I am also having this issue. Running Roon Server exclusively on MacMini 2.5 Ghz i5 with 16Gb Ram, 512 SSD and no other apps running. Storage is Synology 1812+ running latest DSM release.
Stalls with error and Roon is re-scanning library. But also happening when Roon is done with scanning.
Network is Asus 68U Router and 68U as an Access Point. There is a NetGear 24 Port 10/100/1000 Switch in the mix.
Single zone - iPAD Pro as end point - Audio File Loading Slowly on high res (dsf files)
Single zone - iMAC as end point wired only with FireFly DAC - same error
Some great classic jazz from SACD but trouble with playback.
Hi @Chris_Lischy ----- Thank you for chiming in and sharing your experience with us. The insight is appreciated!
Moving forward, can you verify for me if the RoonServer machine is running “headless” (i.e no monitor/keyboard)? The reason for my asking is because I am curious how things respond when content is played directly from the core machine. If you are able to perform this test I would recommend loading "roon " on to the MacMini and setting it up as a “remote” to control RoonServer running on the same machine.
Additionally…
“Single zone - iPAD Pro as end point - Audio File Loading Slowly on high res (dsf files)”
" Single zone - iMAC as end point wired only with FireFly DAC - same error"
Are you noticing this error with only high re files? How do other sample rates behave? TIDAL content?
“Network is Asus 68U Router and 68U as an Access Point. There is a NetGear 24 Port 10/100/1000 Switch in the mix.”
In regard to your network topology my assumption is that this is what the chain of communication looks like based on your feedback (see below), please confirm.
Asus 68U (router) > Wifi > 68U AP > Ethernet cable > NetGear switch
It is running headless and I use Screen Sharing Menulet from an iMac to manage. I will try your suggestion on playing content directly from the machine.
Yes - this is only an issue with high res. Some of the files/songs are 250Mb but I’ve checked on the NAS and it is not running any other tasks. There is also no traffic on the LAN. Files play fine with other players
Network setup
Cable Modem Ethernet --> Basement RT-AC68R (it’s R not U and is the DHCP Router) – > Basement Netgear 10/100/1000 —> Wired Ethernet To Family Room —> Family Room RT-AC68R (Access Point) —> Family Room Netgear 10/100/1000 off of AP
Mac Mini is directly connected to Asus Access Point (not Netgear)
Synology NAS is directly connected to Basement Asus DHCP Router
Hi Eric - Very interesting. I set up Roon on the headless mac mini and played it from there to my iMac/DragonFly endpoint with no issue on .DSF files. No pops, no slow loading audio file - it even sounds a little cleaner than when I control Roon Server from the iMAC to the Mac Mini.
Also of note is that Roon was scanning the library during playback without issue. Same success when using the new roon core from an iPAD Pro as endpoint and headphones. (The new Bose Wireless QC 35 II and iPad Pro sound really good).
So there is some issue with Roon as a remote control to Roon Server. I guess no Roon Server. No issue with that?
Update - had more time for today playback via iPad and mid-song I’m getting stuttering on flac files. If I pause and play it’s fine. Not having great success yet. Also tried VNC from iPad to directly control roon/Mac mini and still get stuttering on playback. Ugh.
Also losing both the iPAD Pro and the iMac/DragonFly as zones. Have to keep enabling them again but Roon doesn’t always see them on the network.
Hi @Chris_Lischy ----- Thank you for the follow up and the feedback, both are very appreciated! I have went ahead and split your posts out to their own thread so I can address this behavior with you directly.
Continuing forward, I must apologies for any confusion on my part but I am a touch confused by a few comments in your most recent post(s) that I am hoping you can clarify for for me:
“Very interesting. I set up Roon on the headless mac mini and played it from there to my iMac/DragonFly endpoint with no issue on .DSF files. No pops, no slow loading audio file - it even sounds a little cleaner than when I control Roon Server from the iMAC to the Mac Mini.”
It sounds like you had setup the remote as request on the MacMini along side RoonServer running on the same device () However, I realize that my wording may have not been completely clear in my instructions Please allow me to clarify.
I was curious to see how playback responded coming directly from the MacMini. Obviously I am very pleased to hear your other endpoints functioned as expected with this configuration in place (i.e “iPad” and “iMac + Dragonly”) but I am indeed curious what the experience is like from a stability standpoint if you say mounted the Dragonfly directly to the MacMini.
“Update - had more time for today playback via iPad and mid-song I’m getting stuttering on flac files. If I pause and play it’s fine. Not having great success yet. Also tried VNC from iPad to directly control roon/Mac mini and still get stuttering on playback. Ugh.”
Under what configuration did you notice this behavior with? I am curious because in your initial report it was indicated that this issue was only being experienced with hi-res content and it seems to me that this has become a more “general” playback problem. Please verify.
Also losing both the iPAD Pro and the iMac/DragonFly as zones. Have to keep enabling them again but Roon doesn’t always see them on the network.
Can you provide some further insight into this observation as this too also sounds like a new observation that has been made. When you notice that the both zones are lost are they dropping out of the application completely OR are they instate of “initializing” (i.e Roon Icon appears in the audio tab for those zones)?
It looks like we need to clarify my setup, what I’ve done and the outcomes. Roon runs on a headless MacMini. I predominately playback music in my office via iMAC/DragonFly or iPAD Pro and Bose Wireless HeadPhones. Though there are other listening areas there are also kids and such so it’s challenging.
Point 1. - RoonServer was disabled when running Remote. Remote was played directly from the MacMini via screen sharing to the iMAC endpoint and the Master Bedroom Yamaha Aventage via Airplay. Both struggled with .dsf and a new problem with some larger FLAC files. We could explore the DragonFly to the MacMini, but I’m not sure that’s causing a stability issue.
Point 2. - RoonServer was running with Roon disabled in this test. There have been both FLAC and DSF file issues. I am back to running RoonServer for now to see if it continues. (Update tonight - still having error on audio fil loading slowly with iPad as endpoint) Running roon server and remote is disabled/not running.
Point 3. - This one is a challenge. I get the zones back if I remotely login to the MacMini otherwise no go. I have turned off “Put Hard Disks To Sleep” to see if that changes anything.
For the most part, my library is mature in that I’m not adding a lot more music to it. Would I be better off running the library on a USB drive directly attached to the MacMini? Thanks
Hi @Chris_Lischy ----- Thank you very much for the clarification and more importantly, thank you for you patience. My apologies for the wait here.
Continuing forward, these are the tests I would be interested in knowing the results of:
Do you get the error message when playing directly from the MacMini hosting RoonServer?
Please temporarily mount the DragonFly directly to the MacMini hosting Roon server.
From one of your remote device you will see the DrgonFly appear in the “audio” tab under “connected to core”.
Enable this zone and confirm what the experience is like.
How do things perform with the NAS temporarily out of the equation?
In the application please temporarily disable any network watch folders being accessed on the 1812+.
Load up a handful of albums on an external storage device OR on the internal storage of the MacMini. I would recommend using albums that you know reliable produce the error message in Roon.
Create a test watch folder in Roon that is accessing the media you are using for this test.
What observations are made with this configuration in place?
Eager to hear you observations, Chris! Thanks again for the clarification!
-Eric
Hi Eric - I wasn’t able to explore these options and have two weeks of travel coming up. But I did observe that using the iPad as an endpoint works fine for .dsf files when Roon is not scanning the library and I’m possibly getting a better wi-fi signal.
) However, I realize that my wording may have not been completely clear in my instructions 
Please allow me to clarify.