Sound quality of Roon


I am considering trying Roon.  I have been using my Bluesound Node but I am going to upgrade as I do enjoy streaming more and more using Tidal.  It is quite an investment to get a NUC or Nucleus and then have a separate tablet to control it all.
 

But apart from the cost I have read some people say Roon does not sound good.  Their streamer by blah blah sounds better.  Is this true?  For all that is required to use Roon, the hardware, the subscription and all, would Roon be popular if it made digital streaming sound bad?


I would love to hear people who have experience comment on this.  There is info on the Roon Labs discussion site but as you can imagine it is saying this is BS Roon sounds great.  I guess Roon as a software also has had updates, so maybe this is a thing that might have been true in the past?  

troidelover1499

Great threat folks. I have reread several times.

One thing not mentioned is internet disruption. Simply put at times all internet service falters sending if you will a hick-up or quick pause in service. Obviously this will affect Roon and why it may go off/on. There’s only so much a buffer can guard against.

I live in a location with wretched internet service with 2 meg DSL or expensive 12-18 Meg dish being the norm. Fortunately we finally got Starlink and service on par with many other places. Point being you need a fast pipe as those in the business say.

I have gone back and forth countless times between the native Lumin app and  Roon and I can tell no difference in SQ. YMMV

What I did notice is an EtherRegen, clock, good cabling and serious linear PSU audibly improved SQ no matter what app was used. Clean up the noise floor and you shall be rewarded.

 

+1 @wsrrsw !

Have you tried a Network Acoustics Filter?  I have the Muon, and it made more of

an impact than the EtherRegen.

@fastfreight     So you switched from the ER to the Muon. I’m going to go whole hog in and get a M12 switch (let’s not tell my wife, Ok?). I’m just sorting what linear PSU to use. What a fun trip down the rabbit hole.

There’s an old saying that comes to mind with this hobby....."Every time I find it. it moves."

 

@fastfreight ​​​​@wsrrsw I switched switches myself (pun intended). Went from an EtherRegen powered by a Farad Super3 LPS to a Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF and there was a notable improvement in difference of the palpability, smoothness, and body of the digital signal.

Hey @wsrrsw ​​​​@blisshifi !  We should visit each other!  I've gone big in most areas, but limited my switch (ahem so far) to the Silent Angel Bonn 8. I power it off the 'other rail' of my  HDPlex (the other rail powers my Nucleus+).  I have seen and read on the Synergistic Switch.  I probably would be all over it, but I don't have anything SR.  I had not even heard of the M12 switch.  I went all in on the custom Power supply by Sean Jacobs for my Auralic streamer, and was not disappointed!

I have two systems.   In the 'better' one, (Aries G2.1 with custom power supply to stand alone Tambaqui, I found I did not need the EtherRegen so much in front of the Muon.  Upstairs, where I have ethernet input to Makua Preamp with internal Tambaqui and ethernet bridge (no separate streamer) I find the inclusion of an EtherRegen in front of the Muon beneficial.  I think it makes sense that the better streamer with better PSupply was fine without Ether Regen and OK with the Muon alone.