Bryston pulled support for RAAT in last release [solved, Bryston released firmware proper]

Amazing short sightedness, considering how limited are the MPD UI’s. I have all but retired my BDP-1. At least I have the option to Roon directly to my Devialet. The BDP-1 may sound great but I prefer arguably a tad less quality but a really usable UI.

Take a look at Soundirok for iPad for an elegant MPD playback UI. Limited functionality, today, but the developer is about to release an update. It’s breathed new life into my BDP-1.

After my post of yesterday Robert suggested I use the BDP-1 squeeze box option (my sincere thanks) and I can now use Roon with the BDP. I have not done any critical listening yet, but at least the BDP can now be used.

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Let us know if you have any issues with gapless playback. That was why I stopped using Squeezelite on the BDP.

Well, I hadn’t tried using Squeezelite on the BDP for some time with Roon. With Roon 1.2, this seems to be fixed (i.e. my gapless test tracks all play fine without a gap).

@Krutsch

I’m not sure I agree with that assessment (that Bryston doesn’t think it’s clients want Roon). I too have a BDP-1. My “guess” is they’ll roll it out with the new PI device. They have to know a segment of their customer base wants it, but it’s probably a resource issue, and Bryston doesn’t elect to, or can’t devote the resources to make it happen. That’s why Mr. Tanner says it will be awhile still. They make nice equipment, but the BDP Media Player software is plagued with troubles. Manic Moose will always be buggy.

I’m sure Bryston’s focus is on new products to be developed, or yet to be sold. In short, ones that are profitable.

Same here. Gapless has been working for me for a little while - since mid-March-ish. The BDP-1 drops off the Roon device/zone list occasionally, but closing and reopening Roon fixes this.

I’m shocked Roon is not a higher priority to Bryston. I would imagine one look at the MM thread at Audiocircle by the CTO, COO, or anyone at the top who cares, would change their level of urgency. 86 pages, 1,700 posts by people trying to figure out how to use their product? Sheez. It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the Bryston name for me personally. Too many alternatives.

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Kenneth I am listening to a gapless album as I type this response and so far (to my relief) I have not encountered any issues with gapless. I am using Roon 1.2 and my BDP-1 is fully updated.
I do know that DSD files are not playing and I have simply not had the time to try and correct that yet.
The ability to play via squeezebox has altered the expensive paperweight status of my BDP.

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Glad it worked for both of us Williem. Credit to Craig_Watkins for posting the solution. The biggest hassle is getting the squeeze lite to capture in the Bryston services tab. Listening to mine right now.

Another point to remember: Squeezelite will maintain ownership of the audio device (ALSA), so if you want to switch back to MPD playback (or anything else), you need to go into the Services page and disable Squeezelite, which will release the lock on the audio device.

Another way is to just reboot, which is what I do, but either way works.

Well, acting under the presumption RoonReady for BDP-1 will never happen (sigh), I ordered a Sonore MicroRendu to try in RoonReady (USB) output mode vs the Bryston BDP-1 in Squeezelite (SPDIF) mode.

Any thoughts or predictions?

I predict that you might prefer to feed the MicroRendu directly to a USB DAC.

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Yes, that’s a given - MicroRendu is USB only.

For the comparison in the current rig, I will be limited to 48kHz since that’s the limit of the Bryston BDA-1 USB input. I could slot in a Music Hall 25.3 for testing higher resolution playback. Not ideal, but could evaluate.

I will run the same comparison when I receive my microRendu. I must admit the BDP-1 sounds good in the squeeze lite option via AES/EBU. Didn’t have Roon when Bryston was beta-ing the RAAT firmware. Same DAC (W4S DAC-2) will receive USB from the microRendu.

I am duplicating this here because of the direct comparison to Bryston BDP-1.

I had ordered a Sonore MicroRendu ($690 with iFi power supply) last week, the goal of which was to use Roon and get close to the Bryston BDP-1 sound with MPD (Manic Moose).

Out of the box, this thing sounds fantastic. Others have mentioned a 30-min warmup and 24 hour-ish break-in, but I thought it was about as good as I’ve heard from the first song. I put on Sparklehorse’ “Dreamt for Lightyears” and was knocked over by the smooth detail, soundstage width, depth, precision, and spacial queues. Very three-dimensional! As in visuals-of-guitar-lines-traveling-through-space-to-my-ear" three-dimensional. Outstanding!

The $300ish SonicOrbiter SE didn’t get as close to the Bryston sound as I had hoped, but the MicroRendu equals the Bryston and probably outperforms it soundwise in my system by a smidge. I’m ecstatic. I’ll try playing through a few DACs with USB rate >48k (my BDA-1 USB max) to confirm sound quality for higher resolution files tonight. Unfortunately, I don’t have a DAC that exceeds 96k rate (W4S, MH25.3, rDac), but I can always mess around with the upsampling (which I usually do not prefer). When available, I will upgrade the power supply from iFi wallwart to an Uptone Audio “mystery power supply” specially designed for the uRendu. I’ll probably start looking for a BDA-2 too.

If anyone is looking for high quality ethernet-wired USB-only Roon renderer for much less money than most decent network players, I’d recommend you give the uRendu a try.

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Hi,

I wonder if anyone can shed any light on whether there’s been any progress on this?

I’m considering a Bryston player, but only if it will support Roon (at some reasonably near time in the future).

Thanks.

I agree, progress are slow from BRYSTON (BDP) and PS AUDIO (DS) to use RAAT protocol.
AURALIC was very quick (and dirty ?)

Perhaps more complexity than planned to integrate RAAT within an existing architecture and with good SQ ?
Any infos ?

If I understood everything corrdctly is was Roon that pulled the plug. Bryston was very quick to implement a RAAT beta firmware in the BDP’s. But Roon did ask Bryston to remove this beta because of SQ-issues. Roon didn’t sound as good as Bryston’s MPD.
Probably I’m the only one that did not upgrade my BDP1 since this RAAT compatible beta-release. I never enjoyed my BDP1 this much. I have no issues with Roon, disabled MPD and enjoy my music. Bryston also implemented Shairplay which sound way less than MPD and Roon. So Bryston probably has no problem supporting Roon as an alternative next to MPD, shairplay, squeezelite,…

[quote=“WimJ, post:58, topic:8209”]
If I understood everything corrdctly is was Roon that pulled the plug. Bryston was very quick to implement a RAAT beta firmware in the BDP’s. But Roon did ask Bryston to remove this beta because of SQ-issues. Roon didn’t sound as good as Bryston’s MPD.
[/quote] Yes it is also what i have understood.

Demonstrating SQ using Roon is almost the same vs other protocol on the same device (MPD on BDP in this example) is important for RoonLabs as they claim to be an high quality audio system (the best one in my opinion :slight_smile:).

More important than a quick and dirty integration.

That is my understanding and that was my experience. It did have SQ issues and network performance issues. However, Bryston has stated on AudioCircle that the ball is in Roon’s court and no has said anything from either side for a long time.

I am noticing a similar outcome from a number of other “high-end” streamer vendors - for some reason, many have stopped their implementation plans. I really wonder what’s happening here, because outside of Rasp. Pi, et al., implementations, it seems like H/W vendors have lost interest.