roon > dac basic question

A streamer (or network-enabled DAC) has to be Roon ready. Otherwise, the Roon server simply won’t find it on the network, since it uses it’s own protocol (RAAT) the endpoint needs to support. RAAT for Roon is sort of like Airplay for Apple-supported devices.

So to answer your question, if you want to run a Roon server you need a streamer that exposes a Roon network endpoint (i.e. it’s "Roon Ready").

Otherwise you need some kind of a bridge that exposes a Roon endpoint. Such a thing can be used to integrate older streamers that aren’t Roon Ready (i.e. Roon server -> Roon Ready bridge -> streamer without Roon support). I haven’t looked lately at what you can use as a bridge. I once used a Logitech Squeezbox Touch as a Roon bridge.

Also, most DACs need a streamer in front of them to support streaming services and/or Roon. One exception I know of is the Weiss DAC501. It's a network enabled DAC (i.e. with ethernet input) that is Roon Ready. I'm about to start using one in my system.

really depends Roon has a certified program which means it passes Roons quality tests

then there are roon endpoints which mean the device works with Roon"s Raaat  transport protocalls over WIFI or Ethernet

for your setup its immaterial as you will output directly via usb to the dac

Dave and Troy

audio intellect NJ

Roon experts

Thank you both for responding. I think you both answered my question, though in different ways. I also think I worded my question confusingly; perhaps my question should have centered on the optical rendu.

I don't have a streamer. I have had a couple streamers that worked with my dac but I replaced them with the optical rendu, running Roon. My dim understanding is that the rendu is a bridge and connects "directly via usb to the dac." So my question is really: if a dac has a usb input for the rendu, then does it matter if it's "Roon ready" or knows anything about Roon? I take @audiotroy's response to mean that it doesn't; I just need a usb dac. 

I don't want to confuse things but one reason I'm asking is that I'm curious whether I can connect my rendu to a portable headphone dac/amp that has only a micro-usb input and doesn't appear to be roon ready. More generally, I'm curious what I need in a dac to run roon from the optical rendu, other than a usb input. 

Again, thank you for taking the time to respond!

Others can correct me since I haven’t had enough coffee yet.

I don't have a streamer. I have had a couple streamers that worked with my dac but I replaced them with the optical rendu, running Roon. My dim understanding is that the rendu is a bridge and connects "directly via usb to the dac." 
 

The OpticalRendu is both a streamer, bridge, and Roon end point. Also correct that the OpticalRendu connects directly via USB to the DAC.

So my question is really: if a dac has a usb input for the rendu, then does it matter if it's "Roon ready" or knows anything about Roon?

Since your OpticalRendu is the Roon end point, the DAC does not need to be Roon Ready or know anything about Roon- as long as the DAC has a USB input it should work.

I'm curious whether I can connect my rendu to a portable headphone dac/amp that has only a micro-usb input and doesn't appear to be roon ready. More generally, I'm curious what I need in a dac to run roon from the optical rendu, other than a usb input. 
 

I can’t see this being a problem, but all you would need is a USB-A (from oRendu) to Micro-USB adapter (DAC/Amp). I’m always cautious when adapters are involved from prior experiences, but logically this should work.

@toro3: thank you! That's exactly my understanding -- and that's my hope about the adapters to micro-usb. I also appreciate that you took the time to wade through my muddled posts. Well done!