Enhance sound quality for roon

[Mr.Flibble (Uncle Arnie fries them alive with his hex vision)]

@Michael_Callesen

I went from Roon on windows PC to a Nucleus one and sound got better. Can only explain it with digital jitter added on the windows PC.

I’ve ran Roon before on the same machine via Windows, Rock, Roon Server on DietPi and Ubuntu.
I’ve also ran Audirvana on the same machine on Windows, DietPi and Ubuntu. Music from Qobuz and local files.

What did I discover? Not a great deal. Unless I was able to sound level match to within 0.2dB I couldn’t say for sure which I preferred. Time taken to move from one OS to another took too long to retain sufficient audio memory.

I wasted my time experimenting and lost sight of the enjoyment of music. As soon as you put doubt in your own mind of one or the other sounding ‘different’ you will bias yourself.

I got greater benefits from tweaking speaker positioning and room EQ.

Just my view.

[Mike_O_Neill]

No mention here (unless i missed it) of connections are you using USB → DAC direct or via a streamer that could make difference (possibly and DUCKS ) depending on USB implementations.

Roon has always recommended Ethernet Server->Router and preferably a split Server/End Point set also via ethernet with WiFi as an option with questions.

I have Roon and AS running and hear no difference on high end headphones but I am OLD and my golden ears retired years ago.

PS I am so distracted by the poor UI of AS that I am unlikely to spot it anyway

[Michael_Callesen]

@Mr.Flibble You misunderstand. I did not CHASE any soundupgrade. I just wanted to get rid of my noisy PC running all the time and spending much more power than Nucleus One.
I was just suprised that a DID get a sound upgrade too.

[Marian (I stand with Ukraine)]

@Michael_Callesen

I just wanted to get rid of my noisy PC running all the time and spending much more power than Nucleus One.

The “noisy PC” is an audiophile fallacy. I measured the output of a decent DAC (Topping D70) connected directly through USB to a PC when idle and when running at 100% CPU. I also connected it to a gaming laptop, both when idle and in a game. The output was the same as when connected to a Pi streamer, and consistent with AP analyzer measurements.

If you are still concerned about computer noise, all you need is a good DAC and maybe a streamer. A Nucleus has other advantages, but offers nothing in terms of audio quality.

[Suedkiez (Just a fellow user like you)]

@Marian

The “noisy PC” is an audiophile fallacy.

He may have meant literally noisy as in emitting mechanical sounds

[Johnny_Ooooops (Listener in Chief)]

Oooh. A new one.

Subscribed.

[Marian (I stand with Ukraine)]

The Floppotron: Toto - Africa

[Mikael_Ollars]

A Nucleus may enhance your experience, but casting blame on a generic Windows or Mac computer is misleading.
One can optimize most operating systems, and even selecting a certain set of hardware will affect sound quality.

But, as you are made aware by now, this is not the forum to discuss sound quality. It will stir the native measurebator def squad into a frenzy and you will be stuck debating irrelevant aspects and basic listening skills.

[Marian (I stand with Ukraine)]

@Mikael_Ollars

you will be stuck debating irrelevant aspects

Can you give an example?

[patouskii]

@Marian

@Michael_Callesen

I just wanted to get rid of my noisy PC running all the time and spending much more power than Nucleus One.

The “noisy PC” is an audiophile fallacy. I measured the output of a decent DAC (Topping D70) connected directly through USB to a PC when idle and when running at 100% CPU. I also connected it to a gaming laptop, both when idle and in a game. The output was the same as when connected to a Pi streamer, and consistent with AP analyzer measurements.

If you are still concerned about computer noise, all you need is a good DAC and maybe a streamer. A Nucleus has other advantages, but offers nothing in terms of audio quality.

Benefits of galvanic isolation for USB connection between a PC and a DAC are measured here and here for example.

