While that option feeds how Roon chooses which version of an album to pull from streaming sources when you search, for instance, it’s wholly ignored by the algorithm that sets your primary version when adding albums to the library. Suppose the above “Prefer anything else over MQA” setting is selected (shocking, I know, bear with me here).
Suppose I just add a cd ripped (hence 44.1/16) version of an album to my library and on the Versions tab noticed the album is available on streaming services (see below).
If I add the Qobuz version of that album (same quality as the ripped version), Roon graciously defaults the ripped / local files version as Primary (1, below). However, when I add the MQA version from Tidal, Roon disregard my previously set preference on how to treat MQA content and deems it a higher quality source, so makes it the Primary Version (2, below).
Now I have to set the local version manually as Primary. Roon just gave MQA content preferred treatment, even though I specifically told it in settings to not do so.
To note, this behavior is observed no matter which MQA setting is applied, so, the follow option is also ignored:
Request: if deemed a bug, that the algorithm that sets Primary versions when adding albums to the library complies with the “MQA treatment” setting, otherwise that the text on the “MQA treatment” setting be changed in order to remove ambiguity and specify the instances in which that setting applies to.
This feature applies to playback from Radio and some other things like Daily Mixes and Roon Playlists but not to what you add to your library.
“Streaming Content Preferences don’t affect library content. For tracks and albums in your library, these streaming preferences will not be considered”
I understand Philr. But I still believe it’s very ambiguous. Even though it’s grouped under Streaming Content Preferences, I am in fact adding streaming content to my library, and Roon is deeming the streaming content I told it to “Prefer anything else over” as being of a higher quality .
You can easily extrapolate this to: why would anyone add any streaming releases when they have a working local copy?
For the sake of argument say, to have it marked as a favorite on the streaming service in order to better feed their suggestion algorithm. There are more examples, but while I enjoy fulfilling your curiosity I think this is straying off topic to what’s being reported here.
And yes, it’s rather strange that we have content preferences for “streaming” but not for library, not only regarding MQA but also preferring local copies. If I was arguing for the addition of these, that’d certainly be a Feature Suggestion. The streaming preferences “help page” says “quality is subjective so we allow you to choose how MQA is handled”, but when it comes to your library, it suddenly isn’t so subjective anymore and you better accept our choice to which is “higher quality”.
Ambiguity in the MQA content option. It’s what’s being reported. Your marking of your well intentioned opinion as a “solution” however did not, IMHO, solve it.
No one has marked this thread as solved, so I’ve idea why you said this.
I don:t see how Streaming Content Preference is ambiguous, either. Nonetheless, you are at liberty to post in Feedback or Feature Suggestions. This is a discussion thread, and differences of opinion are okay to discuss.
I select “Show hidden tracks and albums” so I can choose which version in my Roon library I want to play. When I add albums to my Roon library, I click on versions and add the one’s I want. I don’t much worry about which is primary.
I reported what I meant to report. I really believe it’s a valid concern. Ambiguous settings are hallmarks of poorly designed software. Hopefully a dev will stumble upon it. Probably not.
As far as having nothing more to add, I think I’m done with this thread and this forum. I’m even reconsidering Roon itself tbh.
Thank you all for your valuable input. I wish you the very best.
This is not something Roon Support can address. It needs to be posted in the Feature Suggestions category. Otherwise, Roon developers will not see it and it will never even be considered.
