That works. I use a Pi 3B+ endpoint connected to Roon Core over WiFi, and feeding a Topping D70 via USB, and it’s great. No need for a hat. I just use the standard Pi power supply, too; I think using a linear PS is just a superstition.
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There we go. 
This is best answered by the Roon developers or @danny , rather based on you think it should be or not.
easy to test if lossless is lossless:
- take any audio signal, song, tone, etc…
- encode it into a FLAC file
- add FLAC file to Roon
- set up Roon to play bit perfect (no dsp, exclusive mode, etc…)
- pick an audio device with a digital output (toslink, spdif)
- make sure your audio device it not messing with the sound either (dsp, etc…)
- play file in Roon to your device
- record the digital output of your audio device
- clip the start of recording so the original audio (pre-flac encoding) and your recording are in sync
- compare the 2 recordings, byte for byte. if they are identical, you have lossless. If you they are not, something got messed up.
We’ve been doing this test for 15+ years, across many hundreds of devices. It’s one of the easiest way to catch bad behavior from devices and to make sure we didn’t introduce any bugs in Roon that could mess up the audio. We expect our Roon Ready / Roon Tested partners to do a similar test to make sure we aren’t messing up the audio when feeding it to their devices.
That’s not how digital audio works. If anyone claims the system is truly bit-perfect/lossless, you should be able to reproduce the above test without failure. It is a simple way to prove that the system is doing what it claims, regardless of the opinions or techniques of the people who built it. Digital audio is measurable without doubt.
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Thanks @danny.
Excellent piece of info, that puts to rest someone who has been saying something voodoo without the in-depth technical know-how and knowledge, or saying for the sake of saying,
I agree that Audirvana sounds better, it was just too unstable for me to use on a regular basis. Don’t get me wrong, I like Roon, but Audirvana simply sounds better and only requires a USB cable to connect it to a DAC and get the best sound quality. It also costs much less money. But moving on, Roon suggests HQPlayer in the Roon preferences. But HQ Player costs an additional $250, which isn’t even a lifetime price. So, ok you get on board with that and then you follow Roon’s advice to get a Nucleus or NUC and run Roon Rock for the best sound quality. Then you come to find out that Roon Rock does not support HQ Player. So, now if you want HQ player, you have to get another computer to run HQ Player and a Streamer that supports HQ player NAA. If Roon requires HQ player to sound better, then it should be included, or at least compatible with Roon Rock. After shelling out $1k+ for a nucleus or nucleus + to run Roon, I should not have to shell out another $1K for a second NUC just to run HQ Player.
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You can put on your list Sonore ultraRendu (second handed) as well.
If I am not mistaken it is Roon ready, Audirvana certified, it has HQPlayer output, DLNA and AirPlay sharing + USB output for your DAC
You can keep Roon core on your existing computer w/out further investment.
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I think the term Mission Creep fits here. 
I’ve decided to build the Raspberry Pi and if it doesn’t sound as good or better then I’m done. Roon is really cool but there comes a point of diminishing returns.
I suspect you’ll be back (or at least hope so). 
If you like Roon at first glance, it will grow on you. Then you start accepting some compromises in the trade.
Who liked CDs when they came out? But they were just so damn convenient.
Once you start enjoying the overall ‘musical experience’, which includes music discovery, it’s hard to turn ones back to it.
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Good point about the music experience. Roon really does a good job with that and music discovery.
Well, everyones at it. Buy a DAC, and then you apparently need to add a LPSU to get the best out of it - or so some say. For example: Naim NDX 2, £4,999, plus optional XPS DR (£3,999) or 555PS DR (£6,999) power supply. What should Roon say, “don’t buy/use HQ Player, it’s a waste of money”?
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Wise move. For ~$50 all-in, you can instantly test if/what any effect of the potential electrical noise in the PC is doing. Read the install guides here on the forum. Even if you are not especially familiar it takes 5-10minutes from start to finish.
Look forward to the report back…
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I use Roon exclusively without any DSP processing, directing a bit-perfect stream to a digital output of my Roon core device, and from there into a 16/44-48 NOS DAC. Know what? That’s the best sound I’ve ever had, and I also have experience with Audirvana. To each his own, I guess…
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I do not have intention to discourage you ( I already passed that path ) but you will not outperform Audirvana regarding SQ playing with toys. Audirvana is darn serious SW created by Hard Core AUDIOPHILE and not by some Cambridge/Oxford graduated programer.
Wish You good luck!
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Audirvana apparently uses the LEEDH algorithm in its use of volume control. A number of hardware manufacturers consider it good enough to use under licence, most recently Lumin. Going back to the original topic this might explain why Audirvana sounds different to Roon.
Well, yes, but some say the Earth is flat, too. The D70 the OP mentioned ($400 on Drop) has the power supply built right in.
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Ah, the magical French volume control algorithm!
To my knowledge, this has not happened at this time.
Leedh Processing Volume is available from, in order of availability, from Soulution, 3DLab, and of course, Lumin.
Dun it works fine , except changing back I had to reboot the Pi. I didn’t try too much so it may be easier
Riopeee And thePi show up as a zone in JRiver
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I got this from an old 2018 posting elsewhere but it wasn’t linked or referenced so it can’t be proven I suppose.
Love / Hate , what day is it .?
But stop , maybe not , for all the pros and cons I’m mostly hooked
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