Qobuz hi-res music service makes its US debut

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The French hi-res music provider has chosen Valentine's Day to launch Stateside

Qobuz, the music streaming and download service with a distinctly Gallic flavour - already available in Europe - has today landed in America.

One of the pioneers of hi-res music streaming with its Studio and Sublime+ packages, Qobuz is aimed squarely at audiophiles. Sublime+, which includes hi-res FLAC streaming up to 24-bit/192kHz and discounts on purchased downloads, costs $299.99 for a year. The Studio service at $24.99/month (or $249.99 for a one-off annual fee) offers unlimited hi-res streaming but not the download store discounts.

If you're not that bothered about the hi-res offering, Qobuz Hi-Fi at $19.99/month (or $199.99 annually) delivers CD-quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) streaming. And the cheapest $9.99 ($99.99 annually) Premium service offers MP3 streaming at 320kbps.

The firm says it has a catalogue of around 40 million CD-quality tracks and unspecified "millions" of hi-res ones.

Dan Mackta, managing director of Qobuz USA, says: "I’m thrilled to be introducing Qobuz to the US, and I look forward to working with the music community to spread the word about streaming without sacrifice. It’s all about the quality!”

Qobuz is already well established in France, the UK and Ireland. You can listen to the latest What Hi-Fi? Qobuz playlist here.

MORE

Read our full Qobuz Sublime+ review

Check out the What Hi-Fi? playlist 2019

Andy Clough
Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.