As for difference in Roon Core on one system vs. another I’m guessing that the code may well be different when implementing on say a Mac running macOS versus on another variation of Linux. I discovered that moving my Roon Server from a Grimm MU1 to a MacMini M1 resulted in better sonics. But maybe it was also that the MU1 is using an i3 processor versus the much more capable Apple M1 processor, though both have 8GB of memory. And relieving the MU1 of handling the Roon Server may also impact how the two deliver the bit stream to the MU1’s FPGA (where the Roon endpoint lives).
As for cables, I know when I went with Shunyata Omega Ethernet cables the noise floor dropped and music seems more coherent, among other things. And I’d experimented with many, many other company’s cables before arriving at my destination.
Thanks Steve- happy new year!
I moved Roon Core away from my mac mini (old model 2012 but with enough CPU and memory) but found Nucleus + Sbooster PSU better than this (not by a mile but the noise floor reduced)
My cable here is a Tellurium Q Black Diamond. For now, I will use Roon only for “non critical” listening- prefer Mosaic for music… Fun fact: I tested the Innuos app to stream direct from Innuos to Rossini (Rossini is the endpoint) and even that does sound worse than Mosaic. Technically, it is the same path vs streaming with Mosaic- but SQ wise total different animal.
Interesting as both using the Innuos app to stream from the Innuos to the Rossini (with the Rossini as an Endpoint) and using Mosaic as a Control Point not only use the same “path” (Ethernet) but the same protocol (UPnP) and so should be identical…
In neither instance is the app itself any part of the signal path - the difference basically being that in the first instance the Innuos sends the Rossini a UPnP command that says “Play this file” followed by a virtual path to the file followed by the Rossini sending a UPnP message back to the to the Innuos saying “Give me the data for this file” followed by a path to the virtual file whereas in the second the Rossini just sends a UPnP message to the Innuos saying “Give me the data for this file” followed by a path to the virtual file - in neither instance does the Rossini access the file on the Innuos directly (via SMB) only via the Innuos’ UPnP server…
Thanks Phil,
that’s exactly the point I don’t understand- it must be 100% same SQ wise.
Would be nice to have an Innuos owner here who can test it as well.
When I had the Lina system I had the same experience. Mosaic has less functionality but sounded better to my ears. I did testing but its really difficult as the recording mastering process has the most impact and how the “Bit are Bits” are delivered. Paul at PS sound I think makes a good point on streaming services. The voluminous nature of these services , common sense tells us they have to apply compression at some point of a lossless file just by sheer volume they serve or they would need more servers that BIT COIN. IMHO
I get the "Bits are Biys’ and all the logic behind it all and agree technically all should sound the same. All I can tell you in my case I was using Roon with my Aperio. I purchased a Innuos Zen-NG and set it up in place of Roon. Same music came alive, not a little but a noticeable difference. I have no idea why.