Sound quality of Roon

Here the answer to your question regarding how Roon sounds on an Innuos product. Roon does not sound as good as Innuos’s own Sense software. Sense sounds much better if your system is resolving and high quality. Not even close on my Zenith MK3 and Tron Atlantic dac combo. I have a lifetime Roon membership, but after comparing to Sense I can no longer listen to Roon. Roon sounds flat, a tad diffused and lacks resolution. I would only use Roon for background music with my particular system. This is true with Innuos streamers/server products. Roon can sound wonderful with other server/streamer brands.

I prefer the user experience of Roon over Sense. Sense is very good, but Roon is the best I have used. I just wish Roon sounded as good with Innuos gear in my system. Some will find Roon sounds just fine with their Innuos and that is fine for them and their systems.

Great digital sounds heavenly today and does not take a back seat to many vinyl front ends.

I don’t directly stream from Qobuz. I use the Innuos Sense software. Using Sense with Innuos servers/streamers sounds best if you have a nicely resolved system. 

Oh my. My post was clear. Roon does not sound the same or as good as Sense in my particular set up. This can be heard very easily unfortunately. Roon sounds great with other streamers I have heard, just not as good as Innuos’s own Sense on an Innuos server in a resolving system.

I house Roon core on the Innuos. It was my core and end point when I was using Roon. No DSP. My dac is NOS also.

I love Roon as an interface. Love it. Just wish it sounded as good as Sense on my Innuos Zenith.

One hears the sound of Roon when using Innuos gear vs the Innuos Sense software. Roon sounds different vs Sense on Innuos gear. Obvious and easily heard with a resolving system.

My digital front end consists of:

Netgear modem/router powered by Keces LPS with my high end DC power cable - Network Acoustics Muon Ethernet cable - Network Acoustics Rubicon switch powered by a Keces LPS with high end DC power cable - Ethernet Acoustics Muon filter to Innuos Zenith 3 with power supply upgrades - Tron Atlantic Signature dac. All plugged unto a Puritan 156 conditioner with the additional Puritan Groundmaster grounding system.

Sense sounds far more nuanced and resolute in my system compared to Roon. So much better that I can only use Roon for background music. I much prefer the inner detail and realism of Sense. Roon sounds muffled and flat in comparison. I repeat, this IS ONLY with my Innuos server and front end digital system. I have heard Roon sound great with Merging Technologies gear.

I do not use any of Roon’s DSP capabilities as an FYI. Also, the better my front end becomes with products such as Network Acoustics, the more obvious Roon’s subpar sonic performance becomes on my Innuos server based front end. Without the NA products and my LPSs the difference between Roon and Sense was far less obvious.

We agree. I purchased Innuos as a one box solution. It rips, stores, streams and is both the Roon core and endpoint. When used as intended, Sense simply sounds better in my system. That is all I am sharing. This is intended to help those who own Innuos or are thinking of buying Innuos. I found no sonic gains with my Innuos by housing Roon core on another computer. However, I don’t use DSP and have an NOS dac. I am not taxing the Innuos with my use of Roon and that may be why housing Roon elsewhere on my network had no sonic benefit.

I understand we each have unique digital front ends, systems, ears and preferences. No broad brush realities for all is possible in this passion/hobby. I simply share my findings and hope it can help others with “similar” set ups experiment for themselves.

Ha! Do you use your Innuos as both core and end point? I also use Roon Squeezelite experimental mode for best sound out of Roon. 

Do you disable Roon before going back into Sense? I did the A/B again and Roon just sounds more rough around the edges and not as refined and pure. Interesting.

OP, since you are thinking about buying Innuos, I strongly suggest you skip buying Roon and just use the Sense product. Most all users find Sense sounds better. You can read about this on the Roon and Innuos Internet forums. I would only say this for Innuos users. At least start off without Roon and listen.

He could do that and only be out one month’s Roon payment assuming he does not buy a lifetime up front.  

My system did not sound as good with the Regen in front of the ENO or Muon filter.  Get a good switch!