Okey, thanks Steve!
How are you running Roon then? On a laptop/computer and then over USB to any of these DACs?
Sorry for being inquisitive, but i’m a curiuos fella!
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I run Roon off a HP Z840 PC with 32GB RAM, 2 x XEON CPUs, feeding audio via USB to the DAC.
In my experience, Roon sounds pretty terrible that way (desktop app playing out to a directly connected DAC). I’m not surprised that the PCM vs DSD difference is underwhelming, especially given that the system doing the format conversion and upsampling to DSD is also feeding the DAC. This compromises Roon performance substantially.
If you want to find out how good Roon can sound with DSD upsampling, you must separate Core and Outputs. Uninstall the Roon desktop app. Next, install Roon Server on your HP Z840. Connect to the new core from Roon Remote or Roon desktop on a different computer (eg, laptop) deactivate your old Core, and restore your last Roon database backup.
Next, connect your DSD DAC to a dedicated network audio transport. Ideally, use something that is purpose-built for audio, like the SOtM sMS-200 Neo, Sonre ultraRendu, or Allo USBridge. In a pinch, a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B running DietPi and Roon Bridge can work (RoPieee is popular here, but too many folks have dropouts in my group when playing DSD, and switching to DietPi often solves this). Use a wired Ethernet network connection for both Core and this dedicated network audio transport.
Configure format conversion and control playback via Roon Remote or a separate computer running Roon desktop. If you do all of this, you will get much better sound out of Roon, and with the resulting improvement to resolving power, format differences and DAC filter implementations will become more apparent. You are still limited by the DSD performance of whatever DAC you choose, but at least your Roon setup is no longer handicapping performance of that DAC.
The Sony is a dedicated, purpose-built audio component. I can confirm that it does an unusually great job with DSD playback. If you don’t take the same approach with Roon, using a dedicated, purpose-built transport to feed your DAC, you’ll never get close to the same level of performance.
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David, thanks for the thoughtful reply. My setup has changed somewhat since this time. I currently have an Intel NUC dedicated to the task of Roon. It is feeding my Denon PME-1600NE amplifier/DAC directly via USB.
This has worked flawlessly for a couple of years now, but…of late when I go to play Roon it seems it has lost connection to the Denon (which is put into standby mode on and off during the day). The only way to get Roon to play out to it is to close Roon on the NUC, and relaunch it.
I do not think this is a Roon issue, but more of an issue with the Denon USB Driver. Naturally, Denon have not updated the driver since its release so I am stuck. Hence the reason I am now considering the purchase of the SOTM sMS-200 Neo or similar.
However, I am not sure I understand how the SOTM will talk to my Denon’s USB port without a driver per se?
What am I not understanding here? Is there a better option for this setup?
Native DSD playback from Linux is a bit of a crap-shoot, honestly. When it works, it seems to work quite well. I’ve had great luck with all three of my DSD DACs from iFi Audio, but no luck with the NAD D 3045, for example. However, DSD via DoP should work fairly universally.
Unlike Microsoft Windows, Linux and macOS can generally play to USB Audio Class 2 DACs without drivers. Native DSD does require kernel support, but that exists for a decent cross-section of DACs…without reading kernel sources for your installation, the only way to find out is to try it. 
If you are not ready to plunk $450 down on the SOtM, you could test the waters with a $35 Raspberry Pi and RoPieee. This is a popular endpoint solution here. You’ll also need a microSD card and a 5V/3A SMPS. A Case is optional for purposes of your experiment. In total, you’re looking at an investment of less than $50 (plus tax and s/h), and you can always repurpose this device as a 2nd zone once you’ve discovered what works and what doesn’t.
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OK I will see how it goes, thank you.
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