I am interested in the Anthem STR as a preamp, but noticed it is not Roon Ready, which really surprises me.
I have an Intel NUC with ROCK installed on my network in another room connected via Ethernet to my audio room. I am assuming if I choose to go the STR route that I will have to move the NUC to the audio room and use a USB connection, unless there is another option for using Roon via Ethernet.
What will be required to use Roon on the Anthem STR and will this be inferior to using Ethernet?
All you need is an Endpoint running RoonBridge that can take an Ethernet IN and present a USB or SPDIF Coax or Toslink out (depending on which input you wanted to use on your STR). There are a ton of these at various prices points and DIY-ness.
If you want to use USB input on the STR and just have it work then go with the ultraRendu by Sonore. If you want to go with Coax SPDIF, then the Allo DigiOne is a very good unit (I used it for years). Otherwise, you could go with a Raspberry Pi and loading one of the OS’s that have RoonBridge as an option, like Ropiee, etc.
That is not what I said at all. I said there were a lot of options at different price points. I gave you a high end option, mid-range with the Allo, and a cheap one with a Raspberry Pi. You could also move your NUC and just connect it to the STR via USB.
Perhaps if you specified a budget range and the formats you want to play to the STR a more specific suggestion could be given.
A Raspberry Pi 4 with Pi2AES Pro Audio Shield and RoPieee (Roon Bridge) is a very well regarded streaming solution which by no means would downgrade your system. It may be low-cost, but fine.
Shouldn’t be, especially since that pre-amp does not do DSD from it’s specs. But, to be sure, I always suggest sending the manufacturer’s tech support a quick email asking if there is any potential issue plugging into a Linux based USB source.