About to pull the trigger on a server to be set up as my ROON core & store my music files but the more I’m reading about optimising SQ, the more I’m rethinking this.
There seems to be 2 main options
Option 1 - ROON
This how I’m running my set up at the moment (minus the dedicated server) with ROON doing all the work in regards to signal path etc. With the server I plan to buy one woth a bridged ethernet so I can “daisy chain” from switch into server & then straight out of server via 2nd ethernet port into DSJ.
Option 2 - HQ PLayer & ROON
From reading about “bridging” ethernet which may have all started by Sonore to support high quality SQ via USB…but I’m also reading that if you place a MicroRendu/UltraRendu in between the server & your DAC & manage signal path via HQ Player, the SQ beasts ROON?
Has anyone A vs B this &/or set up their DSJnr in this fashion? I always thought that SQ was optimal via the bridge but as the DSJ is less suseptable to jitter etc…& the signal would be cleaned up via the MicroRendu/UltraRendu then maybe better SQ can be achieved via USB?
Jeff - I do understand that the DSJnr is a different DAC to many in that it’s upconverting everything to DSD anyway but…over on the PS Audio forum, there is a growing band of followers who are moving away from ROON for upconversion, signal processing & moving towards HQ PLayer so that’s the reason I’m asking this question as it could change my spec for a server.
Andrew - From what I can see online, the only SonicTransporter with bridged Ethernet is the i7 which once I place a 2TB HD inside starts becoming expensive here in Australia so I’m looking elsewhere…possibly something from Vortexbox in the UK which also has bridged ethernet.
What I’m reading is that SQ can be bettered using HQPlayer Vs roon signal processing & that in order for the to work, you need USB connectivity?
My suggestion was to not up-convert at all. The DS Jr has a very unique implementation internally. If you are just going to up convert there are cheaper DACs that are a better blank slate for that purpose.
I used HQPlayer for years and found the particular filter sound I liked and then just bought the DAC that implemented that type of filter.
I’m not sure the Roon Community site was established for manufacturers and vendors to punt their products, every single time someone asks for a product recommendation.
I personally love my Sonore and I’m sure the Sonic Transporter is great, but let’s leave out the endless sales pitches please?
This was also my understanding & one of the big reason’s I bought the DSJnr BUT…I’ve read that SQ can be improved by including HQ Player so I’m just investigating what changes, if any I require when building, buying a server. ,i.e. PS Audio’s own Ted Smith seems to have agreed, ROON > HQ PLayer > DAC (actually via TOSlink) for best SQ.
I know he (and a couple other well respected DAC designers) like TOSlink, for it’s superior isolation and because of how he/they deal with optical’s incoming jitter.
But where has he mentioned HQP for best SQ? I must have missed this one.
I’m a fan of HQP but I would have thought Ted is more a fan of the hours he’s put in with all his FPGA coding.
You may want to ask Ted what he means by that extra large smiley face…
I think it’s more of a “no comment” smile… for the reasons mentioned above and earlier.
But yes feel free to use it if your ears like it. I only wanted to find out where you said Ted has said it results in best SQ, not to argue against using it.
It’s hard to say if using HQP with the DS is technically better than letting the DS do everything (feeding it a bit perfect file). But it’s not hard to say it can sound different though, and if you like the different sound, go for it. Life is short, have fun with it.
I do use HQP with one of my DACs and really like it with that DAC.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement There are more similar comments if you dig into the forums. But in the spirit of “try it and see” the HQPlayer demo is always available.
Hi Mathew,
I have a PS Audio Directstream DAC in my system which integrates quite nicely with Roon (as should the DS Jr.). I would not ask Roon to do any processing in lieu of what these DACs do already - this would only serve to diminish your investment as well as the sound quality IMHO (these are wonderfully sounding DACS and worth every penny - but let others of course judge with their own ears). Additionally, as was already mentioned, PS Audio applies a different process - so if you like the sound, I wouldn’t mess with it unless you have the opportunity to compare before buying (again let your ears be the judge). Having said that, I still play physical media from time to time using an Oppo UDP-205 that feeds into my new DAC. Prior to purchasing the PS Audio DAC, one option that I found quite nice was using HQPlayer on my MacBook Pro and feeding an upconverted DSD data stream to the USB DAC of the Oppo - I found this scenario slightly less fatiguing to my ears than applying the various Roon filters at my disposal. But to be fair, Roon was pretty darn good (worth A/B testing for sure). The Oppo is a reasonable consideration as well as it was designed for the audiophile in mind and sounds great on its own (especially if you are able to use the balanced outputs). Get them while you still can. Anyway, I hope this helps.
Regards,
Gorm
If you have a PSA DS or Jr, why would you want to anything to the signal before the dac knowing that this dac will do it’s tricks to make the best SQ output available? Doesn’t make sense. Also, if you have a bridge installed, why would you ever think about going back to an inferior usb connection? If you think your internet connection to the bridge is noisy, use a fiber cable or use the tp-link media converter before the dac to clean up the signal
I appreciate the DSJnr & Snr are special DAC’s but I’ve read that using HQ Player instead of Roons RAAT gives better SQ so I was asking the question whether anyone with the PS Audio DACs has tried this.
It’s a fair question. When I had my DS I wasn’t brave enough to try HQP at the time. I did try Roon up-sampling just to hear if it was different and how so. I didn’t hear any difference and I since I’d paid lots of money for Ted Smith’s algorithms/code I wanted the DS to go to work and do everything
But I now know HQP is a different beast.
If you check out the threads I linked above I THINK Ted Smith tells someone that IF they really insisted on doing up-sampling before the DS, to do only PCM up-sampling, even with DSD content… he explains why. Note as mentioned before he doesn’t recommend it for “best SQ”. He says he’d never even used HQP…
HQP has a 30 day trial. Have you given it a free crack? Which settings and filters do you like?
There are more similar comments if you dig into the forums. But in the spirit of “try it and see” the HQPlayer demo is always available.