· Hi, I like to think I'm reasonably intelligent but I cannot figure out from all of the materials and videos on the website how and whether your system would work with the equipment and services I am currently using. Is there a human that I can speak with to try and get these answers?
I was looking at a Roon Nucleus Titan but it is a lot of money to spend not knowing whether it will work for me.
Tell us about your home network
· I have a sonos system, a separate streaming amplifier and speakers, and an external hard drive running off of a PC with music files that I access
We’d be happy to discuss how the Titan can suit your existing setup.
If you’re able to share the model names for the streamer and speakers you mentioned in your setup, we can identify the specific protocols with which you can connect to Roon.
Provided your Windows system meets the minimum software requirements (most do), it’s no problem to use that machine for music storage and as a Roon Remote. You can even install Roon Server on your PC in the meantime to get a feel for the software while you decide whether the Titan is right for you.
Roon works with Sonos using both Airplay2 and the proprietary Sonos protocol. Spotify and Pandora aren’t integrated into Roon at this time, but you can certainly add TuneIn URLs indirectly as Live Radio streams in Roon.
Please let us know any specific questions and we’ll work from there. Thank you!
Thank you for the quick response. Am I correct in assuming that the services I am accessing now through Sonos will not be available under Roon? As an example, Spotify and Pandora work currently through Sonos.
I am have an Advance Paris MyConnect 250 with Dahlquist DQ10 speakers and JBL PB150 subwoofers that is not on the Sonos system.
I am also using three separate Sonos amps with another pair of Dahlquist DQ-10’s, and two separate pairs of Polk Atrium speakers.
Currently, the only streaming services available in Roon–which is a very different experience to the Sonos app, with its deep metadata integration, creating a virtual digital library–are as follows:
Welcome to the community! There is a lot of information to digest, so let’s break down exactly how your specific gear and services will interact with Roon.
To answer your first question directly: Yes, you are correct. Spotify and Pandora are not integrated into Roon. If you rely heavily on those two services, you would need to continue using the Sonos app or Spotify Connect outside of Roon to listen to them. Roon’s streaming integrations are currently limited to TIDAL, Qobuz, and KKBOX. Roon is designed primarily to create a rich, unified library from your local music files (like the ones on your external hard drive) and high-resolution streaming services.
Here is how your hardware fits into the picture:
Your Sonos System: Roon works very well with Sonos! Roon will see your Sonos amps and speakers over your network and can stream to them using both AirPlay and Sonos’s native streaming protocol.
Advance Paris MyConnect 250: This unit is not natively “Roon Ready” over the network. However, it is a highly capable device that includes a dedicated USB-B (DAC) input on the back panel. To get the absolute best sound quality out of this system and your Dahlquist DQ10s, you would connect the Advance Paris directly to the Roon Core (whether that is your PC or a Nucleus Titan) using a standard USB cable.
Understanding it correctly, it would be a “parallel” system. If I install Roon, buy a Nucleus Titan, I can use Roon to access Qobuz and my music files and play through my Sonos speakers, but continue to use Sonos to access Spotify and Pandora and play them through Sonos speakers and my DQ-10’s as I do now. Is this right?
That is exactly right! Roon and Sonos would run in parallel - Roon handles Qobuz and your local files, Sonos app handles Spotify and Pandora. Both can play through the same Sonos speakers without any conflict.
Here is more information about Roon - Sonos integration.