Qobuz Hi-Rez Streaming Launches in the US
Qobuz, the French subscription hi-rez streaming and download service, finally launches in the US today, right before the start of CanJam NYC. Qobuz not only offers more than 40 million tracks, over two million of which are said to be hi-rez, but also includes liner notes for many albums. The service has also secured partnerships that enable it to position Qobuz as the "official" streaming service of CanJam and other US high-end audio shows.
Qobuz Lowers Pricing, Some Other Streaming Services Respond
New York, NY. On November 8, at the very small New York Audio Show, Paris-based music streaming service Qobuz announced that it has streamlined its subscription plans, lowered prices, and discontinued MP3 streaming.
QSC Will Support Hales Loudspeakers, Says Brand's Founder
The fatehttp://www.stereophile.com/news/10924/">fate; of Hales Loudspeakers has been a subject of much concern and discussion among audiophiles since the shuttering of parent company Wadia Digital a few months ago. There is now considerable light at the end of the tunnel, as revealed by Hales founder L. Paul Hales in a telephone interview December 22.
Quad, Hales, Audio Physic, Cabasse, WBT---Day 3 at the London Heathrow Hi-Fi Show
Are there differences between an American hi-fi show and the British variety? A few---the biggest is the extent to which all the real business takes place at the bar. This is true for the audio press (okay, not all that different from an American show), but it's true for manufacturers as well. After Show hours, the boozer is jammed with everybody in the business sharing a few pints, smoking, and talking shop. It's not unusual to see business rivals chatting amiably about the state of the industry---and even discussing distribution in some detail.
Quarterly Figures Down for Big Retailers; Tweeter Adds Sound Advice
The first fiscal quarter was a slow one for major electronics retailers. Eden Prairie, MN–based Best">http://www.bestbuy.com">Best Buy reported a 3.1% drop in comparable-store sales, attributing the slowdown to diminished demand for personal computers. That figure is for stores open a year or longer; Best Buy's total sales for the quarter rose 25% to $3.69 billion from $2.96 billion, thanks to 11 new stores and the addition of the Musicland Group of music stores, which Best Buy acquired earlier this year. Although demand for hardware such as digital cameras, DVD players, and high-definition television sets was "brisk," the market for music CDs lagged more than 6% from last year, company officials explained.
Quintessence Audio's Knowledge Room at AXPONA 2026
Miguel Barrio checks out the system in Quintessence Audio's Knowledge room at AXPONA 2026 that included a Döhmann Helix One Mk3 turntable, dCS Varese digital music system, Audio Research Ref 20 preamplifier, and Wilson XVX speakers.
R U Ready to Rock?
Hot Licks: Add another title to UmixIt'shttp://stereophile.com/news/032105umixit/">UmixIt's; catalog of DualDisc Enhanced DVD/CDs: Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry's eponymous solo album, his first since 1984.
RAAL 1995 headphones at AXPONA 2026
Miguel Barrio checks out a pair of RAAL 1995 Immanis headphones at AXPONA 2026, and has quite a transformative listening experience.
Radio Finding New Paths to Your Ears
With new high-end audio formats hitting the shelves and MP3 and Napster dominating the online music news, developments in the world of radio have taken a back seat lately. But two announcements this week offer a peek at where the broadcast business might be headed.
Radio Stations Must Pay for Webcasts, Copyright Office Rules
American radio stations which stream music programming over the Internet may be facing substantial outlays in royalty fees paid to record companies, under a December 8 ruling by the US Copyright Office, a division of the Library of Congress. After months of legal wrangling, the office decided that radio stations are just as liable for such fees as other music sites. "Transmissions of a broadcast signal over a digital communications network such as the Internet are not exempt from copyright liability," the ruling states.