Fans of Qobuz, the France-based subscription music service that specializes in lossless, hi-res audio, now have a new way of streaming their favorite tracks to their favorite devices. Qobuz Connect has been added to the company’s iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows apps, letting them control compatible streaming speakers and components from a big list of hi-fi brands.
Most folks will recognize names like Denon and Marantz — every device made by these brands that work with the HEOS streaming software are now Qobuz Connect compatible — but the list also includes niche hi-fi players, such as Rotel, Nagra, HiFi Rose, Lindemann, Wiim, and Volumio. Here’s the entire list.
“Qobuz Connect is a feature that has been eagerly awaited by our subscribers,” said Qobuz’s Chief Product Officer, Axel Destagnol. “We are proud to offer the most complete Connect solution on the market today, combining high resolution, app synchronization and remote control. Our priority has been to develop a simple, intuitive interface, to facilitate the experience of all our listeners.”
Much like Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect turns the Qobuz app into a single point of control, avoiding the need to use Bluetooth, AirPlay, Google Cast, or proprietary apps like Wiim Home. If you use your computer as your streaming device (perhaps connected to an external DAC), as long as the computer’s Qobuz app is open, you can remote control it from the Qobuz mobile app.
Moreover, all streams are sent from Qobuz’s servers to the receiving device directly, at their maximum supported resolution, without needing to pass through your smartphone or computer first.
I tried it out using the Qobuz app on iOS and macOS, sending streams to the Wiim Ultra network music streamer and it worked seamlessly. You’ll need the most recent version of the Qobuz app, and you may need to update the firmware on your streaming device if it’s on the list of supported brands.
The new version of the app also simplifies the interface. Instead of offering two output menus (the bottom-left device menu and the top-right casting button), all connection options are now chosen from the bottom-left device menu.
Qobuz Connect is perfect for the music fan who wants any easy way to stream to a single device, but at the moment, there’s no way to connect to multiple Qobuz Connect devices simultaneously and no way to group them. If you need that kind of control, you’ll have to use the native control app (HEOS, Wiim Home, etc) for your gear, or switch to a protocol like Apple AirPlay.