Question in the title.
No, a Roon Ready device supports RAAT.
Roon Tested are DAC’s and the likes.
Roon Tested work well but they are not RAAT. I have Meridian Roon Tested and Ready devices. Subtle differences but work great.
For examples of both Roon Tested and Certified Roon Ready devices have a look at …
Note some devices are both Roon Ready and Roon Tested which means they support both RAAT (network connection) and USB connections to Roon.
Yes, I saw that page - my concern is if I use Roon with my Technics SU-G30 - what exactly are the disadvantages of NOT being Roon Ready? I still cannot understand the subtlety here.
How is music streamed from the core to iDevices, for instance? Any performance/SQ loss?
If you wish to stream to the device via ethernet, you really need to get a Certified Roon Ready device, then you know it will:
- Work with Roon using the RAAT protocol
- Be bit perfect and support the highest rate that the device supports
If it is not Roon Ready, then it’s likely that Roon will have to stream to it via Airplay, it’s bit perfect but limited to 44k1 16 bit. Note: Roon does not support DNLA etc.
If you are looking to purchase a new streamer for use with Roon then supporting RAAT should be high on your list of reequipments.
The other thing to note, but may not be important to you, is that Roon can only group zones that use to same protocol … thus a RAAT zone can not be synced with say an Airplay.
There is an alternative of course and that is to use a Roon Tested device and connect it to Roon either:
- Directly via USB
- Using a network bridge device that supports RAAT.
Roon’s Help site, is quite a good reference to explore options …
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Tks, Carl - my SU-G30 will be connected to the iMac (core) via USB. Does that solve the issue and allow me to stream wirelessly with no further limitations?
Roon strongly recommends the machine running the Roon Core (in your this will be the Mac) is hardwired to the LAN.
Networked audio endpoints generally behave better, but hardwiring is still preferred.
That said WiFi to the core can work but it does require a good installation / environment…
Also if you require support the first suggestion you are likely to receive is to hook up the core using an eithernet cable to the switch.
I know all this seems quite restrictively, but once setup it’s quickly forgotten and it’s worth it to have a stable system.
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Sorry, did not understand your last reply.
My connections will be as follows:
Technics DAC/Amp - USB - Mac (core)
Mac (core) - Ethernet - Orbi
Everything else: via Wifi to the Orbi router.
Problems?
Yes but it’s confusing why. First I’ll restate what others have already said:
Roon Ready means the device is a network device that runs RAAT and is certified by Roon Labs under their partner program. This can include network DACs, integrated amps, streamers, etc. The key feature is that you take it out of the box, plug it into your network, turn it on, and enable it in Roon.
Roon Tested is a DAC, without network, that can be plugged into Nucleus (Linux) via USB and it will work without issue with Roon Server or ROCK. The big difference here is that it’s not a network device but is properly recognized via Roon Server when plugged into the server via USB. In this case, the device does not run RAAT because it’s USB connected.
Now, what is the confusing device that gets a yes? A Raspberry Pi Roon Tested Device which runs Roon Bridge. Example: Allo DAC HAT on a Pi running Roon Bridge. This is a Roon Tested device (the HAT) which is running RAAT but is not Roon Ready because you have to put it together yourself and install Roon Bridge. You cannot buy this off the self device because no one can ship Roon Bridge with their device without meeting the Roon Ready requirements and Raspberry Pi usually doesn’t (there are a couple exceptions like the Bryston devices; but those run custom OSs).
If you want to get stranger you can you look at the Mytek Brooklyn Bridge which is both Roon Ready and Roon Tested. That’s because you can use the Brooklyn Bridge without a network card and just as a USB DAC.
Happy listening.
Hi you said …
Which I took to mean the Mac was connected via WiFi not hardwired. Hence my comments on WiFi.
If your Mac is hardwired wired that’s good and one less thing to be concerned with.
For clarity is the Orbi hardwired to your ISP modem, or is it slaved wirelessly of another Orbi (in a mesh or access point extender setup)?
