How can I practically switch from Meridian Sooloos to Roon?

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(I used Sooloos for years, and still use two MS600s and one 818.)

I agree with with @ncpl, @Ratbert, @RBM and @Carl above. The Sooloos gear was revolutionary when it came out and is still good, but it is not top level and certainly not priceworthy today.

For the server, the first point is that Roon works fine on all of them, choose what you are comfortable with. (I use a NUC with Windows 10.) That said, I am getting quite interested in single-purpose systems. I have just ordered a SonicTransporter which is a small box that does only one thing, it’s a music server with Roon (and other servers) pre-installed. It is based on Linux, but you never see that. It is similar to Sooloos in that sense, it is a computer inside but you don’t get involved with that. I like that a lot, I work with computers and have for 40 years, but I don’t want to deal with them at home. I used to run Roon on my regular Windows PC but it is also doing other stuff which interfered, then I got the NUC and use it only for Roon but Windows is still there and has to be managed. My SonicTransporter arrives tomorrow, I am very optimistic.

As for streaming endpoints: part of my optimism comes from having a SonicOrbiter from the same company, a tiny black cube (2"!) with an Ethernet port on one side and a USB port on the other, for $300! Single purpose, nothing to manage. Works great, plugged a DAC into it. And they have now come out with a more upscale version, the MicroRendu. These cost a fraction of an MS600, support higher resolution data. And they are small: the SonicOrbiter and Geek Out USB dongle on my bedside table are smaller than my alarm clock. Small and inexpensive and good. It’s the future.

As for storage, I walked away from using a NAS and simply installed 2 TB SDD in my NUC and now in the SonicTransporter. I don’t know about you, but for some mysterious reason, it has happened during the last ten years that my network is on the fritz. Or that the NAS is busy doing backup, or updating itself, or otherwise not cooperating. And music doesn’t play. I don’t like extra points of failure. So by putting storage in the server, I eliminate that; by using SSD I eliminate the spinning mechanical gadgetry of a hard disk. I still use the NAS for backup, but I also use cloud backup because devices in the house can be stolen or damaged by water or whatever, and today I wouldn’t even do a NAS.

About money: I’m pretty free-spending when I have a reason, but I like the idea of these inexpensive single-purpose devices. With a Sooloos, if something goes wrong you send it off for repair; with a SonicOrbiter, if something goes wrong I throw it away and buy another one, $300 is less than shipping and repair of Sooloos gear.

I think simple, single-purpose devices are the future. I think computer-based audio has no future. Of course the gear is based on computers, but that’s not a meaningful description, so is everything these days. Cars. Toasters. (My wife needed a new sewing machine, and they had the SX8600, but they also had the more upscale SX9000. The difference? The SX9000 had more fonts. Gaah.) Computers are great things, but they should not get in my face. Quietly do your job in the background. General-purpose computer systems like Windows and MacOS and Linux don’t behave like that. But Linux can be turned into such a background system. I think that’s the future.

I just bought a new general purpose computer. I would be pleased if this is my last one.

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If you have a TV in the same room, didn’t deactivate your Smartphone while hearing music and didn’t eliminate all other potential sources of radiation you will not mention any impact.
Only problem could be a ground loop like with any other electrical device. But this is a loud noise, you will hear the first second and which is solved easily.

Optical and Coaxial are both pure digital connection. So no difference.

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[quote=“AE67, post:22, topic:6402”]
Optical and Coaxial are both pure digital connection.
[/quote]Yes but optical converters inherently have high jitter 
 so there is a difference.
(Let not get in the bits are bit debate here)

That said, optical offer galvanic isolation, which could be a plus point.

Bottom line [to the OP] 
 try both and chose the one you like most.

I’m assume you DAC does not support asynchronous USB, if it did I would select that over SPDIF (as it enables the DAC to control the clock not the computer).

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Hello,
thank you all. But I habe one more important question, perhaps most important:
The commercial Roon servers are very expensive such as one dealer in Germany is selling a new 24 kg heavy machine (mostly due to the built in power supply) for 8000€ which not even includes a solid state disk for the music. It also does not include the software!
If buying a “cheap” (in comparison) mini-PC a problem may be that it is not optimized for audio, because one needs at least a mainboard with a good digital audio output

Which model of the mini PC or Roon PC that is also available in Germany do you recommend?
I need a digital output, no DAC.
It should be also relatively good looking and buit in a solid way."

Thank you,

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At the core of Roon’s design lies the possibility for a distributed setup: Roon server can run on a powerful (enough) PC, inaudibly tucked away somewhere out of sight, handing off duties to a small Roon Bridge endpoint near your audio setup – thus separating the noisy PC from your delicate audio signal.

As mentioned above, when S/PDIF out is needed this could be a Pi (with a little DYI handiwork). If you’re not into DYI, the SonicOrbiter @AndersVinberg mentioned is a perfect out-of-the-box solution, offering optical out and full RoonReady goodness (you can select Roon Bridge support through a web browser of mobile app and be done with it).

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I did not understand what “bridge” means. Is there one that is also easily available in Germany?

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Roon Bridge is basically software running on a small device, allowing for transfer of your audio files over your network to your audio endpoint. The SonicOrbiter can ordered in the US and shipped to Germany – it runs Roon Bridge out of the box and offers a network connection and S/PDIF out.

This article from the Knowledge Base may be of interest to you, mainly the parts about Roon’s system architecture and recommendations.

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Thank you, yes, but would this mini PC run on 220Volts?
What type of processor os inside?
Are there alternatives.
What are other devices for Roon bridges?

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The SonicOrbiter is available with a 220V PSU.

A (more expensive) alternative would be the Auralic Aries, which also supports Roon Bridge out-of-the-box and offers USB, S/PDIF coaxial and optical and AES for outputs.

Many other manufacturers are currently in the process of becoming RoonReady – lots of new boxes will be available over the next months.

But for your needs, one of the above will serve you fine.

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@RBM Rene is right.
Note that the SonicOrbiter and MicroRendu are end points, Roon bridges: think network in, USB or optical out. But you also need a server, that’s where I got the SonicTransporter. All of these are designed for audio, special audio hardware, no general purpose computer hardware. $700 together without storage (use you NAS); I paid $1800 for the top of the line with built in 2 TB SSD. 743 grams together.

I have no involvement in these, I just like them. My regular Windows NUC and MS600 worked great too. But I wouldn’t go there today, if I were starting over.

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And what would be the best Sonic component to run the Roon core?
with or without SSD?
2 TB would be enough for me.
Paul

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SonicTransporter is for the fore. It’s the equivalent of a NUC, but specialized for audio. Plus one or more endpoints, can be SonicOrbiter or MicroRendu or Meridian or any number of hifi vendors arriving daily.

Mine arrived yesterday. Woohoo.

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Is this the SonicTransporter audiophileJukebox
http://microjukebox.com/products/audiophile-microjukebox

or this one: SonicTransporter AP 8TB (Roon Server):

and what about this SonicTransporter?
http://microjukebox.com/products/sonictransporter

Which one is the right one for the core?

Paul

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The last one is the SonicTransporter I got for the Roon core:
http://microjukebox.com/products/sonictransporter

And SonicOrbiter SE, the low cost endpoint:
http://microjukebox.com/products/sonicorbiter-se

And MicroRendu, the more advanced endpoint:


(An initial review here)

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A post was split to a new topic: sonicTransporter - Installing other software and USB ports?