By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The high-fidelity music streamer Qobuz continued its global expansion by launching in Canada on Wednesday.
Qobuz is a streamer with a difference, as it’s primary focus is on providing music streaming at higher fidelity for true audiophiles.
“With Qobuz hitting the market, all Canadian music lovers who are looking for a unique music experience will now have access to a high-quality music service that’s a cut above the mainstream competition,” the company said.
One of the company’s fans is Neil Young, the Canadian superstar whose opinions on the quality of streamed music and on MP3 players made headlines when he famously pulled his music catalog from Spotify in 2015.
“I don’t need my music to be devalued by the worst quality in the history of broadcasting or any other form of distribution,” the outspoken rocker said on Facebook. “I don’t feel right allowing this to be sold to my fans. It’s bad for my music.”
But Young says for true audiophiles, the advent of the Qobuz service in Canada is great news. ”
“Canada will have the great gift of quality listening when Qobuz opens!,” Young said.
The launch in Canada marks the 26th country where Qobuz now operates, and the first territory in North America. The service currently operates in Northern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, opened across Latin America in 2022, and this week marks its first step into the North American market.
Unlike other streamers like Spotify and Apple Music, Qobuz offers its music catalog using lossless downloadable files with the same audio quality as you would find on high rez CDs.
“Qobuz is the only platform in the world to offer unparalleled sound quality (high-resolution music streaming and downloads), coupled with an exclusive cultural magazine with thousands of articles dedicated to music. Qobuz is aimed at a demanding and discerning audience looking for alternatives to the mainstream.” says Georges Fornay, Deputy CEO of Qobuz.
“With a population of over 37 million and a rich and diverse music scene, Canada represents a significant potential market. The platform is eagerly awaited by many music lovers and audiophiles, and we are delighted to see them join the Qobuz community and meet the growing demand and increased requirements in terms of sound quality,” adds Fornay.
Fornay and his team say Canada was a logical next step. The country’s music market grew by 8% in 2022, and it is now the eighth largest market for music in the world, despite having a population of only 38 million people, Canada also has high median income, so fans of music are both willing and able to pay for high fidelity music offerings.
Qobuz says it also brings more than just better-sounding music. “A true cultural medium, Qobuz provides a user experience designed for discovery and musical diversity,” the company says.
Through its Magazine, the platform offers artist interviews, in-depth articles and a section dedicated to Hi-Fi gear. Qobuz is recognized for the quality of its recommendations and album features. Each week, the editorial team selects an eclectic array of artists and albums, known or emerging, for listeners to (re)discover, and playlists are updated with carefully hand-picked tracks. All musical genres—rock, jazz, classical, pop, R&B, electronic, world, metal, etc.—are honored, and the catalog is curated with a human touch, rather than through algorithms.
“The arrival of Qobuz in Canada has been eagerly awaited by audiophiles and dedicated music fans. It is very exciting for us to be able to offer our unique high quality service across the entirety of North America,” said Dan Mackta, who is now managing director for Qobuz in both North America and Northern Europe.