[quote=“Richard_Thorpe, post:169, topic:1375”]
BTW possibly the Tidal “master” sounds better than the ROON decode? have a listen adios ROON save money.
[/quote]Roon does not decode as yet. At least you can hear the MQA benefits though.
Chris,
I’m talking about RAAT
RAAT has no effect on sound, it’s the deliver and communication protocol. The audio is Bit Perfect and controlled and determined by your audio endpoint and subsequent equipment.
If audio wasn’t bit perfect the MQA would not decode.
I diagree take a piece of music and play it through several “bit perfect” decoders try Amarra, Roon, Audirvana, Pure Music they will all sound different some better than others. Try it, all have free trials, I suggest a very well recorded modern recording try Mark Knofflers “Sailing to Philadelphia” close miked clean stuff.
They all are “bit perfect” and there are others. I think ROON needs to improve their “sound” and I hope this is addressed in 1.3 other programs sound better but none offer what ROON does to integrate so many usefull ways to play and catalogue your music. Lets hope they get the sound better. In my opinion they should look at what Amarra is doing for the best sound.
Each to their own. Some systems may well colour sound to your liking.
But RAAT just delivers.
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Everything colours the sound from the DAC to the kind of power supply to the material and geometry of cables. Some things sound better than others.
Except Ethernet cables delivering the audio in Roon, Sooloos etc.
Chris I think ethernet cables are most important. I recently rewired my house audio network wth CAT 8 from CAT 5 cleande up the noise.
Sorry, but if they are all bit perfect then they sound the same, unless of course some are not…
And am I mistaken in thinking that linked earth on ethernet connections is a bad idea?
And I for one do not want Roon to doctor their sound to make it sound how someone decides it should.
All this is where carefull choice of the Audio End Point and connected Hi Fi system is required.
People are faithful to differant brands for a reason. (They like the sound).
Plenty of people like to ‘Hot Rod’ their Hi Fi, mix and matching speakers amps and cables etc to chase the sound they desire. They tune systems to suit the types of music they listen to at the volumes (High, Low or Medium) they like.
Personally, I like the Meridian sound that seems to play whatever I throw at it in a way I like and with no listening fatigue over many hours of listening.
I don’t believe Roon Tidal or my network cable make any difference in my system.
Sooloos has exactly the same sound signature, which is none. If I switch to broadcast TV or Radio the sound signature remains the same.
Thoughts, Chris
If, as you say, Tidal sounds better, maybe you should find out what cable Tidal use for their servers and then find out what cable is used from there in the many miles to get to your house where it seems your superior cat8 cable makes it all sound so much better 
Seriously, bit perfect players will deliver the same sound. If you try and compare many bit-perfect players without knowing your way around the software some may not be delivering bit perfect as @NickB has suggested.
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Jeff,
What ever makes you happy. All I’m saying is it will cost you nothing to see if all “bit perfect” programs sound the same. I remember when CD’s first came out they were touted as "perfect sound forever"now we know that was and is not true. Everything makes a difference.
No I think you are wrong, a lot of the initial digitisation of early releases was poorly done so caused digital problems. Then lots of manufacturers played around with DAC’s for ages to make them sound as much like a vinyl front end as possible so people who preferred the colouration and limited frequency response inherent with vinyl playback would accept it. Now if you prefer that type of sound then a non bit for bit transport is always going to sound better.
Just to show my credentials I have a very expensive vinyl rig and when I can be bothered to fire it up it sounds good but it doesn’t happen very often with my latest digital set up.
Everything makes a difference, only when it gets to your system with Bit Perfect streaming.
That’s why many systems cost more than others. That’s why Hot Rodders have such a good time changing things. Differant isn’t always better or, God Forbid, Accurate.
Also people get used to the imperfections and real improvement can sound differant or Odd to them.
Bob Stuart gave this advice to audio reveiwers ‘Get Concert Tickets’!
Learn what real music sounds like in real space. Then. You can apply that experience to your Hi Fi listening and equipment judgement.
As we regularly put on live music and record it I know his advice to be true.
I am listening to our live recording of Don Gallardo (48/24) as I consider this. The sound here I would describe as accurate. The feel is faithful to the gig as I remember it.
Just thoughts, Chris