Euphony Stylus And Roon Comparison and Questions

[Bkg]

Like many of you, I’ve built several nucs and done the roon only, roon + AL as a roon end and  later roon + euphony as a roon end point evolution. Couple weeks ago I finally tried using Euphony Stylus only (no roon) and streaming from Qobuz. I was dumbfounded at how much more relaxed and realistic the presentation was with Roon out of the mix... unfortunately, like many of you I love Roon’s U/X. 
 

What’s the best way to use them together and achieve same sound quality (if this is possible)? 
 

I tried Roon core + stylus (using squeezelite protocol)... While it’s one box, I don’t think this sounds the same as streaming Qobuz using Stylus. 

[BCRich]

Hi,

I trialed Euphony on my Mac Mini last September and was impressed how it sounded but I was not able to trial it properly with my music files. I have a lifetime Roon License and had been using it along with HQPlayer to a Sonore Optical Module and OpticalRendu and have been content with how things sounded. Fast forward to this spring, I decided to purchase the Euphony Summus Server & Keces P8 Ultra Linear PS. You are correct there is something about Stylus that is special. I find myself using Roon less frequently, I’ll  use it if I am streaming Qobuz or not listening critically. My go to is Stylus + HQPlayer Embedded; I tried going direct from the Summus to my DAC via USB but ultimately I felt the sound was too laid back compared to having Sonore in the lineup. The processing power of the Summus is not quite up to the task as far as the more intense HQP Filters & Modulators are concerned which may take me down the path of a dual server configuration. I think Stylus is gonna remain in play for quite some time.

Maybe HQPlayer is something that may help with your dilemma, it is a bit complex and takes some getting use too as far as getting familiar in the beginning. Definitely worth the effort and expense in my opinion.

Enjoy the Music either way!

Mike

[PavelDosko]

Maybe a silly question - is it even possible to use only Euphony without roon, Hqplayer, etc.? Now I use Daphile on my audioPC to play from NAS and stream from Tidal. My DAC is R2R Rockna Wavedream, I don't use any upsampling.

[BCRich]

Absolutely. Just connect directly to your Dac with a USB Cable and use the Stylus Player.

[Joerg D]

Hey

Stylus sounds better to me than Roon too. Roon + StylusEP sounds better than Roon without StylusEP. The stylus player sounds more natural, spatial and warmer. The Hqplayer makes the sound more precise but loses its naturalness.

 

Jörg

[ASRMichael]

1 hour ago, Joerg D said:

Hey

Stylus sounds better to me than Roon too. Roon + StylusEP sounds better than Roon without StylusEP. The stylus player sounds more natural, spatial and warmer. The Hqplayer makes the sound more precise but loses its naturalness.

 

Jörg

Agree! I used HQP for years! Then stopped a year ago. Stylus sounds fantastic. Especially if using IRQ’s. 

[davide256]

9 hours ago, Joerg D said:

Hey

Stylus sounds better to me than Roon too. Roon + StylusEP sounds better than Roon without StylusEP. The stylus player sounds more natural, spatial and warmer. The Hqplayer makes the sound more precise but loses its naturalness.

 

Jörg

agree. But do try Stylus using HQPlayer without PCM upsampling, w/wo PCM upsampling filter. I found that pretty much the same as Stylus output + unlike Stylus

it will play DXD... I have  some Channel Classic recordings that showed as DSD8 which Stylus wouldn't play but HQPlayer output would converted to DSD64

[davide256]

hmm, also finding out that Stylus output doesn't support wavpack compression which HQPlayer does...will be using HQPlayer output going forward so that I can play  DXD and wavpack PCM files upconverted in PGGB