Questions on using Roon
I am seeing emails from Roon prospecting for new customers with a free trial period being offered.
Can Roon users please advise how one gets started with Roon? I have a basic streaming setup running - in my case I am using a BlueSound Node 2i as streamer, with wifi connection, and then I use the Node's digital output to run into an outboard DAC which is a Schiit Gungnir Multi bit. The sound is very nice.
I am now using the Blu OS app on a Samsung Galaxy Android Tablet to control the streaming.
I know the Node is considered a 'Roon endpoint', but I see some say that in addition to this, a separate computer is needed just to run the Roon program. Is this true? So a user that does not already use a computer be it a PC or Mac to stream needs to buy a computer just to run Roon? That would be make cost of entry pretty high, despite Roon's low cost trial.
Also can the Roon system (computer, end point) run using wifi? I live in an older house and do not have wired LAN in every room.
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When I first started using Roon, I tried to run the core program on an older Mac mini. The computer just did not have enough horsepower so I went to a dedicated server and purchased a small green computer I5 model. It works really well sending the program to my Roon endpoint, a LUMIN T2 streamer dac I use the Roon app on my iPad as the controller |
This raises an important question for me. Is there a mininum computer (say PC) capability in terms of processor and RAM needed to run the Roon programs for best possible sound and responsiveness? I am thinking about using a spare, 6-7 year old Windows laptop to run the core, then use a Samsung Android tablet as the remote. It seems very costly to need to buy a Small Green Computer server computer much less one from Roon that runs well over $1000. Even a new Windows laptop with a CD drive to rip CD's is only a few hundred dollars on Amazon. |
Have you gone to https://help.roonlabs.com/portal/en/kb/articles/installing-roon To see if your computer will work? That's where I would start. |
ROON does not need a powerful box to run. I was at one point running 4 ROON Zones with 2 of the zones running DSP in the ROON Core (Convolution files). My cheapo machine handled it perfectly. I have had no issues for years though in the last 2 months there is something going on in my home network that is causing ROON to stop on occasion. Which requires me to click the PLAY button on ROON. I do see a pattern of how this happens, and I doubt most users would run into the same issue as me. My network has a lot of activity going on and I need to investigate a solution for this. Should be fun. This has no bearing on the type of hardware that ROON is running on. One way to minimize (or eliminate) the effect of a cheapo ROON machine messing up your DAC with network noise, is to use Fibre Optic cables just before the DAC. I use a Sonore OpticalRendu which takes Fibre from this network switch. Amazon.com: Ubiquiti Networks Networks UniFi Switch 8-Port 150 Watts, White : Electronics It then converts it to USB and then into my DACs. The last conversion to USB is not ideal since that could be a little noisy but none of my DACs support Fibre directly (all have USB). The 3 DACs that I know of that support Fibre directly are the Lumin X1, Lumin P?, and the new $40K Linn DAC.
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