I am getting Qobuz loading slow when i turn on headroom management and streaming 192/24 songs

[Dalbir_Virdee]

Roon Core Machine

Mac Mini late 2014, Big Sur, 3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7, 16GB

Networking Gear & Setup Details

Cisco Meraki MS220-8p switches, wired

Connected Audio Devices

Auralic Aires G1 USB, Ethernet to Meraki
Ares II DAC USB

Number of Tracks in Library

7308 songs

Description of Issue

As soon as I turn on Headroom Management I can no longer stream 192/24 files from Qobuz. They play a bit and then stop. Qobuz loading slow message.

Did not recall having this problem before as I used to use a lot of DSP filters and then stopped using them. Recently I wanted to add a bit headroom and it will not work.

[Suedkiez (Just a fellow user like you)]

Welcome to the forum. Fellow user here. Please post a screenshot of your signal path with and without headroom management

[Dalbir_Virdee]

Thank you for replying to my post. Before and after posted as requested.

[Suedkiez (Just a fellow user like you)]

Thanks, it was always unlikely but I was wondering if maybe the performance indicator might show the Core struggling with DSP enabled, but not at all, so that’s not it.

And the Mac Mini has wired network to the switch?

What happens if you don’t use the headroom management but some other DSP instead, like e.g. volume leveling or something else. Same issue?

[Dalbir_Virdee]

Hi, Yes, everything is wired. Nothing is using wifi.

It does seem be the case with any DSP filter setting without headroom too.

[Suedkiez (Just a fellow user like you)]

It’s very weird, it should work. No other idea, sorry. Maybe some Auralic user have seen this?

[Dalbir_Virdee]

Thanks for trying

[Marin_Weigel (Bram Stoker's Cappuccino)]

Maybe try setting bit depth to 24 bit for the Auralic in Roon’s device config.

[Dalbir_Virdee]

Hi there!

That has worked! But do I lose anything by using that setting? I do not have any 32 bit files to stream so probably not right?

[Marin_Weigel (Bram Stoker's Cappuccino)]

You wouldn’t be able to audibly discern it anyways, since:
16bit offers 96dB dynamic range,
24bit offers 144dB dynamic range,
32bit offers 192dB dynamic range.
You’d already be hard pressed to find any DAC with a signal-to-noise and distortion ratio fully realizing 24bit resolution, not to speak of any downstream electronics, or recording equipment.

Just kick back, relax and enjoy music for now…

[Suedkiez (Just a fellow user like you)]

@Marin_Weigel

Maybe try setting bit depth to 24 bit for the Auralic in Roon’s device config.

I thought about this because the output is 32bit after DSP, but it’s still weird. The 32bit output after DSP occurs in the same way for 44.1/16 files, so I don’t get why there is a difference with 192/24 for @Dalbir_Virdee

My Naim NDX2 also advertises 32bit input to Roon and so it’s the same signal path for me as it was here, but I don’t see any issues like this.

@Dalbir_Virdee

That has worked! But do I lose anything by using that setting? I do not have any 32 bit files to stream so probably not right?

The downsampling after DSP will theoretically introduce more errors but the differences should be tiny and probably not audible. In any case you can try with 16bit files

[Dalbir_Virdee]

Thank you!