I have the distinct impression that with Build 880 the SQ has improved. Not dramatically, but in subtle yet audible ways. Is it because the new Build is less heavy on the Core, as Roon states? Or am I imagining things?
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Imagining⌠Same as all other updates, no chance to SQ
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Seems like an improvement in SQ would be such a huge thing, they would talk about it.
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Maybe they already did:
Rock-solid streaming
Weâve completely overhauled Roonâs buffering and caching infrastructure for playing streaming content. The new implementation is designed to be less demanding when interacting with your network and internet connection, making streaming music both more stable and less intensive on your Roon Core. This should minimize playback interruptions from TIDAL and Qobuz, as well as making it possible for people with slower internet connections and networks to have a better and more reliable experience while using Roon. It will also ensure your Roon Core is more resilient to latency issues caused by content delivery networks (CDN) and the geographic distance from your source.
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Nope, no mention of improved SQ.
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I mean streaming SQ might be better if it had better buffering/caching.
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Thereâs no change to SQ during streaming, itâs just bits going from one place to another, unaltered.
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I wonât get into this âbit is bitâ argument. 
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Thank you, that is a wise choice.
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I still think that if Roon made improvements to SQ, they would scream that to the heavens.
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They wouldnât because SQ is too subjectiveâŚ
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Better high end definition with 880. In my experience, changes in the server software can lead to sound quality changes. Different components may sound different as they heat or cool. More server computation, network traffic more heat generated by capacitors, op amps etc. Discuss
There is one of these posts at each release. I think Roon have stopped commenting as despite their assurance of no changesâŚ
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Agreed. I was a bits is bits guy but somethings do make a change. Probably confirmation bias. It is/was very small but it was there in my headphone system. Roon did allude to it so the thread was started. ymmv, imho⌠yadda, yadda
I do wish there was more info in the Build 880 release notes about what changes (if any) were made to Roon Bridge. Was it just a version bump, or does Roon Bridge do a bit more caching of the stream from Core?
Changes to Bridge could affect CPU and memory usage on Output devices. A good downstream DAC will be unaffected by such changes, but I can imagine systems that are not immune sounding ever so slightly different since Bridge is in the audio signal path.
Core is not (or should not be) in the signal path, so I would not expect changes to Core to have any effect on sound quality. Ever. Same for Control.
Ah yes, the usual then. Poorly designed equipment might be improved, but properly designed equipment wonât notice.So true of many things in the audio world.
The only components that âsoundâ are the D/A stage of the DAC and analog components that come after that. Anything that comes before that, including the core, is fully in the digital domain, so it doesnât sound in any way, because all you have there is data, and data doesnât change with temperature.
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And of course that is why all server and player apps sound the same when using the same DAC . . . . except that they donât sound the same.
I have a lifetime subscription to Roon and Roon is a lifetime member of the âwe donât talk about sound qualityâ club but even so I will check out the latest release to see if it helps. . . . .
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They are engineers, they know what theyâre doing so they donât talk about SQ when itâs not about SQ. If they made changes to the DSP engine, I bet they would mention SQ.
I wish Roon issued and âupdateâ that changed absolutely nothing except for the version, just for fun, to see how many people would perceive a change in SQ.
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My hair is growing back after 880 update.
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