Resonate just very briefly but did not see specifically how they were making use of Blockchain, only a general mention.  Is there a link where they talk about it in some depth? 

 

I didn't find any artists I knew.  Are there any who are fairly widely known?

 

The idea of "stream to own" is intriguing, though I have no idea what the economics look like.

 

Lastly, I didn't explore deeply enough to learn what format(s) are offered. Do you know?

Currently, it seems as if a new format called RSong from Immersion Networks will be the future technology for the Resonate.is service. https://blog.rchain.coop/rsong-the-future-of-music/

RSong shall support lossless music streaming at least up to 24/192. A friend, who is very much into high end audio and HiRes music, attended the Berlin demo presentation, mentioned in the blog. He was very impressed about the sound quality. 

[Jud]

1 hour ago, Cebolla said:

May be continue that conversation in a more relevant thread? Appears to be similar tech, though different startup:

 

 

It is actually a bit different.  What @#Yoda# mentioned is very much more preliminary, really at the demo stage, and unfortunately, in contrast to Dot Blockchain, uses yet another new format.

 

Both of these have to do at least somewhat with artists' rights and payment, to some extent by "disintermediation," cutting out the middlemen.  But the Internet was supposed to do that.  Folks haven't learned that it's not the tech.  Back before the Internet the Grateful Dead were one of the only bands to do this successfully, ironically by doing what most bands do now, making money from touring and putting out studio albums as effectively a marketing expense.  All you have to do is be able to record, distribute and play your music to thousands or millions of people without external support, while remaining a creative artist.  Unsurprisingly, this seldom happens. 

 

Meanwhile, until Utopia arrives, Qobuz has easily been my favorite of the currently viable services I've tried that offer at least most of the music I want to hear.  The presence of Qobuz personnel in this thread is a very good sign, and I hope this level of sensitivity to the community's concerns continues after the US launch. 

[Jud]

Apologies for the OTs, too late to delete myself - happy to have them deleted, @The Computer Audiophile.  Thanks!

[sockpit]

https://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/streaming-wars/

[shadowlight]

3 hours ago, sockpit said:

https://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/streaming-wars/

 

Bit disappointed if the comment posted by Paul - "Indeed but apparently it;’s not happening at RMAF, Pity." is accurate.

[rickca]

20 hours ago, shadowlight said:

 

Bit disappointed if the comment posted by Paul - "Indeed but apparently it;’s not happening at RMAF, Pity." is accurate.

Didn't @David.. Qobuz, Hi-Res Music Evangelist say that RMAF was the official launch?

[shadowlight]

2 minutes ago, rickca said:

Didn't @David.. Qobuz, Hi-Res Music Evangelist say that RMAF was the official launch?

 

I thought RMAF was the official launch also.

[left channel]

The RMAF website still says they will be exhibiting there: https://www.audiofest.net/attending/exhibitors/?keyword=qobuz

 

Maybe someone who has registered on the PS Audio site can ask Paul what exactly he means? 

 

 

[nbpf]

Has anyone experienced any issues streaming the new Pappano/Bernstein album (https://www.qobuz.com/de-de/album/bernstein-symphonies-nos-1-3-prelude-fugue-riffs-antonio-pappano/j5y25ahdwr2tc) in 16/44.1? At least two renderers (BubbleUPnP and upmpdcli) appear to have reproducible problems in tracks 4 and 5: at the end of the track, replay occasionally gets stuck. Does the problem affect downloads as well?  

 

 

[shadowlight]

7 minutes ago, left channel said:

The RMAF website still says they will be exhibiting there: https://www.audiofest.net/attending/exhibitors/?keyword=qobuz

 

Maybe someone who has registered on the PS Audio site can ask Paul what exactly he means? 

 

 

Yep, they are also listed as official sponsor for CAF and NY Audio.  What I had assumed was that RMAF was when Qobuz was going to officially allow you to register as US based customer and start streaming.

[left channel]

5 minutes ago, shadowlight said:

Yep, they are also listed as official sponsor for CAF and NY Audio.  What I had assumed was that RMAF was when Qobuz was going to officially allow you to register as US based customer and start streaming.

 

Apparently that was the plan. Fingers crossed here.

[The Computer Audiophile]

The launch is delayed a little bit. 

[AudioDoctor]

?