Yes changed not sure it’s better? Not trolling.
Need to try a few more tracks. Will report after more listening. ATC actives very accurate so we shall see.
I use roon for volume control and leveling. I do hear an improvement.
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The playback SQ is unclassifiable, significant setback from previous version.
Typical 2D presentation.
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Put me down in the ‘1.8 sounds better camp’. I was listening to 1.7 or whatever it was when the downloads came along and the sound quality was better right away. I am a believer that sound quality is so subjective that only double blind tests are to be trusted absolutely, but for my ears and my setup, there was a distinct improvement in spatial/soundstage aspects as well as clarity. Still getting used to the interface, so I’ll withhold judgement on that, but so far, so good. Overall, I’m liking it.
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Fixed that for you. 
Unless you use Roon’s DSP functionality at all any change in sound quality is highly unlikely impossible.
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Well if people are hearing a difference right after the upgrade any reduction in cpu usage has got nothing to do with it. My core cpu has been working overtime for the database update hours long after the upgrade to 1.8.
My system sound at it’s best right now but that has got nothing to do with the upgrade. It’s freezing outside and the air is dry, that makes a very noticable difference.
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High Andy,
I’m also a Roon ‘Beginner’. I startet with Roon at the end of dec. last year. And I have the same opinion as you. I compared Roon playing HR Files (flac 192 24) from my Music Bibliothek with the same HR Files from Qobuz (also with Roon) and I was really astonished why it sounds so different (the Qobuz Record compared to my Bibliothek).
At first I thought there is a big problem with my Roon installation, because I remember the sound of this Qobuz record testet in the past without Roon, was very similar to my Records in my Bibliothek. That means Qpbuz itself should not be the Problem.
But I found no failures in my Roon installation. Therefore I compared now HR Files between Qobuz played with Roon (my amp is Roon Ready) and the same Files played from Qobuz in Audirvana per Airplay to the Amp.
And really there is the same difference. With Roon from Qobuz the Bass has less controll and is not so tight. The Mids are not really there and the Dynamic is gone.
I made than Records with the Preampsignal from my amp played that files, guided to the MAC (with Audacity) and really I can see the loose of the dynamic in the intrinsic line of that recorded files.
Now I hope with the new 1.8 Software that the Soundquality will be better, but I haven’t tested it today.
Regards Thomas
My first post: Very distinct thinning and less spatial. Unless I can find my way around this, I am very disappointed. Is there a way to go back to 1.7?
Antipodes EX - SOTM Ultra Neo - Aqua “La Scala”
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Lmk know if you still have the same conclusion. I went back and forth a few times and the results seemed consistent – regular core mode sounds fuller and more natural than experimental mode. There is surely not the huge sonic gap that there was between the two modes.
Yep I noticed it right away, it definitely sounds quite different than 1.7.
I am not sure if I like it either to be honest, your description is pretty close to what I am experiencing as well.
Bass is more detailed and feels better but lacks a little bit of attack and dynamics now. Highs are softer, my system could get a little harsh on some songs before but it’s much more mellow now.
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I’m hearing more purple notes
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The sound is horrible! I’ve had my same system for over 10 years. I know how it sounded before the 1.8 update. This new updated sound is bright, tinty, thin and lacking emotion! I noticed the difference immediately! I thought I had a bad tube! Can’t play it loud as the sound distorts. Please let me go back to 1.7!
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I kind of noticed the same thing too initially. Interesting what people are hearing – no change vs noticeable change. Not sure what’s going on or why. Presumably we’re all audiophiles with keen ears. Did you check your Audio settings to make sure nothing changed?
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It’s 1.8% better… as measured on my Roonometer.
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Morning, I can’t confirm … 1.8 sounds significantly better on my Sotm server. It was immediately recognizable: more space, better 3D presentation, more space around the musicians and instruments, better differentiation in depth and width of the stage. It’s amazing how different the systems react to 1.8 …
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I know right?!
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Morning all.
I use Roon with HQplayer, with the sinc-M long operator resampling to PCM 384/32 and some fine tuning corrections below 1 dB, all made in HQplayer made in HQplayer with wav mono files used as convolution, defined from rePhase on equally long operator. I was happy with 1.7 sound the way I was using it.
Yesterday I had the change to 1.8 and it happened as I had also tested a small physical modification. I was not happy with the sound result so I undid my modification and was still unhappy. The sound had gained perhaps some fluidity but sounded also smoothed, processed. It lacked ambience and life, the most obvious thing after some pieces being the reduction of the change of atmosphere of recording from one to another.
Checking a few options I ended up being in a situation where a file was sent to HQplayer and played right like previously but then I had lost control over Roon except for stopping playing. Strange too.
One hour ago, a new Roon update came and I installed build 756. It immediately improved.
In my setting now compared to 1.7 I perceive a bit more fluidity, and it sounds like there is an improvement in timing accuracy between channels, with slightly more consistent image, even stabler and cleaner sound in some way. So quite happy with that unexpected improvement, let’s see how to use Focus next…
Good thing! What did Roon team do more right this time in ?
Something weird is going on for sure! 756 is only supposed to address a language issue, nothing else. It can’t all be placebo…?
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Ummm, ya just did 
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I believe it sounds better as well. Note that much of this can be attributed to confirmation bias. Roon said the new core runs more efficiently with less overhead, which can indeed slightly improve sound quality.
However in my case, even before I knew this, I thought it sounded slightly improved after I updated. That fact alone could also be confirmation bias though - ‘hey, you updated to a new version, it may sound better’.
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