iPad to Roon (DAC)

Is it possible to play to the Roon server from my iPad. Roon output is via USB to my DAC.

  • Rich

Not entirely sure I’ve understood your question. You can use an iPad or iPhone as a Roon endpoint (bridge) and connect some USB DACs. You’ll need the Apple Lightning to Camera Adapter and a supported DAC, e.g. Chord Mojo, AudioQuest Dragonfly Red, but not the Dragonfly 1.2. Roon won’t ‘see’ the DAC only the iOS device.

Some DACs will work, but the iPad Pro’s with USB-C have some USB issues with DACs and some DACs will need to be used powered connections, ie a charger powering the adapter.

There are times when my kids and I want to stream from the iPad to my HT system. The iPad can Airplay to a support devices. Roon in running on a PC USB connected to the Oppo UPD-205. If I could Airplay to Roon then that would work.

Direct connection from the iPad to the Oppo is less convenient but I would do that by the iPad is not recognizing the 205. The iPad does recognize the Sonica DAC but I am thinking of removing that since it is not used for any other purpose.

  • Rich

If its any help

I use an iPad Mini with the Apple Camera Kit to Audioquest Dragonfly RED , a new one with lower current consumption (the older versions draw more than Apple’s allowed current and you get an error message saying so)

I have also streamed Airplay to my Cambridge Audio CXN with no issues

I wanted to chime in being that I’m new (like as of today) and currently using a MacBook Pro as main - what day are you pushing with your iPad Pro?

I couldn’t believe it when I tried and it worked as it wasn’t OG advertised for it but the Apogee GROOVE works Captain Marvels with that bad boy Pro.

They (apogee) even sell a micro USB to USBC cable now.

I have a Fiio Q5 which amp modules you can swap out for diff ohm cans, and did use that but can’t get past the sheer convenience of the Groove wit da Pad, y).

May I ask what you use?

Roon is not an airplay receiver so you cant send to the core via Airplay from other devices but it can send via airplay to endpoints. The core serves devices not the other way round. You need an airplay device in you HT for this to work.

That is what I expected.
Thanks.

  • Rich

I have tried to find an answer to this but is there any way using Roon to play a song on youtube on my iPad and listen to it through my Hifi speakers. I might be dreaming but I thought I had done this in the past.

Hi Justin,
I’d been using my iPad Pro hooked up to a Topping MX5 - my DAC/Amp - as a Roon endpoint very successfully. I recently bought a regular iPad 9th gen to free my iPad Pro up - it’s my bedroom tv normally. I’ve just realised the 9th gen has a headphone jack. So now I’m trying to MacGyver a solution that gets audio from the 3.5mm jack to the USB B jack on my MX5. I’m sure I’ll get there, but I was prepared for the audio over Apple Lightning situation. A headphone jack on an Apple device? Who’d have thought?
P.S. D’oh! Sorry about that. If you connect your iPad to your DAC and your DAC to your amp you’ll be able to play your YouTube audio from it, but Roon and YouTube don’t play together.