Is there a ROON sound?

@reimarc just compared the same Dire Straits track (one kf my favorite DS songs) using same Qobuz album played on my Aurender N200 streamer using it’s proprietary DSP controlled via Aurender Conductor app to using the N200 as a Roon end point. All else being equal. Both native and Roon sound excellent with Roon slightly rounder around the edges but without compromising the mids where vocals live. There’s no struggle to hear Mark’s lyrics despite his very soft singing on this track. 
Depending on personal preference you may like one presentation over another  but neither is faulty  

Here’s my analysis of your problem based on reading your post…

You are comparing two different sources - Evo and Mac. I don’t know how Evo is connected to your MSB DAC but I assume the Mac is connected using USB? And the Evo is connected via its coax/spdif? Can you clarify?

MSB should not be fed upsampled/modified data stream. Rely on MSB to do its task properly and feed it original signal. You should also use the exact same type of connection. Use USB from Evo into MSB and allow the MSB clock to take control. Don’t compare 🍏 to 🍊. Switch completely to Evo using the usb cable you used with the Mac. 
If Evo can run Qobuz without roon, test that. 
 

Does your MSB Discrete have a network module to configure the DAC as a roon end point without using Evo? If so, try that as well. 
 

If your results are still consistent with smothered presentation lacking in clarity wheb you’re running Evo, I would suggest returning the Evo and using Roon core on Mac and stream directly to MSB using its network module. 
 

That’s my take on it. Good luck!

audphile1 Thanks for your suggestions. I did exactly how you describe it (no apples vs. oranges): the USB signal either directly from my Mac or from the EVO goes into the MSB USB/Optical converter module, and the fiber optic cable runs into my DAC (at the opposite end of the room). And yes, I am not using any DSP/upsampling from either source, just as you said. The MSB Discrete is a fabulous DAC using the proprietary R2R technology that makes this brand so outstanding in terms of musicality and yet precision (I used their flagship Premier Platinum Signature for years, but it would not handle DSD). 

If you look at this thread, there are quite a few members who share my listening experience with ROON, albeit maybe not so pronouncedly. I am in communication with the gentleman in Belgium who gave us the EVO: he too feels that ROON might be not the last word in clarity; so he is writing new firmware for another very popular audiophile player as we speak. There might also be an EVO-specific sound at play: your Aurender server is well known for its clarity and transparency (the MSB brothers use it at their homes), while others call it too lean. The reviews of the EVO describe its sound as very "musical" and "comforting" (using the ROON player). There might be also a personal preference at play here.

In any case, Frederic (the designer of the EVO) graciously agreed to have a look at my unit paying particular attention at the USB output patine, which might be faulty. We will see.

As to my initial question: the members who say that there is no such thing as a ROON sound ("bits are bits") are on one side, while others say that the more CPU engagement a player program needs, the more the sound suffers. I am a novice when it comes to computer audio, and hence cannot say who is right or wrong. Moreover, I might indeed not have completely optimized my signal path yet. As for now: vinyl still rules IMHO.

[MacBook Air with M1 chip; 432EVO Aeon server with shielded Ethernet connection directly to a Comcast router; ROON via ApplePlay (FLAC), or Apple Music (ALAC), or Audirvana, or HQPlayer (for DSD as DoP); MSB USB/fiber-optic connection; MSB Discrete DAC; Supratek Grange preamp; Linkwitz Labs Powerbox (x2) active crossover and N2Core amplification (x 10 total); Linkwitz LX521 active channel (5x2) open baffle speakers; all non-digital cables and connectors home-made 9N silver solid core].

There should not be a degree of difference you described. I’ve used roon and native streaming with few streamers and your observations indicate there is definitely a problem somewhere. Most likely with Evo. 
One thing you can do is install roon on mac and compare qobuz to roon/qobuz on n mac without evo in the picture at all. Takes few minutes. I am 100% certain you will not experience the same sonics as you did with evo. 

@reimarc You have it confused, bits are bits and the need for greater CPU resources are not opposite sides of the argument, rather they go hand in hand. We receive bit perfect data at our modems, it is OUR entire streaming chains that provide the variable sound quality, the streamer likely having the greatest influence.

@reimarc You may want to look at your ROON Settings/Audio and select a different device.  You should not need to use AirPlay for Roon in your system as indicated in your last post. "ROON via ApplePlay (FLAC)"

I don't think Roon has a sound per se but Roon can sound different than other inputs on a particular endpoint.  It will very much be device specific.