Roon Core Machine
Roon Core MacBook Pro 2020 i7
Networking Gear & Setup Details
Router Telekom Speedport
Wifi connection
Connected Audio Devices
Chord Qutest
Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt
USB
Number of Tracks in Library
No Library only Streaming
Description of Issue
In the Last time I have great Problems with my Chord Qutest when I am using Roon. The Sound is terrible with bad noises. At first I thought there is a connection to the Apple Ventura Upgrade, because the Problems began at this moment. I tryed some things(New connection to the Router)and in the First Moments I had the feelings now it works correctly. But after a short time the sound become bad again. Then I stopped all upsampling and again I had the feeling it would be better, but now, after a 14 days holiday, I had the bad noises again.
Please understand, this means not that the sound is a little bit bad. There are terrible Noises when I use the Qutest. When I am using the Audioquest I have no Problems. Now I would think the Qutest is the Problem, but when I am using Audirvana I have no Problems with noises, the Sound is clear. Ist must be the connection between Roon an the Chord DAC. Please help.
Sorry for my Bad Englisch.
Might be worth using a different USB cable.
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OK, that can be a possibility, but why there are no problems when I use Audirvana 3.5? The USB cable is the same.
The USB cable is a Oyaide DJ cable „Neo by Oyaide“ USB c to b and it works perfekt the last 2 years.
I’m familiar with these cables. Good cables.
Audirvana works ok, then that would suggest the cable is fine.
When you get this bad experience, screenshot the signal path. Might or might not highlight a cause
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My signal path is as simple as it can.
Most times it is running without a mistake but then there are coming noises, clicks an other faults.
I can‘t understand it, because it was running perfect for nearly 2 years.
Today I had the hole day dropouts and terrible noises with the Qutest on USB. Sometimes ist runs for a few songs, but then the error came again. A great Problem ist ist when songs change on playlists. When I stop Roon and started new, the musik first came correct, but then, after a few minutes the error returns. Now I am hearing Audirvana, no Problems.
The last chance is to use a M2 Highface USB to SPDIF converter. Does anyone know if this tool will work with Roon?
Most likely this is a WiFi issue. Roon is much more dependent on a flawless network than other music software. You can have great WiFi for years, but then an operating system update (Apple has messed up WiFi more times than I can count) or a neighbor installs a new, very powerful WiFi system that interferes with yours. Really worth trying to check whether the problem happens with a wired connection, even just temporarily.
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I was suggesting doing the wired connection just for testing, to try to determine whether WiFi is the source of the problem. A mesh system like the one you linked to might help for general WiFi connectivity, but if the problem is in macOS’s handling of WiFi, it would likely not help.
Hi Fernando
I connected the macbook to a LAN cable and turned off Wifi, unfortunately no change. Then I used the original Chord USB cable via the Audioquest Dragontail USB-C to USB-A adapter to connect, no change. To further isolate the USB input I put an Aqvox USB power supply between the adapter and the USB cable, no change. I also plugged an Audioquest Jitterbug between the power supply and the USB cable, no change. I’m completely at my wits end.
Best regards Rüdiger
Here are some screenshots from my iPad. Perhaps ist can help.
Hello, now I am hearing with the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt an there was even a small dropout. 
Not so much like the Qutest, but ist was there. Ist locks like a Roon problem.
Regards Rüdiger
I think I now know what the problem is. It is an incompatibility of Roon with mac OS Ventura. This creates small glitches that cause the Chord to crash, while the Dragonfly only reacts with a small dropout. It is of course very annoying since I bought a lifetime Roon license, otherwise I would just quit Roon. Now I have two options.
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I hope for an upgrade from Roon or Apple that will make both systems compatible again.
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I’m downgrading to mac OS Monteray, everything was going fine there. My problem for this way, I am an Osteopath and not a computer nerd, so I must ask somone to do this for me without loosing data.
Greetings Ruediger
I have a Chord Hugo 2 at a different location, which I normally use over WiFi with a 2go. I’m going there this evening, If it would help, I can try to run it via USB from my Macbook (15 2020) running Ventura 13.5, to check whether that works correctly.
Hi Fernando
I was in contact with the Chord support and they told me that the problem is that there are small interruptions and the Qutest ist a little bit picky for that. More than the Dragonfly. The problem ist shurely the combination of Roon+Ventura. There are many threads about this here.
Thank you for help, but my only chance is to wait for an upgrade from Roon or Apple which fixes the problem. Waiting for this I must use Audirvana.
I can‘t understand why the Roon team is not able to fix the problems but that‘s life today.
Regards Rüdiger
Quite likely they can’t replicate it reliably, as the interruptions may be highly dependent on the specific combination of hardware and computer workload. Having worked in the computing business for decades, I’ve seen this kind of problem many times. Consumer operating systems like macOS are optimized to respond quickly to user inputs (keyboard, mouse, trackpad, …), not for uninterrupted real-time media streaming. My music flows only through dedicated computers for that reason.
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Hi Fernando
Thank you for the explanation. I work as an osteopath and unfortunately have no idea about computers. It’s great that there are people like you who try to help the ignorant. Thanks for that.
Best regards Rüdiger
I think it‘s the best to go back to Monteray. I will try that next time and give feedback.
Regards Rüdiger
Not sure what your budget is but the simple solution is get a dedicated machine for Roon core. A Nucleus or a NUC running Rock may serve better than trying to tweak your MacBook.
Hi David
Yes I know, but I don‘t want to fix my mind only at Roon. I‘m also using Audirvana and Spotify so I need the Mac to. The soundquality seems good enough for my old ears, I can’t hear a great difference to my CD Player feeding my Chord. I‘m looking for a downgrade to Monteray and hope everything will work.
Regards Rüdiger
