# Sound quality of Roon versus JRIVER **URL:** \ **Category:** JRiver\ **Created:** [July 3, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810 "2017-07-03T18:31:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/1 "2017-07-03T18:31:12Z")
I just signed up for Roon and it doesn’t sound as good as JRiver on my Baetis server. Anybody have any ideas. I first listened to it knee deep in grape juice and then completely sober today and my opinion is still the same? ---
**Author:** ![joel](https://community.roonlabs.com/user_avatar/community.roonlabs.com/joel/32/377170_2.png) [@joel](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/joel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/2 "2017-07-03T18:41:59Z")
What is your endpoint and are you using exclusive audio? ---
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/3 "2017-07-03T20:10:45Z")
What is an endpoint and what is exclusive audiophile? I am just an audiophile and pretty clueless about all things computer. Joe from Baetis helped me install Roon. ---
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/4 "2017-07-03T20:55:51Z")
The endpoint is a Meitner MA1 DAC via ads/EBU. ---
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/5 "2017-07-03T22:58:12Z")
Yes I am using exclusive audio. ---
**Author:** ![Rugby](https://community.roonlabs.com/user_avatar/community.roonlabs.com/rugby/32/360588_2.png) [@Rugby](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/Rugby)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/6 "2017-07-04T01:39:28Z")
If Roon is setup correctly, then, which sounds better can only be answered by you. ---
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/7 "2017-07-04T02:51:53Z")
So what does "set up correctly "entail? There is no doubt which one sounds better, I’m just trying to figure out if I have done something wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Rugby](https://community.roonlabs.com/user_avatar/community.roonlabs.com/rugby/32/360588_2.png) [@Rugby](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/Rugby)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/8 "2017-07-04T03:37:54Z")
Well, the first step as suggested was verifying that you are getting a bit perfect audio stream, you can tell if the light is purple. If you are comparing it to another software, then you need to make sure that you have replicated any upsampling, filters or convolutions that may exist in one software in the other so the comparisons are apples to apples. ---
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 3:45am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/9 "2017-07-04T03:45:42Z")
You are referring to the purple light next to the artist and song title? And yes, I played CD’s ripped on JRiver back to the same CD’s on Roon ---
**Author:** ![en1omb](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/en1omb/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@en1omb](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/en1omb)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 7:38am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/10 "2017-07-04T07:38:45Z")
You are not alone in your findings: [DAR review](http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2017/06/were-gonna-jplay-in-the-sunshine/) ---
**Author:** ![xxx](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/xxx/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@xxx](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/xxx)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 11:00am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/12 "2017-07-04T11:00:05Z")
JPlay, in the DAR review, and the OP’s JRiver are two different pieces of software. ---
**Author:** ![Rugby](https://community.roonlabs.com/user_avatar/community.roonlabs.com/rugby/32/360588_2.png) [@Rugby](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/Rugby)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/13 "2017-07-04T15:59:37Z")
> [@pat\_bannan](#): > > And yes, I played CD’s ripped on JRiver back to the same CD’s on Roon Not what I meant. In JRiver you can enable upsampling, various audio filters, and convolution settings. You need to replicate those settings, if any, in Roon to have a true comparison. ---
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/14 "2017-07-04T17:39:22Z")
I think you are trying to help me so here is the deal. I signed up for Roon because of all the neat places you can go on it but if inferior sound is the trade off then it will not work for me. I have a small fortune invested in pursuit of the absolute sound that engages me so how do I get the best possible sound out of Roon? KIS. ---
**Author:** ![Anthony\_B](https://community.roonlabs.com/user_avatar/community.roonlabs.com/anthony_b/32/48217_2.png) [@Anthony\_B](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/Anthony_B)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/15 "2017-07-04T17:56:06Z")
According to the ‘review’ you can use Roon with Jplay as the endpoint/USB driver. It mentions ‘having your cake and eating it’ or something similar. So why not try that instead of Jriver? ---
**Author:** ![xxx](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/xxx/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@xxx](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/xxx)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 7:55am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/16 "2017-07-05T07:55:29Z")
Or Roon/HQPlayer. ---
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/17 "2017-07-06T03:01:44Z")
Plan to try it Friday, got any advice? ---
**Author:** ![xxx](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/xxx/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@xxx](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/xxx)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 7:25am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/18 "2017-07-06T07:25:34Z")
I hear good things about it, but have never used it. I have multiple endpoints, so it’s a little above my pay grade. Do a search on this forum, you’ll find plenty of input. BTW - I am in awe of your setup. What speakers do you have? ---
**Author:** ![BE718](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/be718/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@BE718](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/BE718)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 11:08am UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/19 "2017-07-06T11:08:19Z")
My suggestion is perform a blind test, so you _dont know_ which application is playing and see if you can reliably tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/pat_bannan/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@pat\_bannan](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/pat_bannan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/20 "2017-07-06T21:35:13Z")
Rockport Atrias. Thanks for the heads up. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Allen](https://community.roonlabs.com/letter_avatar/bryan_allen/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Bryan\_Allen](https://community.roonlabs.com/u/Bryan_Allen)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 11:39pm UTC](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810/21 "2017-07-06T23:39:47Z")
@xxx- How did you know Pat’s Setup? All he shared here is his DAC (and then his Rockports after your post)? @pat_bannan - now I’m interested in your setup. Mind sharing what your vision of the absolute sound is? BTW, you might also try using the DSP Engine in Roon and enable Sample Rate Conversion to the highest your Meitner MA1 will do. I know that MDAT will automatically do 2xDSD, but I’ve got personal experience that if you can offload the work of upsampling from your DAC, your sound quality will improve – at least it does with my DCS Debussy and upsampling everything (except 24/192) to DSD. For some reason 24/192 to DSD does not have an improvement and actually sounds worse when upsampled in Roon. At least to my ears. My system: Boulder 2000 series amp, preamp, Wilson Alexias, DCS Debussy. [Next page](https://community.roonlabs.com/t/sound-quality-of-roon-versus-jriver/27810.md?page=2)