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Tidal app vs Roon. Wich one sounds better?

Hello guys,
As a restless audiophile I'm always looking for the way to improve the sound of my system, wich I have to say, its a pretty nice sounding and revealing one, at least for what I know.

I listen to my music streaming with Tidal app on my Notebook (Intel i5 and Windows 10) vía USB to a Wyred4Sound USB Reclocker and then via USB to my DAC (Audio-GD R8).

I've read on some places that Roon Player sounds better than the Tidal app and I´ve also read the opposite.

I know there is a free trial period for Roon and the most precise way to know it should be to try it, but I also don't want to install software on my PC just to try it with out knowing other usser's experiences first.

I also have to say that I use Dirac Room Correction and Dirac Stereo Proceesor, wich I consider very good and want to keep on using, so Roon-Dirac compatibility is a must.

Have anyone compared Roon Player vs Tidal App sound quality (I don't care about other features of the software)? 

Please I would like answers only by those who have compared both of them only with PC streaming, not with other devices like dedicated streamers, etc.

I also have to say that I'm not into tech issues, so the simpler the answer, the better.

Sorry for my english, I'm from Argentina. Than you!!!

Pedro
plga
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
1,621 posts
 
Tidal' app is lame compared to the Roon experience.

Also Roon does so much more:

1: You can stream and control music throughout your house Roon talks to Googlechromcast devices and Airplay.

2: You can upconvert a digital stream to a higher quality up sampled one which often sounds way better depending on the dac.

3: Roon can also catalog and access storred music and integrate that into one seemless streaming experience.

You can use a free Roon trial as well.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
211 posts
 
@audiotroy 

You can upconvert a digital stream to a higher quality up sampled one which often sounds way better depending on the dac.

Can you give us some examples of DACs you've used where Roon sounds way better than the Tidal app?  That alone would be enough for me start a free trial.  I'm curious if others here can also attest to this improvement.
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
1,621 posts
 
The issue is the upconversion and transcodding to DSD you can't do that with the Tidal app, most dac's will sound better with an upsampled file. 

You can clearly hear more sense of space and air with the up sampled file and considering you can get a free trial of Roon what do you have to lose.


Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
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