Hi. I’m on the hunt for an all-in-one, single box streamer w/ speakers for an extra bedroom, preferably Roon Ready (if such a device exists) but Chromecast/AirPlay would be good enough if it had a decent display.
For context: I’ve experimented with all kinds of setups in this regard. I build my own Pi touchscreen streamers with Roon Bridge and use those with powered speakers like the Klipsch Three, or USB to my Schiit stack. I’m running HiFiBerry DACs around the house as headless streamers to KEFs. Cambridge Azure 851n is my current primary audio room streamer. I’m in the process of building a Ropieee touchscreen controller to upgrade one of the headless DACs. So I’ve tested a lot of options.
What I’m looking for now is a single, pre-built option similar to these types of devices:
It needs to be smallish and aesthetically pleasing so that rules out the Mu-so 2 and I’d prefer a display so that rules out the ELAC Z3 (although it meets the aesthetic requirement). It’s just a guest bedroom so aesthetics and usability trump fidelity; I’m not hung up on the best sounding option.
Any Roon Ready options meet the criteria? Huge bonus points you can control Roon via the display but that’s probably asking for too much. If not, Roon Tested options you like?
As an aside: How cool will it be if/when Roon ships a full remote for Google Hub devices. They recently launched limited Google Play app store support, and a remote on the Hub would absolutely fit this bill and be drastically less expensive than the other options.
Great speakers, love them, they meet the Roon Ready req, but no display and I only have room on a shelf for a single device (plus I’ve been requested that this room is the one room where speakers aren’t front and center ).
For streamer and display, you can use a Raspberry Pi with a 7" LCD. This will give you a lot of flexibility in choosing the DAC/amp/speaker combo. I used to use Klipsch R-15PM for the latter.
Thanks @Marian; that’s what I’ve used in the past (with Ropieee and a HifiBerry DAC) and what I’ll be using in the near future to replace my Azure 851n to feed a pair of KEF LSXs (which are Roon Ready but similar to the guest bed I need a display with the LSXs). It’s a great solution but too much/complicated for this use case, which needs to be simple, small, clean, and one device if possible.
The other problem I have with the Pi 7" screens is that no one makes nice cases for them. If there was a really nice case, that fit HATs, then it might be a different conversation. Right now I’m building my own 7" stand that holds the screen off the surface enough to fit a HAT but it’s just two pieces of balsa wood and looks like a Pi project. Not sure why 7" cases never really caught on like other screens. My favorite streamer, though, which I would use in this use case instead of the 7" screen is the one I built in this thread. Love these, have two now and will probably look to build more. Other Web Controller Options (Headless Pi 3.5 TFT Endpoints)
I am using cases with both my LCDs, which also host the RPis themselves. One sits nicely on top of a receiver, the other one hangs on the wall. This is one of them:
Wha’t wrong with the Tivoli Audio Model One Digital (Gen. 2) that you shared? Is it that it does not support R.A.A.T.? Besides not being able to group it with your other R.A.A.T. zones, it seems like it fits the bill. Should work with Roon via AirPlay or Chromecast protocols.
It’s probably is a bit much to ask for full Roon Control functionality, but I enjoy using rooDial in our main system. It provides just enough control that I don’t have to bring my phone with me into listening sessions after I’ve queued up what I want to hear.
I use a smart-pi case for my builds and it houses many things and hats and even can add speaker terminals etc.
I’ll try and post some build images later as I’m out n about right now
Found this tho, it had a rca/XLR out with headphones too plus digiamp+ amp hat with speaker output and the back panel houses all the connections too plus binding posts for the speakers. I’ll try and post some better pics when I get home.
Thanks for the pointer to rooDial, I hadn’t seen that extension before. I’ll take a look at it.
Nothing wrong with the Tivoli at all, it’s probably the top contender (between that and another Google Hub), but was just asking if there were other similar options that were Roon Ready with RAAT.
Thanks for the pointer @wizardofoz. I picked up a Smart2 case, and with a bit of cutting to fit the Toslink, it’s running Ropieee with a Digi+ to the LSXs. Glad to finally find one that can work with HATs.
Not much to show. It’s replacing the Azur, which is moving into the proper media room, feeding the KEFs. I’m running Ropieee at the moment but I’m going to give Volumio a try because I really miss the ability to just walk up to the Azur and start/switch to a streaming radio station. Haven’t tried Volumio but I think it supports both Roon Bridge with a GUI and the ability to swap over to non-Roon options from the Pi.
Also not sold on the white case, but that’s an easy fix.
