Why no LinQ Roon Readiness?

That would be perfectly reasonable. but this is no longer possible. Because everything has already been said and everything has already happened.
For me, switching work items with my finger is much closer than automating it. But there are fewer people like me and no one will think about us. Everything is focused on automation. And this is understandable. But many would prefer in Hi End, and LinQ it is Hi End, to personally control what is happening in the system, and not rely on automation of switching.
Aqua has its own approach to sound shaping. Sound, not switching automation, which is not in the first place in Hi End, and this is completely understandable. I have been understanding the problem for a long time. To automate the switching it is necessary to combine different cards through one control device - and this is just against the ideology of Aqua, where everything is completely separate. Actually in this I see the problem. And at the moment it is not resolved because everyone is already walking from each other, and not to meet each other. In order to cooperate fruitfully, one must understand each other or try to understand. This is as obvious as it sounds. But not everything is obvious.

That is why your proposal seems very correct in the current situation.

Dear Danny!

Of course you are right. And of course we are not on a pirate island. WE are in a civilized world. Everything will be sure as you say.
Anyway.
But the question of financial loss is one thing. The loss of opportunities in sound is completely different. With this, the situation is much more dramatic. For me, as a user of two products, this is very sensitive.
Of course, for most Roon, this is a convenience. But there are people for whom this is primarily a sound. Just don’t forget about us. Please.
And just LinQ is regarded from this point of view for us.
You are together - you sound perfect.
I’m not afraid to say - just the best.
And I don’t want to believe that you can deprive the world of this.
Even with the possibility which you gave (to use for an indefinite time) puts me in a non-high uncertain position.
Although everything works so far, this is not correct in essence. And I am sure that you will disconnect me sooner or later.
Especially due to recent events.
Nevertheless, I hope that there is still an opportunity, maybe not now, but in some foreseeable future, to try somehow to hear each other. Of course, provided that it is a road with oncoming traffic.

Dear all,

Just last question to be clear: the discussion it’s about Roon Ready certification and the “garantee to reach the audio quality standard” or at this point the LinQ could be not able to reproduce any music from Roon Core/Rock at all? Probably you are alrady answerd the at the end of discussion here I’m not fully convinced and confused.

Thanks.
Roberto

Audio quality is not the issue here at all. Getting certification is much more than that. The device could not be tested in all permutations of hardware configuration available to see if this affected anything as they refused to supply all the boards that could be added. Roon won’t pass anything until it works under all possible configurations. So end of story. Aqua wouldn’t budge on this , Roon won’t reduce their QC procedures. Aqua withdrew from the Roon Ready programme.

These discussions should have been had with Roon, in private and discussed deeply.
It’s just no good playing it out on an open forum, there is just no point. Re engage with Roon or leave it there is my thought on the issue.

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Let me say… If we are speaking about Audio quality, for me sound strange that an Odroid with roon bridge sounds better than Aqua LinQ. I listened the LinQ in Munich High End 2019 and it stream music in a quite similar way that La Diva CD player, I’m fully sure better then Odroid streamer Roon Ready Certified.

I hope that in the future the lesson lear for both company could be that the Certification need to by compleated before to have the equipment available in the market and in this case and in the LinQ certification need a too expensive re-engeenering of the equipment, Aqua should be able to find easy solution, also based with roon bridge (why not?) for the final users of Roon and Aqua DAC to enjoy the music.

Roon bridge cannot be bundled or distributed with anything. it has to be downloaded and installed by the end user from Roons servers under licence. This is why its optional on all distros that offer it. Not sure the Linq has an architecture to do it that way.

Even if they did, they’d still need permission… unless their system was purely an open distribution of Linux.

There is a new HQPlayer NAA module for the LinQ. It should be possible to use the LinQ via the Roon HQPlayer Plugin.

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And a HQPlayer core. Roon can’t talk directly to a NAA.

Sure. I thought that was clear with the HQPlayer.

I think it serves everyone to be explicit about what it means! Not least HQPlayer themselves who should be selling on the back of this.

I didn’t really get what you mean.
HQPlayer paid software. It has its own advantages over many other players. One of them - Roon plays great through it.

But to run HQPlayer we need a Windows10 machine? I use Roon Rock aldready in a dedicated silent PC, I need another one connected to the network?

No, I think you could run it on a Linux or Mac PC as well. You cannot run it on PC using RoonOS as it is a closed and locked down OS.

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It wouldn’t be too hard to get both Roon and HQPlayer on the same machine. You’d have to ditch ROCK but your efforts would probably be worthwhile.

Have a look at Sonore website. You will get the SonicTransporter with Roon and HQPlayer embedded installed.

This may be a very good solution for LinQ. Full Roon functionality and great HQPlayer SW.

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Hi all,

I just wanted to get back and let you know: The Aqua LinQ works amazing with the HQPlayer NAA module.

Aqua does provide the best setup in their manual for the LinQ that they are about to share.

I’ve been now testing the LinQ for quite some time and it is connected to my Aqua La Scala MKII Optilogic DAC. The sound ist amazing and I think even a little better when it comes to imaging with the HQPlayer. But of course that’s hard to tell just from the memory.

Anyway: I‘m really happy with the solution.

Best Robert

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How annoying is the I2S compatibilty issue and why on earth isn’t there an industry standard. I have a Metrum Pavane L3 DAC and Antipodes streamer, they both offer connectivity via I2S but the ports are different (HDMI/RJ45).

I2S is meant to be an internal protocol for transmission of audio. It has no connection specification because it’s not meant to be used externally. The fact that some audio device manufacturers are using it externally is the problem. It’s like trying to trying to use laundry detergent to clean your dishes.

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