Linking Zones and Sound Quality

Roon Software Discussion
1

I’m linking two zones: 1. PS Audio Direct Stream DAC with Bridge II; and 2. Bluesound Node 2.

I may well be imagining this, but it seems that linking in zone 2. affects the sound quality in zone 1.
Is this possible/likely? Zone 1 has clock priority 1 and zone 2 has default. Are these optimal settings?

2

I also noticed a slight decrease in sound quality when I group two zones. Had a friend confirm it too.
Using Roon Nucleus, zone 1 is Signature Rendu optical with USB out to Kii Control, zone 2 is OPPO 205 with optical Toslink to Kii Control. Both zones are activated but listening to just zone one SQ is impacted. Un-group the two zones and listen again to zone 1 and the SQ is improved. Very slight but there.

3

Can please Roon developers answer us for these 2 questions:

  • Does zone grouping affect sound quality?
  • Does chromecast display affect sound quality in a given endpoint?

I am a new lifetime member of Roon and maybe used to how quickly other developers in other forums respond to questions. But I must say that I am a little bit confused about Roon developers not answering important questions. There are many many questions that interest me about Roon functionalities in this forum but still unanswered

4

Two postings over three years no surprise really.
Many people have grouped zones and noticed no degradation in sound.

5

Yes that is really nice to hear. But you see it would be appreciated to have some official input from Roon team

Fyi I feel I noticed something yesterday night. I grouped my Lumin U1 Mini with my iPhone (just in order to have Roon always awake on iPhone) and I kind of noticed some drop in SQ. Maybe it is my imagination but I felt something dropped

6

Up to you.

7

Please set your Lumin zone as master.

For further details please read the thread “RAAT and clock ownership”.

8

Thank you Peter
The best remain the same

In fact I maybe set my iPad to be the main zone and grouped it with my Lumin when I felt this drop in SQ 2 days ago
Again yesterday I tried with Lumin as the main zone, tried several grouping and ungrouping and I did not feel a difference in my Sony Z1R headphones. So this is encouraging

I also tried (compulsive attention from me in order to make all this work properly) to set master clock at its highest in Lumin and at its lowest in the control points play enabled devices

9

Top class quality thread. Thanks
I begin to believe I should have bought Lumin T2 instead of U1 Mini!!!
But in my case of having Lumin U1Mini, maybe it is better to plug it through USB. I will test this

10

Peter just to be 100% sure I don’t see an option designating a device as master. In Roon the master device when grouping zones is the first device one chooses before doing the grouping right ?

11

I cannot access Roon right now to confirm, but please check Settings > Audio > Device Setup > Zone Grouping for Clock Master Priority.

12

Click speaker icon in now playing screen
Click gears
Now being in zone settings, for the desired device click:
Device setup
Show advanced
Scroll down until you see:
Clock Master Priority
Select from 1 (Highest) to 10 (Lowest)
Badabing badaboom, there you go!

1 Like
13

Many thanks