Qobuz - Discover and understand high-quality music with Qobuz streaming and downloads. (2024)

Choose a sound quality to view the modelling:

Sound wave MP3 320 Kbps

• Resolution is measured in bits. For a CD, each sample has a resolution of 16-Bit; its dynamic range is expressed over a range of 96 dB (decibels), with 1 bit corresponding to 6 dB.

• Sampling rate corresponds to the number of samples per second. For a CD, the sampling rate used is 44.1 kHz, meaning that each second of sound, when converted, is divided into 44,100 samples. This affects the precision with which the sound is reproduced: the higher the sampling rate, the more natural and precise the sound reproduction will be.

• Bitrate, the flow of binary data, expresses the speed of information per second. It is measured in bits per second and is calculated fairly easily. For CDs: 44,100 samples per second, each one sampled over 16-Bit, everything over two channels (left-right stereo). We therefore get a bitrate equal to 44,100 x 16 x 2 = 1,411,200 bits per second: the bitrate of a CD is equal to 1.411 Mb/s. Immediately it’s clear that there is a massive difference between a CD’s bitrate of 1.411 Mb/s and an MP3 encoded at 192 Kb/s.

• The quality of an audio product is often defined by its bitrate and therefore by its resolution. To reproduce a sound with maximum fidelity, ensuring its resolution is important. For example, Hi-Res sound uses 24-Bit resolution with a sampling frequency ranging between 44.1 and 192 kHz. 24-Bit resolution promises a dynamic range of 144dB and therefore an optimal listening experience for a lossless converted audio product.

• The use of different audio qualities generates files with extremely varied sizes. The higher the bitrate, the bigger the sizes of the files generated. An hour of music in Hi-Res 24-Bit / 192 kHz takes up 2GB whereas 635MB are required to store the same amount in CD quality. In the case of streaming, the size and therefore the quality of the files should be chosen depending on the bitrate of internet available. With a theoretical maximum bitrate of 13 Mb/s, an ADSL is adequate for CD quality streaming (at 1.411 Mb/s). For Hi-Res sound streaming at a bitrate of 9.2 Mb/s, it is clear that you can quickly reach the ADSL limit. A fiber connection would therefore be preferable. For smartphone streaming, most platforms offer an MP3 format with a maximum bitrate of 320 Kb/s.

Standards & protocols

• Bluetooth is a wireless communication exchange standard between two devices. To read audio files, Bluetooth uses various codecs which reduce the quality of transmitted files.

• DLNA, Digital Living Network Alliance is an association which brings together many manufacturers. It is tasked with guaranteeing the automatic functioning of its devices under the same operating system. The protocol used for this guarantee of automatic functioning is UPnP (Universal Plug and Play). It simply accesses the ensemble of multimedia data available on devices connected to the same network, in the same place and in real time.

• Chromecast is a protocol and hardware solution developed by Google, which functions as a multimedia data exchange device. There is an audio-only version which allows for the exchange of audio files and is simply connected to with a jack. By connecting Chromecast to a Wi-Fi network, you can wirelessly send audio files directly to a hi-fi channel. The latest version of Chromecast is compatible with 24-Bit Hi-Res audio/96kHz.

• Multi-room usage consists of placing a hi-fi system or speakers in several rooms of a home. The speakers are connected to each other via Wi-Fi and connected to a wireless audio source (smartphone, computer or tablet). These multi-room systems all have one central computer which establishes the link between the audio source and the satellite devices.

Devices

• A DAC, Digital Analog Converter, is a device whose purpose is to convert digital signals into analog ones. We use these for a more precise and faithful conversion than a CD player or a computer’s internal sound card is able to provide. However its primary usage is dedicated to the reading of Hi-Res files. Indeed, DACs are the only devices able to convert Hi-Res files at 24-Bit / 192 kHz. DACs have a digital input to receive and process the information and an analog output to send the signal to a hi-fi amp.

• A network drive can be a streaming platform for domestic use. Connected to a network via Wi-Fi or via Ethernet cable (RJ45 protocol), the drive downloads multimedia files over the network before broadcasting them in their original quality. This therefore presents a good solution for listening to locally stored Hi-Res files.

• NAS ou Network Attached Storage is simply a multimedia file storage server. An NAS is made up of a hard disk drive connected to a network through an Ethernet cable. It allows for the storage and sharing of multimedia files, even outside of the network.

• Connected speakers are wireless speakers. They are connected to the Internet and often accessible over a touch screen, this interface allows for the exchange of files, or other smart home operations.

• Smart Speakers is a term to describe connected speakers which have voice-controlled user interfaces.

• Also called a Digital Audio Player (DAP), portable audio players make listening to Hi-Res audio files on the move possible. Most models display the resolution and sampling rate of the track being played. They are distinctive because they are equipped with powerful converters and often feature Wi-Fi access to Hi-Res streaming.

• An amplifier (amp for short) receives analog signals from various sources—CD player, DAC, vinyl—and amplifies them. Different technology exists to reproduce the signal being received more or less faithfully. Particularly sought after by audiophiles, tube amps have an excellent reputation. Their level of amplification is clear, precise and gives a very warm sound thanks to the use of vacuum tubes for the amplification and pre-amplification.

• Smartphones which can handle the Hi-Res audio format have a DAC chip which affords them a stronger processing power and the capability of playing 24-Bit / 192 kHz audio files.

• Used since 1877 in the telephone industry, the jack plug is a coaxial electric connection. The female jack socket is also commonly called a “jack.” It allows for the transport of mono or stereo signals; it is a format still widely used today in the world of audio; since 1979, it has equipped portable players and smartphones. Often featuring three pins, the jack can have a fourth pin which can transmit a video signal or an audio signal in the context of a headset which has a microphone.

• An RCA connector, also called a Cinch connector, can send an electric analog signal or digital data. It is widely used in audio equipment and is present on most hi-fi devices.
  Its main drawback is only being able to transmit one channel per cable, hence the development of a color coding system to identify the difference between left and right channels.

• Fiber optic is a type of cable whose core made of glass or plastic allows for the transfer of digital data through the medium of a beam of light. The data transmitted is coded using the difference in intensity of this light signal. The bitrate flowing through a fiber optic cable is considerably higher than the maximum bitrate of an RCA.

• A coaxial cable is an asymmetrical link used nowadays for the transmission of digital signals. It can be used to connect digital audio devices to each other.

• An Ethernet connection is used in computing for local networks. The most commonly used connector is the RJ45. This is an international standard.

• USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard which allows the connection of external peripherals to a computer. USB ports equip devices which use this protocol with the ability to connect to media playback support..

• The power supply of a device makes the link between an electric circuit of a certain place and the device. To ensure proper functioning and optimal results, a separated power supply and circuit are preferable. For a proper signal/sound link, it is important to have your amp plugged into a “clean” electrical current that guarantees a constant cycle of electricity. To do so, there are filters and other conditioners that generate a supply voltage once they are connected to the current to ensure a constant, “clean” current, so that they are not affected by various kinds of interference.