Probably a stupid question, but I want to connect my Mac Mini M1 Roon Core to my router via ethernet. I spent the whole day getting a cable from my gear down to our basement. Verizon’s cable comes into the house and is screwed into the Verizon Router, then an ethernet cable goes from the LAN1 Port on the Verizon Router to the Internet Port on Orbi Router. The Orber Router also has ethernet ports. …To which do I connect the Mac Mini Roon Core - one of the Verizon ethernet ports or one of the Orbi’s?
Is your Orbi router set to be a router or is it in bridge mode? If the Orbi is a router and is serving all of your home WiFi, then connect the Core to your Orbi. If the Orbi is in bridge mode then it does not matter if your Core is connected to either device, but the FiOS router may be best. Is your Orbi connected to the FiOS router via Ethernet cable or via WiFi?
Unfortunately, I don’t know if the Orbi is set to Bridge Mode, but I know that the Orbi is connected via its “Internet” port to the Verizon’s LAN1 port. …I also know that if I connect the Mac Mini Core directly to the Verzion Router (LAN2), I lose my connection to Tidal.
Ugh… I decided to connect my Core directly via ethernet because I’m getting tons of drop-outs when Tidal is set to Master setting. …When this happens the blue light on my DacMagic 200M flickers. So frustrating. …I suppose I could keep tidal set to HiFi, but that defeats the purpose of having an MQA compatible DAC.
Unfortunately, not… I have the Core connected via ethernet directly into one of the ethernet inputs of the Orbi router and the dropouts in Tidal Master mode continue. …Can barely make it through a single song. And the dropouts are there when I connect directly to the Verizon LAN2 port. Ugh!! Frustrating. I spend the day in crawlspaces, etc… getting a brand-new ethernet cable from these routers to my Mac.
How is WiFi set up? Is it being served by both the FiOS and Orbi routers? Can you provide any information on the IP addresses of your FiOS router, the Orbi router(s) and your Roon Core?
Actually… I’m now thinking it has something to do w/ my DacMagic. …Which, when set as shown, causes dropouts. …But when I switch it to No MQA Support, the dropouts stop…
Haven’t used USB output from my Mac mini, so others will be better placed - but could there be some issue with the audio output settings on your Mac’s USB port (under Audio MIDI Setup)?
This is also for me. Also with the zen dac v2 and 200M. Mqa + Roon + M1 Mac + USB dac connected to m1 core = shutterings. I get no shuttering with my old iMac. I get no shutterings with m1 tidal app. I get no shuttering using a bridge. Never found a cure
You can read on:
Sorry to hear you’re having similar issues. …I guess I’ll have to content myself w/ non-MQA for now.
Roon, when working properly, is an amazing application. But the amount of tinkering needed to get it working properly is more than most people can contend with. Once people start recommending going into router settings, etc. as a solution to a basic functioning issue like MQA dropouts, etc… I edge closer and closer to just bailing on it. But I won’t. …Not for now anyway. I guess I keep hoping that the next software update will solve all this issues and make it turnkey.
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kneville
(I hear you are singing a song of the past)
15
I have a very similar setup to yours @ODS in terms of networking equipment. My ISP is Verizon, I use a Netgear Orbi in bridge/AP mode for my wifi. My core is a Mac mini, though an Intel Mac rather than an M1. I have a USB dac (Schiit Gungnir multibit) connected to my laptop which I used as a remote via wifi and I only have very rare issues with stuttering or dropouts. My core is connected to the Verizon router. I think I recall experimenting with both and this is the setup that worked. An occasional reboot of the router and Orbi keep everything working pretty smoothly for me.
I realize that doesn’t provide you with any actionable info, but it’s another data point in any case! Good luck, hope you get it sorted.
TBH sounds like it might be an issue with the DACMagic USB input not talking well to Macs with Apple silicon. Can you stream to it from Roon over wifi rather than via USB - that might help narrow down the source of the issue?
Thx Rock, …you could well be correct that it’s more an issue w/ the DacMagic. …But before buying it I saw that it was “Roon tested”… …Which to my thinking meant it was a simple “connect it and enjoy it” process. …And yes, I can stream it via wifi to one of my remote zones. …But then it’s lower SQ. …So yes, it may be the CA DAC Magic that is the issue. …But then why did Roon give it a thumbs up?
The threads here on Roonlabs are filled w/ all sorts of complex remedies involving writing macros (forgive me if the term is wrong), tweaking router settings, etc… But a great many of us are not knowledgeable (or sufficiently interested) enough to do all of that… I LOVE what Roon purports to do, I only wish it did it w/out requiring having a computer science degree
Welll, Roon sells it through their online store so that seems like a pretty firm endorsement of its compatibility. Still, I’m happy with it. But I do hope work is underway to reduce glitches.
Thank you for your patience in awaiting a response from Roon support.
I had to do a LOT of reading and research to come to any conclusions but here’s what I found.
There are reports that this issue only manifests with Tidal MQA according to many reports. I can see that you have a Tidal account associated with your Roon so that might be relevant. I might suggest (just for testing’s sake) trying Qobuz and see if the problem disappears. If for nothing else, the process of elimination.
This was a suggestion on one of the Bluesound message boards for people who had issues with the DacMagic 200m. Hopefully, it’s this simple!
“I have this problem too. On the rear panel of dacmagic is switch to disable ground on USB. It help me avoid this problem with dropouts with USB connnection. Try it. There is probably some noise over ground USB cable from node.”
