I’ve been using Roon for about 3 or 4 weeks now. I’ve been reading about RoonServer and Roon Apps and the Roon Program. My quesiton is this:
What are the advantages of using RoonServer vs Roon App (not the iPad or Android apps)?
From what I can see one advantage is always on and the other is no resources for a UI. I must be missing something else?
I’m trying to figure out where to go with Roon from a hardware perspective. But first I need to understand more.
FYI I’ve been a Sooloos user since it was first maketed (original control and Ensemble). Once Sooloos was bought by Meridian I updated to the C10 and Twinstore. I use the Sooloos still but now also using a QNAP with my export music in FLAC and a mid-2009 Macbook Pro. Use a Peachtree T1 to convert the USB to SPDIF. Seems to work fine. This is just a beginner rig.
RoonServer is intended for headless music servers operating separately from a main PC. It requires substantially fewer resources without the gui, meaning it can run on a lower hardware spec. Some NAS devices may now qualify. People use NUC style units that have a low power/thermal profile and can be always on without fan noise. Until RoonSpeakers arrives the architecture is more limited than it will be. Currently a remote can connect to any zones off the core or itself, or Meridian devices. In future RoonSpeakers will permit connection to zones off other remotes.
I’m running RoonServer on a Brix, using my PC as a remote. Eventually I hope to use an iPad from the couch and send music from the Brix to an Aries. That way I wont have to send anything through the PC with all the noise that entails. I understand SQ can be enhanced.by running RoonServer in a dedicated optimised operating system (see Audiophile Optimiser) and am looking forward to hearing that when I can leave the PC off.