roon sound wasn't as good

But the server (core) usually matters far less than the player.

@fuzztone - I also have found this to be true. My server is in my network room, and streamer in my system room. I like the sound from the Signature Rendu SE optical streamer better than others I have tried but cannot reliably hear differences between servers. I would like to try the Innuos Pulsar streamer. Currently using a DDC after the Sig Rendu to provide more flexibility in digital connections into my DAC. Unfortunately, I don’t know how I would incorporate some of the digital processing options discussed here with my NOS R2R DAC.

This is the dirty little secret nobody wants to talk about. 

Innuos Sense vs Roon. Take a comparison listen sometime.

Even with that said I have Roon and will keep it. Reason is simple.

I will trade off some SQ for improved access to new music. 

That maybe true , but it does have HQ  player built in ,with that you can Taylor the sound  exact to your system.   Innous has Avery good interface ,sounds better and can use HQ player.

I use Tidal with Audirvāna, exceptional sound quality and easy to understand and play.

@audiotroy 

Roon can sound great it requires superior programming skills and hardware designed to run roon optimally, our 432evo servers run Roon in an entirely different fashion by maximizing how roon is run by the CPU:.

I don't know about all the technical jargon.  However they managed to implement it, I can certainly confirm that the sound is amazing from the 432evo Aeon.