Ready Made Roon Core Options

Audio Gear Talk
62

@xxx

Some of you guys are a clique that gangs up on people who express an opinion outside your own about Roon.

You chase off people who think differently which leaves a yet further concentration of those who agree with your particular dogma.

This is unfortunately a common theme in manufacture sponsored forums. A situation that has only worsened here.

Roon themselves likes the praise, so they do nothing to push the attacking hounds back. And here we have it, a forum in part dominated by a relatively small but vocal clique.

You guys can think however you want about Roon. I’m not going to say you’re necessarily wrong as it’s your personal tastes. If you like rigatoni with tomato sauce, I can’t say that’s incorrect.

I ask you afford me the same courtesy. It’s my honest opinion after using Roon with HQPlayer for years, and all sorts of streamers and gizmos, that thus far, Roon has the lowest sound quality of any music software I’ve used. And I own nearly all that available to Mac.

That is my opinion. That I disagree with many of you does not make either one of us correct. It only means we have a difference of opinion.

Yes, I have taken the time to point out the folly of this clique centric thinking. But only did so after I was assaulted.

63

This thread just keeps giving…

…and giving…

…and giving

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64

Just answer these questions without further indulging your current victim mentality.

How is that, in any manner, defending Roon?

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65

I think you are pretty accurate in your reply. After 50+ years of audio, and from every aspect of audio I can associate with it, hobby, wholesale, retail, and all “High End”, I think you can talk yourself into hearing/believing a lot of things

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67

Grimm Audio MU1

Antipodes K50

Are probably the sweet spot. I’m not a fan of a PC turned audio device as I think a quality bridge/streamer running as an endpoint is a better value give the fact that the PC portion running Roon Core is irrelevant and doesn’t need to go beyond a NUC to sound flawless in a well designed system/network. But the two devices above are very good and will do what you want.

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68

Antipodes are very good

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69

I had Innuos mini MK2 which was ok
Upgraded to Innuos statement next gen - everyone of my friends (none of them Stereophile two of them into IT) gave me their “knowledgeable” advice that you don’t hear a difference.
It took me 10s after plugging it in to have tears in my eyes - heavenly sound - amazing

Concerning different CD players and sound you are absolutely right.
The difference is between a tin can and a virtuoso- I have Accuphase DP78

But the DP78 only makes sense on analog amps
In Devialet Expert Pro 440 I had to plug in the drive only and this depreciated the sound.

My opinion: high end streamer/ core and good amp plus Tidal and Quobuz is about equal to analog
We tested Tidal & Quobuz last week and found out that for some songs Tidal sounds better for others Quobuz (on Roon)

Happy listing

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70

I think we ALL need to take a step or three back here and revaluate how and what you are posting.
Before this thread gets entirely out of hand.
Ommm. Ommmm. Ommmmmm.

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71

Gato Audio has a new Roon server. Not cheap, but it sure looks pretty.

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72

In any case. There will always be the bits are bits crowd that believe all bit perfect software sounds the same because bit perfect is bit perfect. And that Roon can’t possible be a sonic weak link because it’s bit perfect. And that any sonic weakness can only possible come from elsewhere in the system.

It’s perfectly ok to think that way. It is a belief, a personal opinion. It is not scientific fact.

My position that Roon has inherent mediocre sound quality is only my opinion, my honest experience. It is also not a scientific fact. It’s a subjective and honest point of view.

The issue comes when, what I jokingly call The Roon Defense Core, patrols the forum and pounces upon any opinion that’s contrary to their bit perfect is perfect ideology. Then fellow members of the Core pile on to defend Roon’s honor and the conversation degrades.

I have several PM’s from folks who are too shy to post to this thread because they don’t want to hassle with, in my joking words, The Roon Defense Core.

It’s worth taking a step back and understand there are a diversity of opinions. That the issue of “what sounds good” is entirely subjective. There are no right or wrong answers.

And that the belief that all bit perfect software sounds the same is also just a debatable opinion, one which I, and many others, disagree with.

And it’s ok to disagree. The world shall keep revolving, the sun will rise and set all the same no matter what any of us think of Roon sonics.

The Aurender and Nucleus are on their way. When I post the results of my audition they will only be my opinion. And if Roon should lose, The Roon Defense Core need not shed a tear. Because what I honestly think has no power to take away your bit perfect philosophy. Your beliefs about Roon are utterly safe.

I’m not a Mongol invader here to plunder. I’m just a meaningless guy with a honest opinion. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Kind Regards,
The Dancing Sea

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73

I’m not sure anyone here is defending Roon SQ. I think everyone is saying the SQ will not change with a different core device.

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74

I really appreciate the approach you’re taking.

In reality, I think many of the folks on this thread are saying a version of “I don’t know how it could change SQ from a position of first principles, and if it did change SQ in a provable way I would have to reevaluate many things I believe to be well supported and proven”. So of course they (including me) dig in our heels. And if you provide your subjective experience and it doesn’t comport with our beliefs, we will find ways to try to invalidate it so our bellief structure isn’t challenged.

Now I truly believe that there’s no way SQ could change and that there are myriad psychoacoustic reasons why you might find in the end that you believe it did even if it didn’t. But that doesn’t make it my business to shout you down if you believe it does make a difference. Let’s assume for a moment that in a couple weeks you find it does make a difference. Whether it truly troubles me that you believe it did make a difference when I believe it could not is a matter for me to take up with a therapist, priest, rabbi etc.

Good luck, I hope you find music that makes you happy!

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75

@Johnny_Ooooops
Listener in Chief for sure! Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

Hey, it’s just a hobby. We all shouldn’t take any of this too seriously. It’s literally one of the most meaningless subjects in the world. A bunch of bourgeois chaps (myself included) seeking satisfaction from overpriced electronics and, ahem, software :rofl:

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76

And it was numerous responses over time from other threads on the Roon Forums that convinced me to give the Nucleus a try. One last attempt before ditching Roon entirely.

The notion that a different Roon Core will not improve sound quality is, just an opinion. Others think differently. I don’t think anything yet because the only Core I’ve tried is a Mac Mini.

77

Heck, these guys think Roon sounds good, but not the best when run on a $30K Roon Core that also runs Taiko’s own audio software.

So there’s at least one other person in the universe that thinks Roon’s sound quality is not the best…

78

For me, it’s an opinion based on real world experience.

But again, we’re not talking about Roon SQ. We’re talking about Roon core device options, and do they sound different? To my ears, my Nucleus sounds no different from my Dell laptop, but they both sound very good. I think Roon sounds as good as Audirvana.

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79

Here are some links to a couple of threads that raise similar issues in the Audiophilestyle forum,
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/66587-sound-quality-from-roon-to-hqp-or-just-hqp/#comment-1212136
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/58754-grimm-audio-mu1-server/page/30/#comment-1226436

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80

To my way of thinking what you described in that quote is everything to do with sound quality. I’ve ordered the Nucleus in hopes it will sound different than my Mac mini. “Different” as in better.

I assume the $30K Taiko Extreme Roon Core would sound better with Roon than my $900 Mac.

One can only dream :grinning:

81

I’ve never met you. But I really dig your attitude and outlook on life. I know in context of audio forum I probably disagree with some of what you think and I with you. But I bet you would be really fun to hang out with IRL.

82

Anyone who spends $30K on a machine to run Roon Core deserves the sound improvement they get. :wink:

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