Hi Benjamin,
I’d like to provide do my bit by adding to this thread what I believe is causing the dropouts. I have been testing endlessly with various variables such as pausing non-system processes unnecessary for Roon to run smoothly; changing the server location to a much newer MacBook Pro with an Apple Silicon M2 chip (my personal on has an Intel i7 chip) with the iFi uno DAC attached and finally, I tested Roon back in my Mac but this time with an app that tames CPU processes on-demand (CPU Tamer).
I insist that the issue is related to high CPU load. I’ve been stuck to my screen monitoring at what points in the playback of any tune the dropouts occur. First conclusion is that there is no specific reason for the CPU load to increase dramatically from say 4% to 97% when no other applications are running. However, without a shadow of a doubt, when the CPU load exceed anywhere between 75% and 80% dropouts occur. No dropouts occur below 75% at all.
The tests I performed on the newer MacBook Pro proved my hypothesis. First, the CPU load did not increase spontaneously from say 5% to 95% - it remained stable all along the tests and no dropouts at all occurred after several hours of playback. Initially, I was convinced that my DAC was faulty, but I disproved that when testing with the M2 chipset Mac.
I used several kinds of cables so as to discard a connectivity issue. Nothing there.
The final test, with the CPU Tamer app, proved my suspicion since Roon worked well with the M2 Mac. My Intel chip Mac is the cause. Lo and behold, displaying the Tamer app, the all-too-common issue of the kernel_task process, the cause of most CPU high load issues, popped up at the top of the high-CPU usage percentage and right below it Roon Server.
The app allows the user to manipulate how each process behaves individually. For example, if I detect that the contacts process is acting up, I can tell the app to stop running that process immediately, run it as a low priority process or limit its activity if it exceeds a user-defined percentage.
I played around with various non-essential processes that were interfering with the CPU load and managed to control the sudden drastic increase in CPU load significantly. The good new is that the dropouts can be controlled but outside Roon, DAC or any other kit attached.
The bad news is that, as I understand it, if after resetting the Mac’s SMC and NVRAM the famous kernel_task process still forces high CPU load and the fans run at 100% continuously, it may well be time to replace the Mac (of course that is what Apple says).
Conclusion: nothing is wrong with Roon’s operation, neither is my overall hardware causing or adding to the issue. Plain and simple, even with a top-notch i7 or i9 Intel Mac, there is a propensity (particularly if it 5 years or older, which I’d imagine most are) for the system processes to become neurotic and operate haphazardly.
My Mac needs to be replaced, without a shadow of a doubt. But in the meantime, the inoffensive CPU Tamer app does the trick, at least I am in control of the dropouts not the other way around.
As a layman in this tech things, I would suggest that Roon look into this and if I’m correct, an article in your knowledge base might help users who are scratching their heads in perplexity wondering why an i7 or i9 Intel chip Mac with 16GB RAM doesn’t perform as it should.
I hope this drop in the bucket helps.
Christian
