A musical daily routine
When I read or lie down after a day at work, I particularly enjoy listening to music. I like all kinds of music, from classical to alternative, jazz, and folk.
I'd like to share some tips on how to get the best sound without too much equipment. This might give you some ideas. Of course, those of you with high-end equipment may find these suggestions a little lightweight. But as you can see, even on a modest budget, you can enjoy beautiful sounds.
First tool: the source
For this, I subscribe to Qobuz. There are two main reasons for this: the sound quality (often HiRes or CD quality by default. No MP3s, which are an insult to the ears, far too compressed to be honest, and let's admit that those days are long gone, when every byte counted) and the fair remuneration of artists (better than all other platforms). On this last point, Qobuz redistributes an average of β¬18.02 per 1,000 streams, paying three times more than other platforms such as Amazon Music or Tidal.
So I use Qobuz interchangeably on my iPhone, iPad, or iMac, depending on the situation.
Second tool: headphones
I spend most of my time living in an apartment or house, surrounded by my family. This means I need to be a little disciplined about noise indoors. So, like everyone else in the household, I prefer to use headphones to listen to music. When I'm outside, it goes without saying that only headphones meet the need (you can walk around with a huge speaker on your back, some people do, but that's not my thing).
So I have four pairs of headphones! (And even five, if I count my AirPods Max, which I've had for five years and just gave to one of my children).
The most useful are my Focal Bathys. They're exceptional hi-fi headphones. Comfortable, with a wide soundstage and perfectly balanced, detailed sound. They also have the advantage of being able to be used wired, and in this case, with the USB connection, the DAC takes over and the sound is wonderful. For quick use, I also have a simple open-back wired Sennheiser (the HD 599SE), which is very lightweight and offers very pleasant sound, even if it is much less precise than the Bathys. These headphones are regularly on sale and offer excellent value for money.
Finally, two portable headphones are part of the arsenal: a Meze Audio Alba White and AirPods 4 ANC. The former are wired and deliver remarkable sound (balanced, precise, and clean without sibilance, for example). The latter are ultra-portable, comfortable, and perform their noise-canceling function well. The sound is a touch flatter than the Meze, but has been carefully crafted by Apple. The result is good, but I prefer sound that is closer to reality, rather than undergoing even subtle transformations.
The extra tool
There is a piece of equipment that I discovered very recently that significantly improves the sound when delivered via Bluetooth. As you know, Bluetooth sound is heavily processed, so it's not quite the same as the sound delivered by the source (you could say it's not hi-fi sound, but the concept is so broad that everyone will interpret it as they wish). Apple significantly modifies the sound source, processing it brilliantly to flatter our ears. However, a USB-C dongle that plugs into your Apple device allows you to enjoy adaptive Bluetooth AptX, which is very close to HiRes sound. This dongle could be the excellent QCC Dongle Pro from Questyle. Thanks to it, I can enjoy wireless sound with my Bathys with significantly better sound quality than via Apple's Bluetooth directly. In my opinion, it's a worthwhile purchase.