Today the new 9.0.0 app got released, with the Connect feature finally available after an endless developing time. Has dCS silently worked in the background, just like some other brands, to get it supported in a reasonable time?
I sincerely hope it won’t take as much, or even more, as it took to add Tidal FLAC support…
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Dumb question maybe,but what’s the benefit of using Qobuz Connect instead of just using Mosaic to instruct the Qobuz servers to send a digital audiostream to my dCS? Yes,in one case I talk directly to the Qobuz server and with Mosaic I talk to my Bartok that in it’s turn starts the stream on Qobuz. I don’t see a real advantage. Please enlighten me.
I don’t use Qobuz but I assume it is similar to Tidal Connectwhere:
Tidal Connect is a feature that allows you to stream music from the Tidal app on your phone or tablet directly to a compatible audio device, like a speaker or streamer, over Wi-Fi. It essentially “hands off” the music stream from your mobile device to the connected device, which then becomes the source of the audio.
The benefit is to use the Qobuz app and user interface natively rather than having to go through Mosaic. This includes app options on MacOS / Windows rather than just phone / tablet. Am not sure if there is any sonic difference but good usability alternative and flexibility.
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I can understand someone preferring the Qobuz GUI over that of Mosaic but I have reservations over any potential SQ gain.
I understand that with Connect the streamer plays the output of a Qobuz app installed on a device. So how does this ensure synchronisation of the Qobuz output and the dCS stremer/DAC? Or is it not required?
My second concern is connectivity. dCS streamer/DACs do hot have wifi inputs. so presumably a wired connection is required with our systems? This would presumably be USB as network connections e.g. RJ45 seem not to be found on current computers.
Airplay is mentioned on at least one online guide. However I thought this is limited to 16/48 so how is this compatible with Qobuz streaming to 24/192?
I can appreciate Connect offering a sonic improvement for many but in a dCS context?
Anyone able to offer clarification?
As for the initial question concerning the time-frame for dCS to adopt it, firstly we do not know if they are to do this. If they are dCS do not give detailed prior announcements of software innovation so we will only learn as and if it becomes available .
The Tidal implementation works just fine, thus I can’t see why Qobuz’s one should not. It’s basically the same thing conceptually. No, it is not limited in sample or bitrate, the streamer gets the music data from the servers directly. And dCS does support Tidal Connect.
https://dcsaudio.com/edit/experience-tidal-connect-and-more-with-mosaic-1-2
Pete, there’s no sonic difference.
Qobuz Connect, just like Tidal Connect, turns the App into a control-point, just like Mosaic. In other words, they’re merely a front-end for browsing music catalogs & playback control. Once an album/track is selected for playback, the music streams flow directly between the dCS Streamer/DAC and the corresponding music service servers/caches on the Internet.
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Okay,thanks for that link. Get it now.
But for my situation it offers little extra functionality,if any at all.
For me it would be just a solution looking for a problem.
As a follow up to Anup’s reply it basically boils down to which interface/app you prefer - Mosaic or Qobuz. Sound quality will be identical. I will most likely gravitate towards the Qobuz gui - its prettier 
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I concur. Not only that but these days Qobuz identifies works separately which is important for classical music listeners, especially where multiple works and/or composers feature in the same issue. Additionally one can also read the full CD booklet with many recordings. At one point dCS were concatenating some of this with track info but seem to have been discontinued.
Those whose only experience of Qobuz is via Mosaic may not appreciate how much they are missing from accompanying textual additions.
dCS does show up in the first batch of vendors that have implemented Qobuz Connect, so I expect that soon(ish) we’ll probably see a firmware upgrade that includes it.
https://help.qobuz.com/en/articles/314578-list-of-brands-integrated-into-qobuz-connect
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There’s actually one additional (behind the scene) benefit to Qobuz Connect - bypassing airable 
The Qobuz Connect agent software, residing on the dCS Streamer Compute, would have all the relevant APIs to connect directly to Qobuz Servers for the music catalog browsing. It won’t require airable to be an intermediary like Mosaic does.
As far as I know, Qobuz servers are more globally distributed then airable servers (which IIRC reside in Germany only), making it more reliable and less prone to some of the issues we’ve seen in the past.
ps: If I was airable, I’d maybe be looking for a new business model 
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Do we know of any dCS gear Connect capable? Odd to me that it lists dCS as "integrated’.
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I believe any dCS product capable of being controlled by Mosaic will be Qobuz Connect capable……once Mosaic is updated to utilize this feature.
Maybe dCS is waiting for Hi End Munich to introduce a new version of Mosaic?
One can only hope so. Mosaic is almost unusable for me. An update to the 21st century is well overdue.
Well….with the impending introduction of Qobuz Connect, and the already existing Tidal Connect, the ability to bypass Mosaic for access to the two current hi-res streaming services will be possible.
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T"Unusable " is not a term relating to aesthetic preference but to technical failure. It may help if you would kindly expand regarding in what way to see if your frustration with Mosaic may have a solution or of if Qobuz Select might provide one.
Hi @Omni & anyone else…
If you would care to share specifics of what you feel is deficient and how you feel that it would be better resolved / presented then we are happy to receive feedback at [email protected] - that will come to me directly and I am happy to pass it to the software team.
BR
Phil
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Well, while I always managed to do what I wanted, it often took more steps than what would be needed with the native apps like Tidal’s or Qobuz’s. The interface is sometimes clunky and old fashioned, and is missing some service-specific feature, like booklet support in Qobuz’s case, but I understand you can’t dive into every service’s specific feature. I don’t know, I’m not even sure they allow third party devs to dive into those.
One question, altough I guess you can’t give an exact reply. 
Qobuz tells us the Connect feature is supported by dCS, this seems to point to the fact that you were involved into its development and I guess its beta testing. Is there a timeframe for its availability on dCS devices? I suppose it won’t take long given the premises, or?
They do, Aurender’s Conductor app offers full booklet & wiki support.