I have a DAC connected to an Allo USBridge, which in turn connects to a ethernet switch with a couple of fiber media converters between (for electronic isolation). Then I run Roon Core/Client on my WIndows 10 computer which I am typing from now. My HiFi runs on its on fuse, and there are no electrical connections of any kind between my HiFi and computer.
In other words, my signal path is: Roon on computer -> switch -> ethernet -> fiber -> ethernet -> Allo USBridge -> DAC. I run my 5v DAC, the USB part of Allo USBridge and the last fiber converter on batteries (which made a noticeable improvement btw), which I charge when sleeping.
So now the question is: would I get a (noticeable) improvement on SQ if I moved Roon Core to its own fanless NUC (optionally LPS powered) running ROCK?
I have moved from runing Core on a regular PC to a NUC with ROCK. I did not do it to gain better sound but to get a computer that only runs a software that handles my audio and are built by Roon for that. I am very happy with it and it works flawless.
In the end perhaps some will say they hear a difference but to my ears it did not make any difference.
I run a SOtM sMS-200ultra Neo as endpoint to my TAD D1000mk2 dac.
Even though audio is strange sometimes, by gut feeling is that ROCK on a NUC would not do much for SQ in my case, due to the isolation I already have in place. But I can fully understand it makes a lot of difference if a USB DAC is connected directly to computer.
Personally, I don’t think there would be any noticeable difference in SQ whatsoever; however, I’m sure some audiophiles would beg to differ. The only reason you might have for the change is the desire to move to a Roon Core appliance, rather than software running on a Windows computer. That’s the reason I made the switch; nothing to do with SQ.
I was in the it won’t change anything camp, until I went to a fanless i7 core not a NUC though. It changed my mind. I never expected anything to change but it did for the better. YMMV