Another perspective I consider is the addictive nature of both the Roon- and JPLAY - like interfaces. There’s definitely a convenience factor at play, and as someone who appreciates visual elements, I understand the allure of interacting with music visually. Whether it’s browsing album covers on an iPad (Pro 12.9 !) or flipping through a CD booklet, these visual components contribute to a richer listening experience.
Once you’ve grown accustomed to and come to value this holistic approach, it’s difficult to revert back, and it can significantly shape your perception of sound. Maybe it’s akin to how you prefer your coffee served.
However for a reviewer, I believe it’s important to disconnect from the visual aspect when assessing the purely audible qualities of a device, in order to provide a fair evaluation to the audience.
If the best design elements could converge into these convenient controller interfaces, I would be thrilled to see a fusion of the finest aspects of Material, JPLAY, and Roon as an overlay for controlling Squeeze, or whichever platform resonates most with my preferences.
And also that it does not erode the Squeeze + Squeeze level of sound quality (or gives the option of using squeeze + squeeze).
Another streamer manufacturer developed their own playback software and when I compared that back to back with one of their machines with the old software it was apparent to me that the sound quality had been compromised.
Whereas my hope would be for an optional stripped down version of Roon with less sophistication but better sound. Ideally one would be able switch between the two versions.
I found it very interesting that Taiko felt that LMS (Squeeze server) held back the sound quality potential of the first custom playback app they released. LMS allwed them to come up with something quick but they felt the would have to build something custom to take the sound quality to the next level. That became their XDMS app, which has been under development for quite a while.
I mention this only to point out the potential to surpass the sound quality we have been hearing from Squeeze. Not an easy task though to build something from scratch.
I completely agree. Roon seems likely to develop a dual interface to effectively serve both its existing user base and the more discerning audiophile community. However, this enhancement may come at an additional cost within their subscription model.
Looking ahead, there are promising developments. * JPLAY introduced a specific setting for each renderer (Update time) aimed at minimizing network traffic and enhancing sound quality. * Roon aims to eliminate its dependence on internet connectivity to enhance performance with (local) files. * Nonetheless, XDMS, along with its dedicated network (Switch + Router + NIC + DC Distributor) and server synergy, seems to have already tackled this concern, as indicated by users who find it challenging to distinguish between local and streamed files. * Moreover, the Squeeze + Squeeze setup, currently offering sound quality better than Roon and on par with or close to XDMS, is being further advanced this year by Antipodes.
Here’s to the forthcoming breakthroughs in high-end audio!
!) or flipping through a CD booklet, these visual components contribute to a richer listening experience.