Desktop PC (custom built) running Windows 10 Home, Intel Core i7-6700, 16gig RAM
Networking Gear & Setup Details
AT&T fiberoptic connection through an AT&T BGW210-700 router. Not using a VPN.
Connected Audio Devices
Sonnet Hermes streamer connected to Sonnet Morpheus DAC via I2S ethernet cable. Can also use AES/EBU.
Number of Tracks in Library
Description of Issue
Sound quality is extremely poor. Sometimes it’s more or less okay, but often I get only one channel coming through both speakers in very low-quality/fuzzy-sounding mono. Something is not being processed correctly but I’ve tried what I can find to fix this and it’s not working. I know Roon/Qobuz (my preferred streaming service) is capable of sounding far better. When I first got everything connected and working (a real chore to accomplish!) things sounded pretty good, though not as good as I thought they should. Now it just sounds universally terrible. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
The issue is the same with AES/EBU connection. Sonnet’s I2S is definitely designed for ethernet cable. That port on the Morpheus DAC uses the same slot as a USB connection (and the Hermes does not have a USB output), so if you want to connect anything via USB to the Morpheus DAC, you have to get under the hood and swap out the I2S ethernet module for their USB module. My only connection choices between these 2 components are I2S (ethernet, and yes I know this is unusual), AES/EBU, or digital coax.
@Howard_Kadis, have you tried connecting the Hermes and Morpheus via either the optical or coaxial connections? I agree with @mjw’s comment that this does not seem to be a Roon issue but something external to Roon.
As you are experiencing the same issue withe AES connection, there may be an issue with the streamer, the DAC, or both.
So yes, I tried the different connections (except for optical, which is the least recommended method). At first the coax connection sounded the same–bad quality, single mono channel–but then after closing everything, turning off the DAC and streamer and turning them on again, things cleared up and I was getting the sound quality I’m used to hearing. Went back to the I2S connection and it worked just fine. I really don’t know what was going on, but for the moment it seems to have resolved itself. My general issues remain though: if I set the EQ in ROON’s DSP to totally flat, the sound is thin, lacking in bass, and kind of shrill. I’ve used the DSP equalizer to remedy this and it’s certainly an improvement but I can’t help thinking that there’s still room for improvement. There may be a weak link somewhere in my setup but identifying it is beyond my abilities. Anyway, many thanks to those of you who responded to my initial post. I hope the problem does not recur.