Question on Streamer/Dac and Roon


I'm fairly new to digital and am building a system that's both MQA capable and Roon ready. I currently use a 2014 Mac Mini as roon server + streamer connected by USB to the Mytek Brooklyn Dac+, which then feeds balanced into a Mac pre and amp. I keep reading the mac mini is noisy as a streamer and hence the post. If I were to re-engineer a bit there are a couple of choices I can make, assuming my original goals of MQA and Roon remain. 

Should I:
1. Get a Lumin U1 mini, which can act as a Roon endpoint, and feed into the Mytek DAC (ESS 9028)
2. Combine the streamer and Dac functionality into the Lumin T2. I'm not sure if this is indeed a step up since the T2 also has the same ESS 9028 chipset as the Mytek. 
3. Keep the current setup and be done. 

I use the mac mini as the roon server, and that comes to my last question. If I get either of the Lumins, they would be the roon endpoint. I will still need the mac mini or a NUC to act as the roon server. I'm not able to comprehend the point of a streamer other than acting as an endpoint for Roon, sort of like a catcher to what Roon throws at it. If Roon is going to be the front end, does the Lumin really provide me with a benefit? I like the Roon software and being a lifetime member unlikely to switch over to the Lumin app. And I do not have Lumin dealers nearby to audition them. 

And some footnotes. I dont want to spend too much, the Lumin U1 mini or T2 is the max I would like to go, if I can justify their point of existence within my system. Also, not a Nucleus fan if a NUC can do the job for cheaper, and so can the mac mini. 

What would you do and why?

128x128rajivhifi

Showing 1 response by erik_squires

The biggest problems with any PC is the power supplies which are very noisy, and ground loops in the USB connection.

Your Mac mini will work fine as a Roon core, but I would recommend a streamer that is not directly attached.  If you are at all PC savvy, consider making a Roon endpoind out of a Pi 4 with Ubuntu.  That's what I use.