Roon 1.8

[CrystalGipsy]

Can’t say I hear any difference and never have with any version in 4 + years of using it.

[anon56221831]

I agreed with @Guinnless and @Mike_S, it must be due to the new 1.8 DSP implementation.

[Suedkiez]

@anon56221831

1.8 DSP implementation.

Of course, if DSP is used anything can happen. It’s by definition a data manipulation, and they did make changes to it in 1.8. Any claim about Roon sound changing should state whether DSP is in use.

[Simon-in-Suffolk]

Not quite sure I follow. Why would you use DSP if you didn’t want to change the sound? It’s the whole point.

[Suedkiez]

@Simon-in-Suffolk

Not quite sure I follow. Why would you use DSP if you didn’t want to change the sound? It’s the whole point.

See Richieroo’s post - large sound changes detected due to 1.8 supposedly, but no info if he is using DSP. Very possible that there are changes if he is using DSP, as Roon did change some DSP implementation things in 1.8. If not using DSP, such changes by a Roon version are not very likely and a popcorn topic

[Simon-in-Suffolk]

Oh I see… I detected no large sound changes… some subtle clarity improvements in some of the optional processing function yes… there were some internal coding improvements apparently.

[Sloop_John_B]

@Simon-in-Suffolk

f using the digital out of your NDX2, you can improve SQ by over riding the Roon sample word size for the NDX2 to 24 bits.

Have you come to this finding purely by listening or is there something specific to Naim streamers or the NDX2 that explain it?

Thanks.

.sjb

[Suedkiez]

To give poor Simon a bit of a breather from his many forum duties: If you search Simon’s username together with the numbers 24 and 32, you will find many posts from him about this

Some are in this very thread, here and subsequent:

Roon 1.8

One optimisation with Roon if using a Naim streamer as a digital player (BNC output) is to override the Roon/Naim sample default word size down to 24 bits. On a revealing system it really makes a difference and reduces those veils and seems to time and feel better if driving a high quality DAC. This comes into effect if you have any adjustment.

[Simon-in-Suffolk]

Hi, purely by listening. I can possibly understand why.

[Sloop_John_B]

I’m asking from the point of view non naim streamers, do you think the same might apply or from your understanding is it to do with Naim architecture?

.sjb

[Simon-in-Suffolk]

I am not sure it’s an architecture thing per se, possibly more the decimation implementation in the Roon driver or even the SHARC processor.

[adeypoos]

So I’ve finally succumbed to the swoon of Roon.
For me the game changer was the DSP options, especially with headphones and I am particularly enjoying my new Focal Elegias with some EQ, which I couldn’t do before. The improved metadata and information is also a bonus.
If I’m listening to music raw I’m still inclined to use the Naim app because I generally don’t use EQ when playing through my speakers and I don’t need to faff with switching between different sound profiles. This also means I have a different setup for speakers and headphones and just launch the one appropriate to my listening. Nice to have the choice and they both sound great.
Will I keep Roon in the future, probably and I’ve got a year to make a decision. Two weeks wasn’t enough on a trial for me to really relax into it.

[Sloop_John_B]

@adeypoos

I don’t need to faff with switching between different sound profiles.

Just in case you don’t know its 3 clicks, volume / DSP / change preset.

But it’s suppose faff can be relative.

And I highly recommend a little DSP for your room /speaker interaction.

Home Audio Fidelity (HAF) DSP filters

With my, albeit limited, experience I have the opinion that most systems would be improved by using DSP and the case is perhaps stronger where there is minimal DSP needed as there will less likelihood of negative consequences. Certainly my amp - NAP 300DR is more than capable of running my SL2 speakers, yet I had the upgrade itch. My choices were new speakers (which seemed to be a £7-20k choice) or a new amp -NAP 500DR (£22k). For about £0.25k HAF filters have soothed the itch substantially. …

.sjb

[adeypoos]

I’ve read your posts using convolution filters with interest and I may indeed look at these in the near future. My interest has been piqued by the subtle, yet not insignificant benefits of EQ in headphones, so there is no reason to think it wouldn’t have similar benefits on speakers as well. The problem for me is that my speakers are far from perfectly positioned and I could gain a lot more benefits by placing them more optimally. Unfortunately, domestic constraints mean this is unlikely to happen in the short term, so I’m concentrating my efforts on closed back (Focal Elegias) where I have considerable freedom in how I manipulate sound. My Nova is a fantastic bit of kit that ticks many boxes, including WAF, but not that of EQ, so short of selling it and adding in a device capable of equalisation, Roon offers a digital equivalent, so long as I’m competent enough to make sensible adjustments.
Any helpful tips gladly received.

[Simon-in-Suffolk]

The parametric EQ filters in Roon are easy to use, and I would recommend you use those to make subtle adjustments.

[Camphuw]

Old hat to most here I suppose, but a friend has been experiencing problems with Roon stopping. It’s running on a high spec’ IMac. I suspect it stops because it’s running at high CPU usage.

The solution apparently is to install Roon server, then reinstall the Remote app rather than run a combined Roon Core / remote. I’ll be tackling this for him later in the week - once I’m sure he’s got a backup done.

[CrystalGipsy]

They have had some issue with a lot of users and rouge cpu useage on macos.

[afgverhart]

If playback stops, is he playing music from the iMac or a streaming service like TIDAL? I have sometimes experienced that TIDAL skips all songs as it is suddenly unavailable to Roon. Restarting the Mac resolved the issue in my case. Typically CPU usage on my Mac Mini 2011 is very low, even with volume levelling turned on.

[Camphuw]

He does not use a subscription service. I heard yesterday that the old B&O servers used DLNA (?) which has a habit of forcing particular streams.

It has also been suggested that I try another Roon bridge solution but I don’t see how that would help.

[Mike_S]

Does anyone know if you can use the 3rd generation Apple TV (the one with the optical output) as a Roon end point? I’m thinking of running one into a DAC and Headphone amp, with the ATV plugged into a network switch.