Can You Use Mac Mini for a Roon endpoint?

[Greg_Edwards]

Am currently using a Mac Mini to connect to my Exogal DAC running Pure Music. My plan is change to Roon and have another Mac Mini as my Roon Server (upstairs) and if possible use my Mac Mini (in lower floor sign Exogal Dac) as a Roon endpoint if possible. When looking at the Apple App Store I saw a Roon App for the iPad but not for the Mac Mini.

If I can use the Mac Mini as an Roon endpoint, please let me know how this can be accomplished.

I trying to get my endpoints inline before trying Roon. Just want to have the maximum time to try Roon when I do the 30 day trail period. I have been been very please with the quickness of Roon answering my questions (thank you). When using Sonos and Pure Music, I have been able to call and obtain help. Sonos customer support has been excellent. I am assuming the customer support through Roon is done via email or through Roon support over the internet. If you have serious issues is it possible to call Roon (do you have customer support in the US or is it in Europe?)? My thought at this time is to purchase the $500 membership. Your reviews have been outstanding from the audiophile community. Just hate to spend $500 and cannot get the system up and running. I assume I will have some issues initially as I get the system setup. I plan to have 6 Roon endpoints.

Thanks again for your help. I look forward to hearing from you.

Greg Edwards
[Personal info removed by support]

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)

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Description Of Issue

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[noris]

Hi @Greg_Edwards,

Thanks for reaching out to us here, I’d be happy to answer your questions.

@Greg_Edwards

My plan is change to Roon and have another Mac Mini as my Roon Server (upstairs) and if possible use my Mac Mini (in lower floor sign Exogal Dac) as a Roon endpoint if possible.

Yes, this is certainly possible. When you install the Roon app on your Mac Mini, you have the option of using the Mac Mini as a full Roon Core, or the option of selecting another Core to connect to. There is no specific App available because the “All-in-one” Roon app can act as as both a Core and as just a remote for other Cores.

If you have accidentally set it up as a full Roon Core, you can always connect to another Core by going into Roon Settings -> General -> Disconnect and selecting your Roon Server from the Core list. You can only have one Core per Roon license, but you can have as many Roon Remotes as you wish connected to that one Core.

When the Mac Mini is running as a client, any devices you connect to it should pop up in the Roon Settings -> Audio tab and you will be able to configure them there.

Alternatively, you can also install
RoonBridge on the Mac Mini (just to provide access to the audio devices attached to the Mac Mini - but do note that this has no interface).

@Greg_Edwards

I am assuming the customer support through Roon is done via email or through Roon support over the internet. If you have serious issues is it possible to call Roon (do you have customer support in the US or is it in Europe?)?

Unfortunately, we do not offer phone support at this time, but we would be more than happy to assist you with issues here on the community website. I should note that for us to see your replies, you will have to respond to directly on threads via our community website, for example here is the link to your thread (if you are getting this reply as an email: Can You Use Mac Mini for a Roon endpoint?).

When we resolve issues on community, it ensures that all the information is in one place and we can have QA, technical staff and devs review the threads as appropriate. The Support category is definitely the best place to get any questions answered and it is routinely checked by myself and other support staff, as well as community members who can weigh in on issues when needed.

I hope this answers your questions, but if you have any others do let me know!

P.S. - I hid your email address as sometimes the forum is monitored by spammers, and I didn’t want your personal email address to become part of their spam list.

[Greg_Edwards]

Noris thanks for the your help and response to my questions. Your comments were great. Thanks for the quick response.

Greg

[wizardofoz (Mr Fix It aka The Wiz)]

Do note that RoonBridge and remote style Roon client have minimal system spec requirements, but the Core Mac should meet or ideally well exceed minimum specs for your best Roon experience.

even an old 2010 MacMini is fine for RoonBridge but will not work well for Roon Core

Roon Server and Remote specification recommendations

Suggested hardware

It feels like the answer to most “will it work?” questions is going to be “It’ll work, but it won’t be as good as it could be”, because lets be honest, no-one is going to wonder whether a Mac Pro works flawlessly or not. I want to expand a little bit more to help you guys understand where the tradeoffs are so you can make good hardware decisions. As we’ve said above, Roon will run on just about anything vaguely recent. How much hardware you need to get an impeccable experience depends on how yo…

[Greg_Edwards]

Right now I am using the mac mini with Exogal DAC via USB and playing music with Pure Music. My plan was to use this setup now as a room endpoint (core will be with another mac mini in another room). Any better suggestions than running the mac mini as the endpoint for the Exogal? I assume that the SQ would be the same either with current setup and planned set with Roon. Thanks the help.

Greg