Have a playlist that's full of memories? Qobuz and i Fi want to hear it for World Alzheimer's Month, and you could win an elite 5-star DAC | Tech Radar

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Have a playlist that's full of memories? Qobuz and i Fi want to hear it for World Alzheimer's Month, and you could win an elite 5-star DAC

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Qobuz wants you to make a memory-filled playlist, and explain it

Alongside 'Fast songs for the gym' and 'Band 101 for introducing a partner to a band on the eve of going to their gig', remembering moments or periods of your life is one of the most important reasons we make playlists. I still listen to "mix-tapes" (in digital format, mostly) I made while living abroad, road tripping around the outback or preparing for big university parties.

Now, streaming service Qobuz has taken time off its war on AI slop to acknowledge the link between music and memory for World Alzheimer's Month, teaming up with hi-fi tech brand i Fi Audio to do so.

World Alzheimer's Month runs through September, and during that time, Qobuz and i Fi are running a competition to submit a memory-laden playlist, and perhaps win an i Fi i DSD GR 2 for your efforts.

Wait, what's the link? Well, it has been shown that musical memory remains well-preserved in Alzheimer's sufferers, and so a song may help with memory recall.

I'm getting this from a study published in the National Library of Medicine, which suggests that music interventions can "delay and decelerate the neurodegeneration in individuals at risk". But my colleague and Audio Editor tells me she has seen music's profound effect on memory recall in a fellow dancer who (even in advanced stages of this progressive disease) could still perform decades-old choreography, if the music were played.

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Many non-profits, including Music & Memory or Playlist for Life, exist to help people by providing training, awareness or music-based care, to aid those suffering with various degenerative illnesses.

During September, Qobuz and i Fi want you to make a playlist (on the former's hi-res download and streaming platform, of course) full of songs which bring you back to a certain time or important memory.

Then, you need to head over to i Fi Audio's competition landing page, which will give you a few steps to complete and fields to fill in.

This page also lets you provide a 'short story' or description of what the playlist means to you. There's no stated word count, but this whole news story could be pasted into the field with without a problem.

Once you've submitted your playlist, you'll be in with a chance to win the i Fi i DSD GR 2 DAC (or digital-analog-converter, to level up your music using, say, the USB-C port on your phone, and on to your wired headphones or earbuds), worth

There's no indication of how the brands will choose a winner; if it'll be based on the description, or tracks, or at random. It's also not clear what will happen to the rest of the playlists; maybe Qobuz will publish some of its favorites for all to see, but perhaps the submission is just for the purposes of the competition. Either way, delving back into old albums and tracks that really take you back to a specific moment will be a cathartic — and sometimes profound — experience. Music's great, isn't it?

➡️ Read our full guide to the best headphone DACs

1. Best budget USB-C portable DAC: i Fi GO Link Max
2. Best budget desktop DAC: i Fi Uno
3. Best premium portable DAC: i Fi x DSD Gryphon
4. Best wireless DAC: Fiio BTR17

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Tom Bedford is a freelance contributor covering tech, entertainment and gaming. Beyond Tech Radar, he has bylines on sites including Games Radar, Digital Trends, Android Police, Tech Advisor, Whatto Watch and BGR. From 2019 to 2022 he was on the Tech Radar team as the staff writer and then deputy editor for the mobile team.

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• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
• Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
• Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
• Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
• Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards