Maestro by PS Audio

Audio Gear Talk PS Audio
108

Yes I wrote both. Was not sure the first went through. :grinning_face:

109

There’s also a second Lassen who joined about the same time and promptly plugged Maestro. Hm…

2 Likes
110

@Kurt_Lassen @Johan_Lassen
Just a personal question, is Paul McGowan a nice boss? :rofl:

5 Likes
111

This comment is exactly why we left the ROON forum, sorry folks, use your ears. Bye bye for ever

1 Like
112

My son and me, yes, we are too

114

@Kurt_Lassen @Johan_Lassen,
Sorry, I didn’t want to offend you, that is why I ended with a laughing smiley.
Kind regards, Frank.

1 Like
116

I’m still playing around with it. It is very much still an early beta–lots of bugs, and near constant updates. I’m not going to weigh in on the sound quality; both it and Roon are more than sufficient for my ears. So far I think the interface shows a lot of promise. Library management functionality remains to be seen (still having some problems seeing the correct number of artists/albums/genres on my network drive).

I do think the AI-assisted playlist and radio generation is pretty great, especially for this stage. Again, not a big AI fan, but the quality of the algorithm, and the ability to fine tune just by using common language really seems to drill down to meaningful, and surprising choices.

Whether or not that’s important to you… ?

1 Like
117

There were a few fixes, but still almost nada works.

118

I updated to version 10.7.12. Qobuz streaming is now almost working properly, and the local library has also improved quite a bit, though there is still room for improvement.
In terms of sound, I really like it…

119

All … Good points by many but I think you (and Roon) are missing an opportunity to effectively promote Roon’s good features better. BTW, same with Maestro.

Many folks don’t want to “bit twiddle” in the details, metadata and possible and possible complex settings. Take a page from Steve Job’s … “It just works!” Aside from the layers of monthly cost (in my case Roon, Qobuz, Apple Music, SONOS App [free]), as well as a variety of hardware: speakers and software, separate audio components (PreAmp, DAC, Stereo Amp connected to a Bose stereo pair, Cambridge Audio pair and 5 SONOS speakers), that’s what I need. Not to mention music density ranging from MP3 up to 24-bit/192 kHz in several libraries organized by type: 44.1 kHz, Uncompressed 44.1 kHz up to 24-bit 192 kHz.

So Roon should highlight and show examples of how easy it is to work with all this complexity (or make it easy):

  1. Easy installation
  2. Easy integration of separate libraries preserving their independence
  3. Incorporation of Qobuz and other streaming services ADDING Apple Music as well
  4. Seamless output adjustment to multiple density, bit-rate and frequency capabilities (i.e. SONOS is only 44.1 kHz) … It would be great to simultaneously do this to different capability output and not dumb down to the lowest common denominator. Today’s processor engines are powerful enough to do this.
  5. Show examples for a plain personal computer, a dedicated PC, a NUC (if different) and, of course, their own products
  6. Show sample settings for all the types of speaker that can be incorporated into the ecosystem.

Just my free advice (which is worth what you paid for it) …

120

I believe that this only the case when the various endpoints are in a group and playing simultaneously. Please correct me if I’m mistaken.

121

The reasons why Roon can’t add Apple Music have been beaten to death in these forums but it boils down to the fact that Apple won’t allow Roon to have the information they need to do it.

2 Likes
122

Dave … Thanks for the information and perspective. However, the SONOS App does provide access to Apple Music, Pandora, Plex, Qobuz, Spotify and TuneIn (and many more), in addition to your designated music library (just one, not multiple libraries). Is this because they do not try to do as much as Roon?

1 Like
123

Yes. Apple will not allow Roon access to the database information needed for the full Roon experience and Roon apparently decided to not offer a crippled connection to Apple Music. A search of the forums would reveal a lot more information about the topic than I can provide. But in any event, unless Apple changes it’s mind, Apple Music is a no go.

124

Dave … Thanks again! It’s an interesting dilemma for Roon. From a marketing perspective, the Apple community is very valuable … They spend more on their “stuff” than anyone other than a true audiophile with $$$. They own over 90% of the market for personal computers priced above $1,000.

My opinion is that the combined full Roon “experience” where possible coupled with “as good as they can get” with Apple Music (like SONOS does) would win many more customers for Roon. Not everyone has dedicated listening rooms with good sonic conditions and people use music as “background” entertainment where ease of use is most important (for me that is instrumental Smooth Jazz and LoFi).

I say this not as a technical luddite. I use a 13” MacBook Air with screen sharing to my Mac Mini (which also has a Fiio Q3 MQA portable DAC connected to the P4) as my dedicated Roon and other music server with almost 25,000 accumulated songs in various bit-rates and sampling frequencies. I also have another 16” MacBook Pro, an iPad Pro and iPhone. Also lot’s of Fosi Audio stuff (P4 PreAmp, ZA3 Stereo Amp, ZD3 DAC, GR70 Tube Headphone Amp) Bose and Cambridge Audio bookshelf speakers, CA Subwoofer, 5 SONOS speakers and Bose headphones …

Just an idea worth what Roon paid for it! LOL! Thanks again for your responses so far …