Hi Noris, thank you for the tip. I actually don’t experience any dropouts when playing via the system output (Mac mini speakers), neither when streaming with Tidal nor with files from the Mac HD.
I’m still wondering why the dropouts don’t occur when playing via the iFi Zen stream with Roon Live Radio.
Best regards, Jost
Hey @jost_bornmann,
Thanks for the update!
What firmware version are you running on the Zen? Is it firmware 2.32.9? We’ve seen numerous reports of dropouts occurring after the 2023 firmware update - in which users were able to contact iFi support to request a firmware rollback, which seemed to help many with similar issues.
It may be worth testing this on your end as well - you can get in touch with them here:
Let us know if you’re open to giving this a try. Thank you! 
Hi Benjamin,
Thank you for the information. I’m actually using the latest firmware 2.32.16 on my Zen Stream and, as recommended, I contacted iFi Support, described the problem, and asked for a firmware rollback or a fix with a firmware update, which should allow a Roon Ready-certified device like the Zen Stream to work flawlessly with the Roon software. I’m curious to see what solution iFi Support offers.
Best regards,
Jost
Hi Benjamin,
this is the answer from the iFi Support:
→ We are aware of this issue with Roon connectivity, and are currently actively investigating the issue. Unfortunately, this problem does not seem to be consistent across all Zen Streams running the 2.32.16 firmware, as we have on multiple occasions not experienced these drop-outs while testing several units with Roon.
We have found that some customers has reported stable functionality after rolling back the firmware using our Zen Stream refreshing tool. This tool also clears the device’s Cache/Memory and fully resets the device - often improving stability and performance. We would recommend starting here, and if the issue persists, we can continue to work with you to try and find a solution.
The ZEN Stream ‘refreshing’ tool is available via the following link: ZEN Stream Refreshing Tool . Please note, you will need access to a Windows PC to implement this tool.
We would kindly ask that you follow the included instructions in the link, and then see if your issue persists. If it does, then we will discuss what our next steps will be.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this process, and we look forward to your reply.
Should I try the ZEN Stream Refreshing Tool? Do you have any user feedback where these measures have resolved the dropout issue with the Zen Stream?
Best regards,
Jost
Hi @jost_bornmann,
Thanks for the update and sharing the additional information. As a third-party device, our in-depth knowledge of its internal workings is limited. However, based on the response from iFi Support, utilizing their ZEN Stream Refreshing Tool appears to be a promising next step. 
We’ll be on standby for your results!
Hello Benjamin,
I updated my iFi ZEN Stream with the Refresh Tool and then reinstalled the latest firmware 2.32.16. Unfortunately, the dropouts reappeared. I then reset the device again with the Refresh Tool and tested it with firmware 2.31.7 from the tool. The dropouts no longer occurred during the initial tests. If further tests confirm this, I can live with it for now. The only fact is that a Roon Ready device only works with Roon with an older firmware version from 2022, which is obviously not optimal. I have informed iFi support about the current status.
Thank you for your support and best regards,
Jost