Going back to Roon Ready and RAAT, it will support streaming over the network at whatever signal rates the device supports.
However, if the DAC is connected to the Core via USB then RAAT is not relevant in this context.
Non-Roon Tested USB DAC’s can and do work with with Roon.
Using a Roon Tested USB DAC means just that … Roon have tested so there is less risk of issues.
For completeness
Some Meridian/ Sooloos network streaming devices are Roon Tested and not RAAT, but work perfectly with Roon and do not need Airplay.
The iMac is hardwired to the Orbi satellite, which is wirelessly connecting to the main router downstairs.
But I wouldn’t worry much about it, since the separate backhaul technology used by Orbi is excellent. So with my 500Mbps connection, there is virtually no loss of speed when using Ethernet with that satellite.
Just another question for my understanding: is RAAT ONLY relevant for wireless, then?
RAAT (Roon Advance Audio Transport) is a network protocol, when the Roon core communicates with a Roon Ready network connect DAC or to a Roon Bridge RAAT is used, the underlying physical network technology (e.g. RJ45 ethernet, WiFi, Powerline adaptors, etc.) is just a way to get the data packets from A to B.
That does not mean they are all equal the are pros and cons of course.
Hardwired is the typically the fastest (it is full duplex) and most reliable.
WiFi, less so being slower, half duplex and prone to external interference factors.
I read good reports about the Orbi Mesh system with it’s dedicated backhaul channel (which mostly resolves the half-duplex situation of traditional WiFi) … but I’ve not used one myself.
Just by way of an illustration, In my house, I have the ISP cable modem connect to a Cisco router and then of that I have two Cisco switches (one for each floor) that are linked via fibre.
All the fixed devices hang off those switches and I tend to only use WiFi for mobile devices such as tablets and phones. However, I often use my business laptop at home via WiFi which also has a Roon Core on it and that works just fine.
Ultimate, you will have to setup a system and try it in your environment to judge how well it works … if there are any network connectivity issues can always be resolved … In my case I ran fibre between the floors as a single WiFi access point did not provide whole house coverage … in your case you have Orbi with dedicated backhaul.
Personally I would spend time investigating DAC options, going Roon Ready gives increased flexibility on placement as the Roon Core and DAC do not have be close to each other due to the limitation of USB. However, if your favourite DAC is just Roon Tested, then if needed a Roon Bridge device (ie a RPi. LAN to USB supporting RAAT) could be used to overcome that requirement.
Hope this gives you a better understanding.
Tks again, Carl - as my SU-G30 is already bought and delivered, I am definitely not going to spend more on another DAC/amp. But as you seem to indicate, if the Technics is USB-connected to my iMac (this as Roon core comprising both local content AND TIDAL plus, hopefully, HRA Streaming), there is no problem when I want to use iDevices for connection to Roon and playback on those iDevices.
Again, if the above is true I would have no further questions.
I forgot you already had Technics SU-G30, as some say “it is what it is”…
Is there anything you are still missing … equipment / knowledge in order to just set all this up?
If not just go for it and hopefully enjoy the results.
RAAT is also used when a DAC is connected via USB to a DAC, per this article
Relevant passage -
As in other cases, Roon uses totally confusing terminology. No wonder people are frequently mystified.
To the OP, I see the Technics has a USB-B input. It depends on what the device expects to arrive at this input. If it is looking for input with the form of a file then it won’t work.
If you have the device, try it and see. Report back, please.
Hi @xxx,
Yes that is correct but in the context of this topic (functionality of external devices) that is not relevant and why I omitted it (wood trees etc.).
Yes, very good. The thing is the OP eventually asked whether his USB connected Technics would work.
He got a lot of different replies.
What time is it? Here’s how to build a clock. 
To be fair Slim, if you follow the topic the conversation was lead by the OP’s subsequent follow up questions. So in the interests of being helpful I engaged with him.
That USB-B port on his Technics SU-G30 is a concern mind … I hope it does support USB Audio input (Don’t have time to check it’s spec right now, but will later once able).
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