Qobuz hi-res audio streaming service lands in Australia and New Zealand

Good news for Aussies and Kiwis looking for another way to download and listen to their favourite music in high definition, as the French hi-res streaming service Qobuz has now officially launched in Australia and New Zealand.

The service was founded in 2007 and has slowly spread its global reach, with a total of 18 countries now having access to the platform. It boasts 70 million tracks and a collection of over half a million album reviews, artist bios and other pieces of specialist editorial content.

As part of its Australia and New Zealand launch, the Qobuz team has curated a variety of playlists featuring local artists.

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As is the case with most streaming services, Qobuz is available in a variety of different tiered subscriptions and family plans, with discounts if you pay annually rather than monthly.

The Studio Premier tier provides "studio quality streaming (FLAC 24-Bit up to 192 kHz)" and "original editorial content", while the Studio Sublime tier also adds exclusive discounts of up to 60% when purchasing Hi-Res music to download – a worthwhile investment if you plan to do so frequently.

All plans are available in individual or family arrangements, with the latter allowing for people living in the same home to share up to six accounts in the one subscription.

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Qobuz Studio Premier

Individual Monthly – AU$24.99 / NZ$29.99
Individual Annually – AU$229.99 / NZ$279.99
Family Monthly – AU$44.99 / NZ$49.99
Family Annually – AU$429.99 / NZ$529.99

Qobuz Studio Sublime

Individual Annually – AU$299.99 / NZ$349.99
Family Annually – AU$599.99 / NZ$749.99

The Qobuz app is available on Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android devices and is compatible with a wide range of dedicated hi-fi streaming equipment (visit the Qobuz site for a full list of participating partners).

If you want to try the service out before paying, Qobuz offers a free 1-month trial of its Studio Premier tier, as well as a free download of one album.