Improving on the stream of a combined streamer dac

@mahler123 - you said:

Essentially what I see in your post is the buffering of streaming content.  Am I off base here?

That's half of the equation, yes. The Diretta Host computer buffers streaming content as you have described. I've observed up to eight seconds.

To build that buffer, it must receive audio data much faster than real time and typically in packet bursts. For the Diretta design, this is has no negative consequences to audio quality because filling the buffer happens on a computer that's not connected to the DAC.

The Diretta Host, then, carefully meters out the audio data in small, precisely timed transmissions over a private point-to-point link to the Diretta Target. The Target receives audio data "just-in-time" with minimal (virtually no) buffering. Its job is simply to copy audio data from the network interface to the a USB DAC or DDC.

Network isolation and smooth data delivery with minimal synchronization overhead are what sets this "three-tier" architecture apart.

@dsnyder0cnn I first heard of this through the Audiophile Foundation and read the write up on their website. I find it quite interesting. However, is Roon Core the only option to make this work?

@clio09 - you wrote:

is Roon Core the only option to make this work?

Diretta protocol is agnostic regarding where the music comes from. The integration I've been using is via AudioLinux, which supports many popular protocols, including UPnP, AirPlay, Signalyst NAA (for HQPlayer), Slimproto (for Lyrion/LMS integration), Spotify Connect (not lossless yet), and several others. No TIDAL Connect or Qobuz Connect since that would require an open-source implementation, but perhaps someday.

Roon already has the most capable UI, but it has long been dogged by sound quality that's inferior to most other solutions. Diretta enables Roon subscribers to enjoy the best UI without having to give up sound quality.

Still breaking the Boomslang in.

Not sure I have reached its full break in period.  I hope to have a better sense of it by next week.

It does some things very well; great tone and timbre.  Some streams are a bit bright which may be the quality of the streaming content.  May also be due to its highly resolving nature.

Will get back to you next week,

@dsnyder0cnn Thanks for the information. I have been running MinimServer for years. I connect to my Auralic Aries G1 via wifi or LAN, then the Aries connects to either my Audio Note Kit or Lessloss DAC. If I move to this type of solution I would like to keep MinimServer. 

Regarding the Roon UI, unfortunately it never worked for me. It couldn't catalog my software in a manner I liked. The Auralic Lightning App and Audirvana are great in that regard. Speaking of Audirvana, I am thinking of revisiting it. Would it be compatible with Diretta? 

Also, are you saying if I move set up Diretta I lose Qobuz? Could be a deal breaker as I have gotten used to using it over the last year.