In yesterday's post I mentioned that in my experience, using the Qobuz app into the PMG streamer or AirLens sounds a little better than when run through Roon. That bristled a lot of hair.
To be clear, the difference is small. And, to be honest, I still use Roon as the fancy remote control because it's such an easy navigation tool (plus I love its interface).
We're not talking big differences here.
But, I found it irresistibly interesting that one sounds any different than the other. So, let's dive in a bit deeper (aka nerding out).
Roon and Audirvana architectures require a computer—as opposed to Qobuz or Tidal apps on your phone. That computer can be your home Mac or PC or their dedicated servers. Doesn't matter.
What's happening inside?
Your computer takes in the file from the Qobuz server, which is a FLAC file (losslessly compressed), and unpacks it into a WAV file. Then, the computer repacks that WAV file back into an internet-ready style and sends it back onto your home network where your PMG streamer or AirLens grabs it and does its thing before sending it to your DAC:
Qobuz cloud server->FLAC over internet->your computer via Roon/Audirvana software, unpacks and converts to WAV->repacks for internet and sends back out over your home internet->into your PMG Streamer or AirLens.
Vs. the Qobuz or Tidal app:
Qobuz cloud server->FLAC over internet->into your PMG Streamer or AirLens->unpacks and converts to WAV->into your DAC.
In theory (and don't we all love theory?), unpacking FLAC in one machine should relieve that duty from the streamer and sound better. That's been the case for many years and it's a bit of a surprise to me and others that it isn't always true.
Which is why all this is fascinating to me as a nerd.
One quick note about this architecture: You might be wondering why it makes sense for Roon or Audirvana to require a computer to work. The answer is simple: they both offer added features like DSP (tone controls), upsampling, filtering, PCM/DSD handling that could be included in your streamers but are typically not: Gee gaws that I don't use but that are available for those who want.
In the end, Roon is my go to choice for streaming—not because it sounds better but because it is a joy to use and provides a wicked cool interface that is simply unavailable through an app like Qobuz.
Nerd out.
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