T + A streamers. I need help.

@v-fi 

This is a somewhat frustrating response. So you don’t know how or why there might be a difference and therefore dismiss the relevant experience of many others. It’s a complex area. If you’re seeking a high performance system, not exploring this seems shortsighted.

Roon is akin to Microsoft Windows which must run on a huge variety of hardware and companion software platforms. Just as windows does not perform equally well across all those platforms, so too does Roon have to address the variables of cache, processing speed, available system resources, etc.

Some streamers are designed to only work with Roon (i.e Grimm MU1 and Synergistic Research Voodoo). However, many others have native applications to handle the music library management. Those of us with such equipment have experienced a wide variety of results with Roon. And, many of that group have experienced diminishing sound quality with Roon. 

For me - I had already paid for a subscription to Roon and was using it happily. On a whim, I compared the same streamed file on Qobuz via Roon vs via Lightning DS (the native application of Auralic devices). I was disappointed in the difference. I loved pretty much everything else about Roon - particularly the interface. But it just didn’t sound as good. I am far from alone in that experience. I have since moved on from Auralic as using it to feed my T+A DAC didn’t sound nearly as good as using the streaming client built in to the unit in direct comparison.

To be fair - I haven’t tried Roon with my T+A streaming DACs. But I also know from the experience of others that it is unlikely to offer me the best sounding option. And, given the high level of performance of the T+A gear, why should we choke it?

@mgrif104 Sorry to frustrate, that was certainly not my intent. And the last thing I want to do is argue about audio opinions. I just notice a lot of people parrot what they have read on forums about Roon not sounding as good, but when I have a direct chat with them it turns out many haven't even tried it, or tried it once many years ago and are still stuck on that opinion.

For myself, I have definitely compared many platforms and found Roon to sound best, in my system of course which is the only one I can really speak on. But among the circle of fellow Auralic users I chat with, the vast majority seems to agree. The general consensus (not unanimous) is that Lightning DS makes the music more edgy, lit up, with a focus on detail, while using Roon is more natural, relaxed, organic. Which one is "better" will always depend on your preferences and system. 

I agree that Roon does have some variability, but also feel that is mainly solved now by the fact that you can just use the official Roon Nucleus devices and get on the same page as what the Roon devs intended. Or, you can at least use the Nucleus as a yardstick by which to spec out your own hardware so it matches or surpasses those capabilities. Meanwhile Roon's certification process, as frustratingly slow as it sometimes is, exists to guarantee that each component plays nicely with their software and keeps everything in spec. So there really isn't as much variability issues as there maybe was some years ago.

Are there instances where I might choose something else over Roon? Of course, depending on the hardware involved. But my experience is that most often Roon sounds more natural to me than the others, and I again feel like it gets a bad rap for being so slick in terms of features and user interface. When so many people throw out the whole "everyone knows" mentality about how Roon is always inferior, I feel it dissuades people who should really give it a shot. They might prefer it as many of us do, and it's free to try so why not?

@v-fi 

The general consensus (not unanimous) is that Lightning DS makes the music more edgy, lit up, with a focus on detail, while using Roon is more natural, relaxed, organic. Which one is "better" will always depend on your preferences and system. 

You have definitely chosen words that put a positive spin towards Roon.

I just notice a lot of people parrot what they have read on forums about Roon not sounding as good, but when I have a direct chat with them it turns out many haven't even tried it, or tried it once many years ago and are still stuck on that opinion.

This is not a summary of others, or forum posters or reviewers, this is my personal comparisons of what I hear in my system: I don't know Lightning DS, but I know Squeeze. 

Squeeze has more clarity and separation/space, it is more airy, and yes detailed, which some feel is a negative word, but when I use this word it means it is easier to differentiate between instruments and follow lower level information. Musical information becomes more unraveled and easier to pick out. If one hears this detail as "edgy" then perhaps the extra resolution is revealing some part of chain that is the weak link. Bass is tighter and more defined- lets use the word detailed again here. Articulate is another good word to use here. Some may find this "lean". 

Roon on the other hand is thicker and more robust around the middle, some may call this "warmth", or more "natural" but bass is definitely more opague. Mids and treble still have good detail but perhaps a little smoother, softened or less extended. Relaxed is a word you chose that I can agree with, but I can also call this less resolving. 

Between the two I would say Squeeze is the more natural and organic one. It sounds more like the real thing and less like a muffled version. 

Does one like Telefunkens or Mullards? 

This is what I heard last year, and it still is true as of this date, perhaps not quite as much- I can't go back in time and compare then to now, and the system is always evolving. 

However, if the recording is not of a quality to match, Roon can be more enjoyable- and I think this is the key- IMO Roon is a little more rounded and a little softer to appeal to a wider audience, because not everyone has $50K+ systems. From what I have seen lately Roon has put most of their resources into this ARC option, and this is not for discerning audiophiles, this is for the masses. 

Now having said that, the delta is small, not as big as my exaggerated words above make it sound, and as I mentioned this delta is probably not as large as it used to be, and yes I still use Roon the majority of the time because it still sounds wonderful, and the UI is much superior, but if I am in the mood for the absolute best sound on a particular recording squeeze is what I use. 

JPlay will be tried eventually, along with Audirvana- choice is good!

Has the OP tried third party apps?  He sounds like his SQ isn’t the issue.  I like mConnect but there are many out there.

@mahler123  SQ quality is not an issue at the moment but could be if I use something else other than the native app that T + A provides. Moving away from  app could reduce SQ, stay the same or increase. T + A app works fine. It’s just the user experience sucks. Information it provides is limited for albums and songs compared to others apps. Moving from away from native app there numerous routes to go and bridges to cross. . Hence the on going debate. 

I really do appreciate folks contributions. It helps me in studying what are my best options. It also tells me I have much home work to do. Cost benefit comes into play too.

Hope I’m writing this correctly.