Excellent sound quality that is available from Qobuz and Tidal REQUIRES all components to be working 100%. This includes the streamer, hard drives, modem, router, switch box, Internet signal strength, all other Internet components, DAC, external ISP amplifiers, cables and everything else. Unfortunately, if some of these components are not working correctly, you are going to get poor streaming results, distortion and poor sound quality.
Any streaming service (Tidal, QoBuz, etc.) requires a fully operational network. This means your modem, router, Internet cable signal being in range and all other related parts must be working correctly.
At the beginning, I had serious router issues and several Internet Service Provider (ISP) issues requiring several house calls to repair. My first router dropped packets and my 2nd router could not handle the streaming load. My third router, Luxul XWR3100 and XAP1510 KIT, is now working fine.
As was noted above, streaming issues concerning instability, distortion or sound poor quality, usually mean something is wrong with your network. My ISP Tech updated my in-house cables and corrected the wiring in my outside junction box.
Yes, I had instability and distortion issues caused by a corroded outside ISP junction box and issues with an ISP down-stream amplifier. My cable signal strength ALSO needed adjusting (this issue caused most of my instability and poor sound quality issues).
Streaming requires these parts to be OPERATING at full capacity. If you have instability issues, I suggest you investigate all the areas mentioned above. No, it is not easy and requires a cooperative ISP Tech to help identify and correct these issues. You should also confirm your modem can handle the streaming load. If it is old, you might need to replace it.
Once your network is correctly operating, you should be able to successfully stream these services. Unfortunately, I had all the above issues and it took me several weeks to get everything corrected. I am now streaming Tidal and Qobuz perfectly with no drop outs or related cable signal issues. Sound quality is excellent.
It is not easy getting all these parts working. You have to have patience and contact your ISP for assistance, when needed. I fully explained my streaming instability issues were impacting my listening to my music and the ISP Tech knew exactly what was needed. I suggest you start with your router first and then your cable company. As I stated above, every single part in the streaming chain needs to be confirmed it is working correctly.
My Qobuz sound quality is now excellent and I enjoying their hi-res albums very much. Streaming and poor sound quality issues need to have the above mentioned components checked AND, if needed, an email to Qobuz for additional assistance. Musical streaming is complicated because of the many moving parts that need to be working. Sometimes it is not plug and play and requires additional research and efforts to get everything work. Please do not give up.
I hope the above helps.
