Has anyone noticed that after listening to their HiFi Rose (I have the rs520) through Roon for a few songs and then switching to playing those same song or songs without using Roon sounds a lot more open and lifelike?I’m streaming Quobuz or Tidal and it was a huge difference in realism.I even did the wife test and she felt the same way with no doubts.Anybody have a clue as to the huge difference?I have Muse set to everything off.Thanks!
I will test. Do you have volume leveling off in Roon as well? Its in the gear icon, near the muse icon.
Yes Gingerbread I do.I’m looking forward to your test.Thanks!
Hi, I used to use Roon, but couldn’t get on with it. I was surprised when I switched back to just using the Rose app how much the sound quality was improved in all areas. As Roon is so popular with a lot of audiophiles I thought it was just me !!!
I would be interested in your findings once you have finished testing.
Many thanks 
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Whoa, I was not expecting to hear a difference. I had to retrain my ears, as I use Roon Muse to fix a 5khz dip in my B&W 804S speakers. I’m going to experiment a little more, doesn’t seem to be because of an SPL difference, but I was just using an iPhone app to measure. Does sound more lively as you said. I’m using Qobuz vs Qobuz via Roon (without volume leveling or Muse) to test.
Would be interested to hear other peoples input/opinions.
Thanks Gingerbread for testing what I too experienced with volume leveling off and Muse set to everything off.I also used an spl meter to make sure that volume was not a factor.Heres’s some of what I heard: 1)A slightly more narrow sound stage 2)More sibilants or edginess in the higher frequencies 3)A duller, less lifelike overall sound.I am definitely not an expert in the audio world but i do trust my ears.I hope others will join us in testing with our ears because what I am hearing is a big difference to me and I have heard this night after night and I am almost to the point of quitting Roon.I know the Rose app is a little quirky but the more I use it the more I like it.I would miss (I think) Roon Arc but I may test my B&W system in my car with Tidal & CarPlay.
I’m going to have my wife test it tonight, blind. Her ears are better than mine. She pointed out that one speaker was slightly louder than the other, and when testing with a UMIK-1 + REW using the pink noise generator, she was correct and it was only off by 1db.
That’s very interesting Gingerbread as my wife also noticed a big difference!Sorry Bustaship, I certainly didn’t mean to leave you out of the conversation and certainly appreciate your input! It makes me think that we are on to something.
No worries Jay. I’m just glad I’m not the only one who hears a difference from Roon. Very impressed with Gingerbeards wife noticing 1db difference, just goes to show sometimes it’s worth getting a second opinion.
Happy listening gents
I just spent an hour listening to my favorite tracks from Qobuz on the RS130 + RD160 + RA180 without Roon. Thinking back, I already had Roon from before I picked up the Hifi Rose gear a couple months ago, so I just always used it. Im totally blown away. Could be in my head…I know thats a thing, but I swear its like a whole new system. Goosebumps!
Gentlemen, are you seriously claiming that ROON sounds worse with Qobuz than Qobuz via the ROSE app?
That’s physically impossible. If you believe that, I’ve got some fancy “audiophile” network cables to sell you — for just a few thousand euros each, with goosebumps included.
I use the RS150B and noticed a consistent issue: Tidal and Qobuz streams start out fine, but after a while, sound quality drops — it becomes muddy and flat. I suspect it’s due to caching, which can’t be cleared on the RS150B (unlike the 130), except by a factory reset.
That’s why I used to stream via DLNA from my Mac using Elmedia Player. Sound was better and stable, unlike streaming directly from the device apps.
Playback from the internal drive was also solid. But the software? A mess. Album updates break, track order is wrong, tags are a disaster.
Then I tried ROON — and everything changed.
Streaming became 100% stable.
My library tagging? Fantastic.
ROSE software? I don’t even touch it anymore. Not worth a second. Don’t install their apps — just go full ROON and never look back.
The sound is not better — it’s consistent. That’s the point. With ROON, no more degradation over time.
⸻
P.S. Hope you all turned off MUSE settings and locked volume control to ROSE.
Peace & good sound to everyone.
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Thanks for your input Vic, but I am talking more about SQ than comparing the apps.I would suggest trying it for yourself but it sounds like you probably aren’t interested.I first realized this when I turned everything off in Muse.Hope you have a great listening experience this evening!
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Hey Gingerbeard ,glad you are enjoying your new Rose equipment because that’s exactly what I would love to have! It took me a while to trust my own ears as well and my wife passed the blind test with the same opinion,”not even close”she opined.Once you are over your blown away experience, I would love to hear more about your opinion of the rd160 and a little more about your gear,room,etc.I’m retired so I have been staying up until the early am hours just listening to music that feels like I’m there.Happy listening!
I’ve never used Roon with the RS130 but I used to use it with an Innuos streamer. About 5(?) years ago Innuos released their Sense app (similar to Rose Connect) and there was an obvious improvement without Roon. This was years ago and different hardware and different app, but I’m not surprised people are experiencing an improvement sans Roon.
Thanks for your input Sebrof.So far it’s 3-1 in favor of better SQ sans Roon.I suspect we will get many more opinions.Maybe I didn’t post this in the best spot as I don’t often post?
I agree the user experience with Roon is much better. But as you said, Vik, you don’t touch it anymore. I was in the same situation until yesterday, and I’m pretty sure its noticeably better. Why not just try?
Why not try putting a magic crystal on top of your streamer? You could buy some for only a few hundred (although obviously ones that go for a few thousands are much, much better!)
It will have exactly the same effect on SQ, but at least you’ll have something fancy sitting on top of the device.
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Fresh out of magic crystals. Much easier to just test this. The fear of being wrong really holding you back so much that you can’t even try before writing a snarky comment?
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How did your test with your wife go Gingerbeard? I bet she aced it.
Didn’t have the time yet. Will let you know