DAC no longer showing up in Roon after initial setup (ref#UO0AAI)

What’s happening?

· Something else

How can we help?

· None of the above

Other options

· Other

Describe the issue

DAC is no longer showing up in Roon. I'm trying to connect a Cambridge Audio DAC to the Roon software but it not showing up in the Settings/Audio. I set it up yesterday and used it several hours last night with no problems, but now it's nowhere to be found. The DAC is connected to a PC (which is being used as the remote) by a USB C cable. I added all the files to the Antivirus software, I changed the USB cable and even went to a USB A cable to check the cable and the USB port. All my library shows up in Roon and all the Devices connected on the Network also show up. Just the Device (DAC) connected with USB cable doesn't show. Yesterday when I initially set it up, it was no problem at all. Everything worked just like it should have, and I Enabled it as the Source with no issue. Today nothing, isn't even showing up. I searched the Knowledge and found another issue similar but not the same and had no actual resolution. Please help as I would like to use my new equipment and Roon together. Thanks.

Describe your network setup

Router is not a problem The remote finds Roon fine.

Silly question, the DAC is powered up right now yes?

Hi @LARRY_SLAWSON,

Thank you for your post. I’d verify that the PC is on the same Roon build as your server machine, since there was an update today.

A few more due diligence items to check.

  1. In case you haven’t already, at RAATServer.exe, along with Roon’s other processes, to the Windows Defender firewall. This is different than any third-party antivirus software you mentioned above.

Does this DAC show up in the Windows system audio settings or other apps outside of Roon?

  1. Refresh RAATServer on the PC you’re using.
  • Create a Backup of your current Roon database
  • Exit out of Roon on the PC
  • Navigate to your PC’s Roon Database Location
  • Find the folder that says “Roon” and “RAATServer”
  • Rename “Roon” to “Roon_old” and “RAATServer” to “RAATServer_old”
  • Reinstall Roon from our Downloads Page

Please let us know if this helps.

Yes it is.

  1. The Windows Defender says that it’s “INACTIVE”. It’s Grayed out everywhere and says it’s being controlled by my 3rd party Antivirus Software

  2. The DAC shows up in the Windows system audio settings and in the Device Manager as “Working Properly”

  3. I ’m not sure how to Refresh RAATServer.

  4. I Backed Up the Database to 2 locations. It is set to Backup automatically every 4 days, but I backed it up now.

  5. I exited Roon on the PC.

  6. I did the Renaming and Installed a new copy of Roon. It created a new copy of the Roon Folder but did not create a new copy of the RAATServer folder.

  7. I ran Roon again…No difference. Still does not recognize the DAC.

  8. One other thing. I can go straight to TIDAL instead of going through Roon and the DAC works fine. I don’t know if that helps, but it does prove the DAC is connected correctly and is working.

Shut down your 3rd party antivirus momentarily and see if it works. If it does, you know where the problem is.

I already tried shutting the antivirus off and rebooting the server and remote while it was off. No difference.

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I just tried shutting down my antivirus software and Windows Defender both at the same time and that seems to have fixed the problem. I’ve added what I thought was all of the Roon files to the exceptions list but when I turn on either of the protection software’s, the problem returns. Could someone please send me a list of what needs to be in the exceptions list and where they are located ?

The programs that need “pinholes” through your firewall are:

raatserver.exe
roon.exe
roonappliance.exe

You should be using the Private Profile, not Public. Public has more restrictions.

I added these files to both Windows Defender and my Antivirus and now it shows in the Audio section of Roon. I hit the enable button and it took me to settings which I completed it by putting in the unit that I have. But the enable button is not showing now and when I try to play something I get an error message saying, “Failed to initialize the audio device”. Any suggestions ?

Reboot everything

The enable button goes away if you have enabled it. Then you just do the Device setup.

I rebooted the Roon server and the remote. I’m still getting the same error.

Also add roonbridge.exe to the firewall exceptions

Also download the latest drivers for the DAC

roonappliance.exe is only for headless windows servers, but roonbridge.exe is needed with both the client and server element of Roon.

If this all fails, without uninstalling Roon or deleting your database, download Roon from their website and do a fresh installation over the top of your existing. Double check all four firewall exceptions have been added to the windows firewall. If it were me, I wouldn’t use any other firewalls on Windows if using Roon. That’s just me though.

This has helped me before with similar issues before.

  1. I disabled then enabled and did Device Setup again.
  2. I searched twice and I’m not finding roonbridge.exe. Can you tell me where it’s located ?
  3. I installed the latest drivers for the DAC.
  4. Before reinstalling Roon, I wait to add roonbridge to the exceptions.
  5. I disabled the Firewall and tried it but still got the same error message. “Failed to initialize the audio device”

It is odd that you don’t find roonbridge.exe

From the above link to Roon’s help section it clearly mentions it. Hmm!

If it worked before with Roon, what’s changed? A Roon update by chance?

yes there was a roon update a few days ago. I’ll try reinstalling roon and see if it shows up then.

Just do an install over the top of the existing. Has been successful for me in the past when using Windows.

Something very odd. I tried Roon one final time this morning before reinstalling. I disabled all the current devices that were there. Then after trying to play something, the original DAC device that had worked days ago, but had vanished, showed back up in the list. I selected it and now everything is working again. I wish I knew why that happened, and will it happen again. With no clear resolution to the problem, that is concerning. Anyway, for now it’s good. Thank you for all your help. Hopefully this problem is solved, and I don’t have to Post about it again.

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