Streamer Software

Thanks Jimski, very good points there. DCS Bartok is definately on my short list, and I’m fine using Roon with it. Still it makes you wonder if company like DCS not able to create piece of software that would competive with Roon on the platform they have designed themselves. All the features, optimizations and no compromise approach they are following on hardware side, it should be better on their own devices. I would understand that Roon would be the best generic software that has broader support with number of streamers, but if we have situation where Roon is better than the manufacturer’s own solutions, there is a risk that flow of a new capabilities and innovations will slow down. Therefore I think it’s important to review always also the software and make sure bugs are made visible for the manufacturers, maybe even rate the level of the software.

I don’t find Roon to be rock steady so I also use the native Kazoo app on my Linn DSM systems. Like most of these software titles they just give you a way to browse Radio TuneIn stations, Tidal, Qobuz, etc, plus access to your own library (assuming you have a server system for same)...

Photomax so from your point of view Linn’s own Kazoo app performes better that Roon? Would you be share some of things Kazoo does better and what you especially like? I have heard a good things from Kazoo as well, but also some not so nice things like some serious bugs. Have you encountered any bugs?

Lots of good information here.  I have experience with Aurender’s conductor (I own an N100H and use it extensively in system 2).  I have experience with Auralic’s Lighting DS (I own an Aries G2 and use it in system 1).  I have experience with BluOS (I have a Node and retired it to system 3 - kitchen).  I used to use Roon with the Node 2 and then on the Auralic.

If your primary concern is user Interface, Roon is hard to beat.  In my view, Aurender’s conductor would be next, followed by BluOS and LDS.  I auditioned Lumin before buying the Auralic and would put Lumin’s app as similar to LDS.

However, if your concern is sound quality, I found LDS to be significantly better than Roon over the same device. My speculation is that the software better utilizes the buffers built into the hardware. Comparing the same streams across the software, (no conversions), it was pretty easy to hear the superiority of LDS over Roon.

I didn’t make the same comparison of BluOS vs Roon because the Node 2 isn’t a higher performance unit and I didn’t think it worth making the comparison.  

I’ve had some issues with stability on all of the units but Aurender’s conductor seems best in this regard.  it’s the most stable of the bunch.

Best,
 

@jksec,

Roon has a lot of great features that the other software platforms lack. Roon radio is a killer feature. If you enjoy reading the liner notes on a vinyl record cover then you will like Roon.

Roon is complicated. It is built to serve a ton of different platforms, pulls in more offsite info, needs a core, uses endpoints, changes sound, etc, etc. My dealer, who loves Roon, advised me to never be 100% reliant on Roon. I think this is good advice. I use SONOS, Linn Kazoo and on accassion the Lumin app (which works with Linn streamers). I tried the newer Linn app but found it does nothing that Kazoo does not. I also subscribe to Roon thinking I would fully adopt it. I really haven’t. I have two homes six hours apart. To use Roon at both locations I need to bring my MacBook Pro with me as it runs the Roon Core. I would get better SQ running Roon on dedicated device like the Nucleus, a custom NUC or a Innious server. But I would need to have two such boxes to serve both locations. So far I keep avoiding making that level of commitment to Roon. Innous might be developing a Roon “like” alternative without a monthly fee, so I wait.
I don’t use a ripped music archive. I stream Tidal, Qobuz and TuneIn radio. The Linn Kazoo app has shortcut “Pins” for all my services and favorite radio stations. It runs on all our iPads and phones. Once   in awhile it will fail to realize we have moved locations and you get an endless spinning “waiting for room” message. A quick reboot of the Linn DSM fixes that though.