[Marian (I stand with Ukraine)]

I think it’s reasonable to believe that some DACs’ USB connections are not properly isolated. Blaming the computer for poor engineering is wrong though (as such a DAC could pick up noise from your fridge, for example), so a Nucleus is not the correct solution to this problem. I’ll re-post my last paragraph:

@Marian

If you are still concerned about computer noise, all you need is a good DAC and maybe a streamer.

[Rugby (aka Daniel or Big Dan)]

I own that picture disc of Toto’s Africa actually.

[patouskii]

I dare to say that most of the “good DACs” don’t have galvanic isolation built in their USB inputs. Even my T+A DAC200 benefits of Intona USB isolator. So your last paragraph is a bit misleading. There’s an easy solution though, a proper USB isolator. Intona isn’t the only option, there’s many cheap alternatives available.

[Anthony_B (Tony)]

You may be mistaking this forum for another one which corrals objectivists into their own sub-forum and forbids them to utter any doubts or common sense in the rest of the sub-forums.

[Marian (I stand with Ukraine)]

@patouskii

there’s many cheap alternatives available.

I’ve said it before a few times: if you take a DAC and integrate a cheap isolator, you get an isolated DAC that’s only marginally more expensive. The fact that manufacturers don’t get such a simple thing continues to baffle me.

[Michael_Callesen]

I have a great streamer and DAC in my Gato PRD-3S NPM pre amp. Maybe thats why I can hear the difference .

[Wim_Cordewener]

Hallo,

Ik heb veel dingen geprobeerd om Roon zo optimaal mogelijk te laten klinken.

Zelf gebruik ik een NUC.
Deze wordt gevoed door een Sbooster, heb ook een ifi ipower x geprobeerd, Sbooster 15v klonk beter.
Het maakt ook uit of je een jitterbug in de NUC steekt, een 2de jitterbug is te veel, word de klank te tam.
Zelfs de gebruikte stroomkabel naar de Sbooster is van invloed op de klank.
Ook de zekering in de Sbooster, momenteel gebruik ik een Hifituning suprême3 fuse.
Ook de gebruikte lan kabel tussen NUC en switch maakt verschil.
Deze switch maakt ook verschil.
Ik heb een D-Link DGS 108 met ifi ipower elite 5v.
De stroomkabel naar de ifi ipower elite maakt iets minder uit bij mij, maar is wel hoorbaar.

Je kan hier het beste zelf mee spelen en gaande weg vindt jij dan jou beste setup.

Het maakt zelfs uit waar je de NUC plaats in je netwerk, aan het begin, of in de laatste switch.

Ook instellingen van router en een mooie voeding op je router maakt veel uit.
Vaak zijn het kleine stapjes, soms grote, iedere set pakt het anders uit, maar het is wel de moeite waard.

Er bestaat geen algemene tip, of iets dergelijks, je moet zelf ondervinden of je een aanpassing mooi vind klinken en of het hoorbaar is.

Dat is ook het leuke aan onze hobby…

Tot slot; Audirvana heb ik ook getest, klonk mooi, spannender, meer levend, maar vraag je eens af welke klank dichter bij de originele opname staat?
Die van Audirvana, of Roon.

Ik kies voor Roon…

[William_Simpson]

Me too. Gift from my son lol

[David_Spendlove]

I would never use Roon for playback , as the op suggests other methods of playback are superior.Roon is great though for finding new music to listen to.I will purchase a cd , rip it and play through network attached storage but not using Roon.This is better than streaming but still does not come close to cd replay.Bits are not bits it would seem , Ethernet cables will sound different too , I cannot explain it but differences exist.

[Suedkiez (Just a fellow user like you)]

Subjective hearing?

The power of suggestion. It can and usually does trick our brains. Try putting it to the test by asking a trusted friend(s) if they can hear the difference. You’ll have to lie a little…ask them to pick a familiar track and tell them that you want to do a blind test and that you’re going to play that track using three different quality settings and its up to them to rate the sound qualities as good, better and best. Have some fun with it…you’ll be in for a surprise.