Brand New Nucleus + Serious Sound Quality Issues

New Nucleus +
Roon Version 2.0 (build 1128)
RoonOS Version 1.0 (build 227)

Nucleus + connected via ethernet cable into main Ubiquiti Unifi 24 port switch
Music is on a WD Mybook 18TB external drive connected via the USB3.0 jack on the Nucleus +
Nucleus + and WD external drive plugged into Panamax MR4300 power conditioner

Connected Audio Devices

2 BlueSound Node 2i: one connected via ethernet cable into main Ubiquiti Unifi PoE 24 port switch, 2nd Node 2i connected via ethernet cable into Ubiquiti Unifi PoE 8 port switch

Number of Tracks in Library

Almost 200,000 tracks, many are hi-res FLAC, DSD, and DFF files

Description of Issue

Roon had been handling my oversized music library (many remastered hi-res albums) with ease when I was using my Dell Inspiron 7590: (Intel(R) Core™ i7-8565U CPU @ 1.80GHz 1.99 GHz) (16GB Ram) (64bit operating system with Windows 11 Home) as the Roon Core. Music collection was contained on the same WD Mybook 18TB external drive connected via a USB3.0 jack directly into the Dell. Sound quality, associated data, ease of access, were all exceptional. Decided to bite the bullet and buy a dedicated music server so I had an "always on’ solution. Bought the Nucleus + and the migration of the library was flawless. However, after I started to play my music files on the new Nucleus +, I recognized immediately that there was a massive degradation in the quality of the sound. In fact, it sounded to me as if I had suffered a major downgrade from the purity of the hi-res digital files to what sounds like old vinyl purchased at a garage sale. Tried multiple artists, albums, genres, and always the same thing. It literally sounds as if I’m listening to a secondhand original vinyl album (not hi-res 180g reissued vinyl) with a scratch in it. A perfect example is the 2018 remaster by Esoteric of Bill Evans “Waltz for Debbie.” It is a fantastic remaster that is now so bad (clicks, pops, distortion) I cannot listen to it.
Hoping someone else has experienced the same thing and can provide a fix as the Nucleus + in its current form is unusable and I will have to go back to my PC if it can’t be resolved.

Did you added DSP settings such as convolution filters, EQ settings etc. from the old core into the new Nucleus?

Hence, check and compare the signal path between the two cores. Are they the same?

In case you didn’t made a restore from a backup, this could be your problem.

Unfortunately, I did not. In fact, did a completely clean install. Is there a guide anywhere that lays out the appropriate DSP and EQ settings for BlueSound Node 2i?

Nope! It all depends on your room and your taste, how you like to listen your music.

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You don’t say what the nodes connect into and how?

From OP description sounds like it could be a Crosley Cruiser Deluxe.

This sounds like a network issue if your endpoints are connected via ethernet - something is affecting the bit-perfect streaming and causing these audio artefacts?

…hmm: see his answer on my question:

@Geoff_Coupe

I wouldn’t expect “clicks, pops, distortion” on a basic RAAT stream. DSP is irrelevant in this situation.

Ok, and how is it, when listening the same (locally stored) problematic title from a streaming service?

If possible also without incorporating the Nucleus?

If both results in the same problem, then I agree;-)

So problem solved. It was a BlueSound Node 2i issue. Made some modest adjustments in both BluOS as well as in Roon which in hindsight most likely wasn’t necessary. Did individual reboots on both BlueSound Node 2i’s via the BlueOS app and was back up and running instantly. Been running flawlessly since the reboots. Appreciate all the feedback!

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