Sitting here comparing sq through Naim app vs Roon and can hear a difference eventhough I am not sure it is worth the cash needing a bridge and computer of sorts to get Roon to play through the NDS. Couldn´t Naim make their app send pcm (if that´s the right term?) directly from the app instead of sending Flac?
Naim is not sending anything from the app. The app only instructs the streamer what to fetch from the online service. The online service sends the same data to Roon and to the streamer. However with Tidal, this is MQA and Roon performs the first unfold (if so configured), while Naim does not. So you may not be comparing the same things.
If you use Qobuz or local file streaming of flacs, the DAC would get the same music data regardless of via Roon or directly from Qobuz or local file via UPnP, the only difference would be that the flac unpacking would happen on the Roon core vs directly on the streamer. And this is so little overhead that it most likely makes no audible difference on the new streamers, though some people say to hear a difference. But on the old ones, there seems to be agreement that it does.
Also consider unconscious biases, there are people who claim that Roon is worse, others that Roon is better, and yet others who change their mind whenever a version number changes.
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I prefer odd-numbered versions…
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I myself listen to Tidal and my own flac music on a USB drive by Roon on a nuc and through the USB input via the NDX2. In the end I choose to listen through the USB drive because it sounds the best to me. Via the USB input it sounds a bit more velvety, via Roon on a nuc it sounds a bit more digital.
The 1st generation Naim streamers were optimised to use WAV, so I would suggest you use that instead of FLAC. If you prefer to store in FLAC use a server that can transcode FLAC to WAV on playback such as Asset or Minimserver.
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