Tune by Mozaiklabs

Want to start streaming audio in hi-fi? How to choose your first service

Why streaming for an audiophile?

Buying a CD means owning a copy. Subscribing to a streaming service means owning access to tens of millions of tracks, in quality that's at least equal to CD — sometimes far above (24-bit, hi-res 96 kHz and beyond). For the price of one disc per month, you listen to everything, anywhere.

The remaining question: which service. Here are the four criteria that actually matter.

The 4 criteria

  1. Audio quality: lossless (CD quality, 16-bit / 44.1 kHz) is now the minimum bar. The best services offer hi-res (24-bit, 96 or 192 kHz), and sometimes DSD.
  2. Catalog: all of them advertise ~100 million tracks, but exclusives, reissues, jazz and classical depth vary widely.
  3. Price: between €10.99 and €19.99 per month depending on the tier.
  4. Ecosystem: is the service integrated with your gear (DAC, network amp, mobile app)?

The 5 services in 2026

Qobuz

Qobuz in Tune

  • Max quality: hi-res 24-bit / 192 kHz
  • Price: Studio €12.99/month
  • Pros: best audiophile quality on the market; included digital booklets; thoughtful editorial coverage of jazz and classical; ad-free
  • Cons: smaller mainstream pop catalog; not available in every country
  • Ideal if: you want the best possible sound and listen heavily to jazz, classical, or audiophile productions

Tidal

Tidal in Tune

  • Max quality: hi-res 24-bit / 192 kHz (FLAC)
  • Price: HiFi €10.99/month
  • Pros: very large catalog (R&B, hip-hop, electronic); many artist exclusives; Dolby Atmos and immersive audio
  • Cons: editorial less in-depth than Qobuz
  • Ideal if: you want both choice, exclusives, and hi-res

Spotify

Spotify in Tune

  • Max quality: 320 kbps (Ogg Vorbis) — no lossless in 2026, despite the long-standing promise
  • Price: Premium €11.99/month
  • Pros: largest catalog; unbeatable recommendations; Spotify Connect (universal); podcasts
  • Cons: no lossless to date — disqualifying for a strictly audiophile use
  • Ideal if: you listen broadly, share a lot with friends, and absolute quality isn't your top priority

Deezer

Deezer in Tune

  • Max quality: lossless FLAC CD-quality (16-bit / 44.1 kHz); 360 Reality Audio
  • Price: Premium €11.99/month
  • Pros: French-language catalog; reasonable value; French service
  • Cons: no hi-res beyond CD; interface less modern than competitors
  • Ideal if: you listen a lot to French-language music and want lossless at a reasonable price

Apple Music

  • Max quality: ALAC lossless 24-bit / 192 kHz, Dolby Atmos
  • Price: €10.99/month (lossless included, no surcharge)
  • Pros: excellent value; perfect Apple ecosystem integration; broad catalog
  • Cons: historically closed SDK outside the Apple ecosystem — third-party integration (such as in Tune) is more complex
  • Ideal if: you're invested in the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, Mac, HomePod) and want lossless included

Our recommendation by profile

  • You're starting out and want the best sound → Qobuz Studio (€12.99/month)
  • You want choice + hi-res exclusives → Tidal HiFi (€10.99/month)
  • You're in the Apple ecosystem → Apple Music (€10.99/month)
  • You mostly listen to French-language music, smaller budget → Deezer Premium (€11.99/month)
  • You want to try without commitment → all offer 1 free month. Test them!

With Tune, you're never locked in

Whatever you choose, Tune drives them all. Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer (plus Spotify catalog browsing) are already integrated; Apple Music is on the way. So you can:

  • Start with a single service, switch later without losing your local library
  • Stack multiple subscriptions and search them all from a single interface (federated search)
  • Eventually transfer your playlists from one service to another via PlaylistsHub (under development)

No need to commit to one ecosystem forever — Tune is the abstraction that gives you freedom.

Our advice for getting started

Rather than debating for hours, take Qobuz's free trial. It's the most demanding service on the quality front, and if the difference seems marginal compared to Spotify, you'll know audio quality isn't your priority. If on the other hand you discover a new world, you've found your service.

And don't forget: with Tune, your choice is never final.

Going further: join the Tune beta and test multi-service playback today.