I have the same choices: MPD versus Roon RAAT on my Bryston BDP. I find the modes to be too close to call - and that was before the new DSP options made available in v1.3.
Go with what suits you best. The Roon interface makes it an easy choice for me.
Is it me, or does 1.3 sound better than 1.2x, even with all the new DSP stuff turned off? It’s entirely possible it’s placebo-effect, but I think I’m experiencing a bit more separation and clarity from my little speakers (I have yet to output to the ‘critical listening’ speakers due to time). Did anything change in how the bits are being thrown at the DAC? Theoretically ‘bit perfect’ should mean just that, but I swear I’m hearing sonic differences.
I don’t think you are hallucinating.
Again and again I will love Roon for its interface, I am even ready to spend 119 USD for a year subscription knowing that it will deliver worse SQ than MPD … but the temptation to have this wonderful design interface on my iMac, MacBook Pro, iPad and iPhone is so big …
Hi there Roon engineers @support, maybe you can give some tips how to set the Roon to sound at least equal to MPD?
I installed Roon on my QNAP-TVS 471 (SSD drive), as a transport I use Versus Audio MP, my DAC is Meitner MA 1.
From the 1.3 release notes:
Roon’s audio streaming infrastructure has also seen some performance tuning. Roon Ready devices and software-based RAAT endpoints will experience lower CPU utilization when used with Roon 1.3, and CPU usage in the core is improved too.
It is quite possible that you are hearing the results of that performance tuning.