Can i use my devices differently with roon

Roon Software Discussion
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Good idea! I was wondering if a Chromecast would work (I guess it would) but direct from the pc even better!

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ASR review of the 8805 suggests the hdmi inputs perform the same as the other digital inputs.

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A Raspberry Pi 4 with a HAT that gives you RCA out or optical out to your receiver. Available on Amazon for less than $100. The RPi4 connects to your router using ethernet or WIFI. Install RoPieee on the RPi4 for free.

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Probably depends on the receiver but this one has the following listed: 8 audiophile AK4490 192kHz/32-bit DACs, allowing for high resolution audio decoding with multiple lossless file types including ALAC, FLAC and WAV, along with compatibility for 2.8/5.6MHz DSD files. The OPā€™s marantz 8805 should have the same or maybe better.

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@Terry_Bradshaw final thought for the night (well, it is hereā€¦ ) if you have a ā€˜spareā€™ computer lying around, you might install Roon Bridge on it and connect to the Marantz by hdmi (or maybe mini toslink - depends whatā€™s supported). The computer should appear on your network as a Roon Ready endpoint and let you try out whether the concept does what you want before spending anything at allā€¦

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26

Your network capabilities on your Marantz isnā€™t supported by Roon with anything but Airplay.

If you want to use the DAC in the Marantz then you need a Roon Ready streamer with coax or optical out. Cheapest path to this is a RaspberryPI based board with a hat. This allows Roon to select the Pi as zone and you select the digital input on the Marantz. These devices can be had from companies like Allo and the DigiOne Signature product. Another option is a BlueOS based device like the Bluesound Node2i. There are more expensive devices giving more features and/or better sound quality.

Your other option is to get a Roon Ready network DAC and plug the analog outputs of this device into an analog input of the Marantz. This will bypass the DAC in the Marantz which could provide better sound quality depending on how happy you are with the Marantz for 2-channel.

EDIT: As someone else already saidā€¦ some PCs / Macs have optical out. If you have a machine with this capability you can load Roon Bridge and youā€™re good. Same concept as the first option I mention above but using a machine you already have. You just need the proper TOSLINK cable.

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Iā€™ve used this streamer running Ropieee in a second system for 3 years now. It sounds good enough that I donā€™t feel any urge to pay for the Signature model and after an initial hardware issue was resolved (fixed in the current model) Iā€™ve had no problems with it.

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Same problem I had with Cambridge Audio CXN

I put an RPI , Allo Digione HAT on the network the CoAx to the CXN (or Audiolab M-DAC) that fixed it to give 192/24 to both. Beware USB depending on your device , I had issues with Class 2 USB to the CXN and could only manage 96/24 on Class 1 USB. Cost is relatively modest , depends where you are .

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You can use a software bridge. So in effect something you can download on a Windows PC that identifies itself to Roon as a Squeezebox device. It will then forward that to a DNLA destination of your choice, i.e. the Marantz receiver. The software is/was made available by iFi and I have no idea how good support for it is, or even if that support still exists.

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