Ever since I first used Sooloos, I’ve really valued being able to have endpoints in many rooms in our home, so that we can enjoy music everywhere. Obviously Sooloos became Roon, and it was important to me that any server could continue to support the many endpoints using Roon.
With the Oladra, most listening comes from its AES/EBU output, into Devialet Amps. But a few years back, I had managed to get a very good condition pre-loved Mytek Manhattan II Dac, with network card, largely for its excellent headphone amplifier. What I wasn’t sure was whether streaming Tidal (using Mconnect as controller) directly might still be better than via Roon Server on the Oladra.
Short answer…Roon is superior; cleaner, more detailed, more air, better pace.
I’ve no idea why this should be so, but it does suggest for those with Network Dacs, there may still be advantages to the Oladra, even though the reclocked outputs are extremely good.
Very happy with this result.