So I've been meaning to ask if there's an optimal way to stream these streaming service, if you know what I mean..., like some players which directly support TIDAL or Qobuz or Amazon Music and stuff, but what if I stream TIDAL through Roon, would the sound quality get better? and why?
I know that Roon does a lot of signal purification jobs during the whole transmitting process, still, I'm very much confused hahaha, since the cloud service is the original place of the music files, no? how come during the transmission the sound could be optimized!?
If that's a true fact that it's possible to level up the sound quality better than the original, so the theory can also be applying on the hardware parts I presume, like I can buy an real nice hi-end router to upgrade the network quality from the beginning, then the DC power supply, audio grade network switch, specialized cables, all the way to speakers, is that right?
You can't level up the sound quality 'better than the original'. That's a myth, if not a downright lie. What you can do is faithfully recreate the streamed audio with the least amount of noise and colorization of the audio for playback.
So, with better DACs and cleaner power within a device, and better amplification and speakers, you can get the best possible streaming audio that is available. The digital portion of the audio is going to remain largely unaffected by any of this. Zeroes and ones will remain throughout the process. But, once they are converted from zeroes and ones to analog audio pulses, there is a lot of potential noise and interference which can be added to the audio. Or even a tiny bit.
You cover the first 90% or more of audio quality with almost any normal audio player. A standard PC should be very good.
So, you step more into excellence with Bluesound and other even higher end streaming devices. But, at least half of their price is going to the software, not the hardware. Delivering a great end-user interface and experience carries a great deal of cost with it. Developing, programming, testing, then distributing into products which are potentially already several years old. It's a risk for the developer as well as the end user. This is why a service, like Roon, has a monthly fee. It is to ensure continued product quality for years to come. But, Roon doesn't improve audio quality, they just promise bit-perfect playback to your devices. Then the device has a job to take those bit-perfect pieces and faithfully get them out the door.
I think most of what people pay for is a great user experience as often as not. For some, that experience means putting a vinyl record on their turntable and listening with the pops and hisses while looking at the album cover. For others, it is high-bitrate audio from a DVD-A, SACD, or streaming service played through top shelf speakers with great amplification in a sound treated room.
Audio is far too subjective to define great audio and what it means to everyone along the way. What is easier is knowing what YOU like in your own experience and just asking questions that may help that experience be better.
Bluesound already has a way to playback all your audio. Paying more for Roon isn't bad or good if you like how they present your audio to you. But, it may not be for everyone. Just as possible, someone may prefer the Sonos interface. Someone else may be just perfectly happy using Bluetooth from their iPhone. It's not wrong, even when it feels like it is.
