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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 23
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Posts: 23
Has anyone done an MQA Tidal sound comparison.

I'm running an 818v3 with DSP8000s and always ran Tidal MQA on Sooloos, would any of these be a step down in audio quality. I don't have a music library so only interested in Tidal MQA so Roon maybe overkill

1. Use Bluesound Node 2i
2. Use Roon Nucleus
3. Reconfigure MC200 to run Roon
4. Run Roon on a high powered PC located in a different room. I wouldn't want it in the same room due to fan noise.

Open to other suggestions?
Thanks


Audio: DSP8000SE upgrade, MC200, 818v3, Tidal, Bluesound
12 Bluesound zones, 1 Sonos zone, Roon
Movie1: Sony VW-790ES, 145” screen, Pan DMP-UB900, Oppo BDP-105D, Denon AVRX7200, Artcoustic Spitfire Subs, SL 8-4 (fronts) , SL4-2 (rears/sides), SL4-2 (4 ceiling)

Joined: Apr 2004
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Pan-dimensional being
Pan-dimensional being
Joined: Apr 2004
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Originally Posted by Trader99
... only interested in Tidal MQA so Roon maybe overkill
Open to other suggestions?
If you don't need all the bells and whistles of Roon, you can consider Audirvana on a PC/Mac into the 818v3.


Theater: 861v4_LPS, 818v3, HD621, Oppo 203, Lumagen Pro, DSP8000SE, DSP5500C, SW1600x2, DSP5500, Epson 6040UB, PS4
Living room: 861v4_LPS, HD621, DSP8000SE, DSP5200C, Oppo 203, Lumagen 2143, 818v3, Sooloos/MC600 Bluesound Node
Bedroom: M80
office: G68D, DSP6000
Garage: DSP5000
Storage: M33s, DSP33s, DSP5k, 501, 518, M1500, G98DH, SW1600
Joined: Mar 2009
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Working on the ultimate question
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If you are streaming from TIDAL only (no local library), I would recommend Roon on a Nucleus. For over 100,000 or so local tracks, I would recommend Roon Nucleus+.

There will be no audio degradation moving from Sooloos to Roon. Roon uses the same networking code to stream digital audio to Meridian endpoints, then the Meridian hardware takes over.


Primary: 818v3+ID41, M6 stereo pair, M SpeakerLink cabling, Sonos+96kHz Cullen, silver DSW
HT: Marantz prepro, 271, DSP3300, 8K SE FL/FR pair, DSP M6x2, DSP320x4 (ceiling), black DSW, 520 RL/RR rear in-walls
Living Room: G65, 640 L/R in-walls, UHD722, MS600
Vac. Home: G61, HD621, 4xDSP3100, DSP3100HC
MDMS:NUC/ROCK+TrueNAS Core 12.0 ZFS file server
Joined: Apr 2006
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Thanks! I notice you have a Sonos as well. Do you use Roon to control this, is there any advantage?

I have a 14-zone Bluesound system which is independent of my Meridian system and wondering what I would gain if I used Roon for the whole system, if using only Tidal. (I think I would need Nucleus+ to serve all zones).

Have you tested the SQ between Sonos Tidal and Roon Tidal (non-Mqa) through your Meridian


Audio: DSP8000SE upgrade, MC200, 818v3, Tidal, Bluesound
12 Bluesound zones, 1 Sonos zone, Roon
Movie1: Sony VW-790ES, 145” screen, Pan DMP-UB900, Oppo BDP-105D, Denon AVRX7200, Artcoustic Spitfire Subs, SL 8-4 (fronts) , SL4-2 (rears/sides), SL4-2 (4 ceiling)

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,351
Likes: 1
Working on the ultimate question
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I have a large library of tracks, both CD quality and HD, so I use Roon to stream my local library to my Sonos endpoints.

I also use the Sonos apps directly to stream Sirius XM (digital audio streaming in North America, local FM streaming, my kids use Airplay 2 and Spotify to stream directly to their Sonos endpoints as well).

I don't have any experience with Bluesound.

The convenience of streaming to Sonos endpoints is nice. Having access to stream Spotify and Apple Music in addition to TIDAL makes me keep Sonos around, also their endpoints are affordable for bathrooms and kids bedrooms.


Primary: 818v3+ID41, M6 stereo pair, M SpeakerLink cabling, Sonos+96kHz Cullen, silver DSW
HT: Marantz prepro, 271, DSP3300, 8K SE FL/FR pair, DSP M6x2, DSP320x4 (ceiling), black DSW, 520 RL/RR rear in-walls
Living Room: G65, 640 L/R in-walls, UHD722, MS600
Vac. Home: G61, HD621, 4xDSP3100, DSP3100HC
MDMS:NUC/ROCK+TrueNAS Core 12.0 ZFS file server
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,569
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President of the Imperial Galactic Government
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
Joined: Dec 2004
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Bluesound is Roon Ready and works well with Roon, you also get High Res and MQA compatibility. You can link Bluesound with other Roon Ready products (Not Roon TESTED products)

Bluesound links with my Meridian 210 perfectly via Roon although I have to turn EBA off...


No 18 in the Hall of fame smile I have simple tastes; I am content to settle for the best:
GIK monster bass panels, rear wall. QNAP TVS 471i3. Roon into DSP5200SE via 210/ 218 zone... Explorer 2. Bluesound Pulse 2, Mini & Flex. 596v1, 518, Foxsat HD, Sony BDP, Pioneer 5090, 2 Chromecast's for LRB videos. MS200 to F80 for a Roon zone

Joined: Aug 2009
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Hitchhiker
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Sorry, to be clear, are you still able to get Tidal through Sooloos? I have had no Tidal access for months - something to do with passwords no longer being recognised in Sooloos following a Tidal firmware upgrade?
Would be interested to know if you have a work around.
Also, take a look at hifi-advice.com for a comparison of Roon and Sooloos using Meridian hardware/endpoints.


Meridian M80 & Meridian Ellipse
Gone:7200SEs,808v6,G95,MC200,MS200,218,210,MD600,F80, Explorer 1,201Pre mk3

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