Well, yes. In fact, your Roon Core should be connected to your network via Ethernet. Endpoints can be connected via WiFi, is it is inconvenient to connect them via Ethernet.
If you had a Roon-Ready receiver, you could connect it to your network (Ethernet or WiFi) and play from your core or any control device to it. But your Onkyo is not Roon-Ready. I have been looking on the web for more device info, and it seems that it doesn’t support digital input by USB, either. Only Coax and Toslink (S/PDIF) up to 96/24. The USB port on the from is to connect USB thumb drives or similar mass storage devices, to play files.
Once more, if I had to set up your hardware, I’d try which of the two available DAC’s provide better sound—the DAC in your receiver, or your Topping D10. You can connect your MacBook via Toslink to your receiver and configure Roon for max. 96/24 output. And you can output from your MacBook via USB to the Topping, and from there to the analog line in on the receiver. Test both setups and decide which sounds better to your ears.
Once again thanks Andreas!!
I have never thought of it before when I have used Audirvana, I have played both DSD and 24/192 and even with the MacBook connected with Wi-Fi Audirvana has still used the upnp “mode” and therefore been able to play higher res-files on the Onkyo.
So now I know that I’m limited to 24/96 if I wanna use Roon so there’s actually no need to buy any new dac’s or other gear except a new Roon ready receiver.
If you have a Roon ready receiver, how does the MacBook stream the signal to the receiver, is it by wifi or ethernet?
I am myself of a more conservative mindset. For a 2-channel stereo setup, I would choose a good DAC and connect it to a Raspberry4-based endpoint. From the DAC’s analogue output then to an amplifier selected for working well with my speakers. I would consider a receiver only as the brains of a home theater setup.
I understand, I’m also interested only in stereo amplifiers but my Onkyo will not be an option in a Roon “ecosystem” unless it’s analog inputs support higher resolutions and I doubt it will.
Well I can settle with 24/96 and that would also be “ok”
Sorry for being such a noob but if I buy the Topping dac and connect it with its analog outputs to the Onkyo and play a 24/192 file, will the Onkyo let the signal pass through untouched as a “ 24/192” signal?
If you buy a DAC that is able to process a 192/24 signal, the output of this DAC will be analog. There is no more bit depth or sampling frequency. You connect it to an analog input of your receiver and should be fine.
