Roon Nucleus EQ


Hi, I was wondering if the Roon Nucleus’s DSP EQ capability’s could supplant the OEM EQ bass booster of my Thiel 3.5’s? Does the eq of the Nucleus work while other sources are in use through the shared DAC: an Oppo 205?
As always; thanks in advance.
unsound
Hello unsound.
Roon DSP functionality would only be available to Roon endpoints.
So if you are streaming via Roon, either from your own library or from Tidal or Qobuz, Roon’s DSP functionality is available to be in play. But from a source that is outside of that chain, not so much.

@jazzman7, Thank you for your prompt response. Does it matter that the Oppo 205 is  "Roon Ready"  (what ever that means) ?
Hi, Unsound. :)

Any EQ applied via Roon is additive to any other EQ and filters in the chain.

If all your music was through Roon you could replace the Thiel EQ box with a Roon filter if you knew the proper parameters.

Roon is a little unusual in that it does all the DSP processing in the server, not the end point, so yes, any Roon-ready device should be able to take advantage of the DSP capabilities inside Roon if they are capable of the playback rate/type.

For instance, not all devices may support DSD, or more than 96 kHz, but if they are Roon-ready, then Roon can transcode up to their capabilities.

Best,

E
Roon ready means that your Oppo 205 can function as a Roon endpoint. However, when you are playing discs, Roon is not part of the playback chain. I have a Roon Nucleus. I utilize the Nucleus not only as my Roon Core, but also as a network player in my main rig, hooked up to my DAC via USB. In similar fashion you could utilize your Nucleus hooked up to your Oppo 205 either by USB or via HDMI. Alternatively, so long as your Nucleus and Oppo are both on the same network, and your Oppo 205 firmware is suitably up to date, you can use your Oppo as your network player and choose to use Roon as your streaming software.
@erik_squires  & @ jazzman17, Thank you. Your answers seem to be quite clear, but, some how I'm still a bit confused by:

The Nucleus can provide eq to the Oppo when using streaming services or delivering music from a storage device.

The Oppo can output signal from disc playing or from other connected sources to rip onto the Nucleus's added storage device?

The Nucleus can accept input from the Oppo; but can not eq output back to the Oppo?

Is this so?
@unsound,
The Nucleus can provide eq to the Oppo when using streaming services or delivering music from a storage device.

The Oppo can output signal from disc playing or from other connected sources to rip onto the Nucleus's added storage device?

The Nucleus can accept input from the Oppo; but can not eq output back to the Oppo?
I can answer yes unequivocally to the first statement.

I believe the second statement to be true as well, but have no personal experience there.

As to the third statement.  Not clear as to what you mean here.  So long as the Oppo is functioning as a Roon endpoint, either hooked directly to the Nucleus via USB or HDMI with the Nucleus functioning as network player and the Oppo as just a DAC; or with the Oppo functioning as a network player under Roon control (not hooked up directly to the Nucleus, but on the same network; then the Roon Nucleus can provide DSP functionality for the Oppo while streaming via Roon.




Data from the Oppo goes only to a DAC, or to the stere, not to Roon.

You can use the Oppo remote as a controller for music, but you cannot rip from Oppo to anywhere, nor can you play music from the Oppo to Roon.
@jazzman7 and @erik_squires, Thank you very much. At first I was just considering the Nucleus as a way to dip my toes into streaming Qobuz and Tidal. It then occurred to me that I might be able to use something like the Nucleus to remove redundant components like my line stage, tuners, and perhaps Thiel’s eq, as well as to start ripping. Those later thoughts suggested that the plus model might be better suited for the extra capabilities. Unless, I’m already listening to a disc, I’m not particularly interested in spending extra time ripping. Based upon what has been posted, it appears as though the base model will suit me just fine. Thank you again for your thoughtful contributions: you may have saved me from spending extra money needlessly.