Is one iPad better than another for controlling Roon?

I have an older 5th generation basic iPad that I use exclusively to control Roon on my main system. I’ve been thinking about pulling the trigger on a newer model but I’m not sure which one would be best for my needs. I really like the idea of having face recognition which is currently only available on the two iPad Pro models (10 inch and 12.9 inch).

Have any of you upgraded your iPad recently and did you notice any improvements in Roon’s interface performance when you did?

FYI, I’m only interested in an iPad tablets for this purpose because I’ve been using Apple products since 1996 and I don’t have any plans to switch.

Thanks for your input.

I have an iPad Pro - which is great for Roon. I also use it for a multiplicity of other uses. An iPad Pro is an expensive proposition if it is only going to be used for Roon!

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I was in your situation late in 2020 my 4th Gen Ipad battery died eventually so I treated myself to an iPad Pro 12.9 (My excuse was a BIG Birthday)

The speed difference is startling as you would expect 6-7 years of processor updates. The screen is simply amazing . Think about reading a magazine , I use it for books and mags too.

There’s always BUT , if you plan to use it for anything other than armchair browsing of Roon its a BIG thing to carry around, consider it a laptop not a stick in your handbag iPad

Mine never leaves the house and for Roon I wouldn’t swap it ,

I got the basic 128 G WiFi only as 3-4G would have been a waste as it effectively not mobile

I am totally happy with that decision :grinning:

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I’ve been using iPad mainly but found a cheap Samsung galaxy tab works perfectly well

I went from a 3rd gen iPad (that would not run Roon) to a 1st Gen iPad Pro 12.9. I dont have a laptop so it got used for everything. I only ever used it in landscape for Roon and for me it was the perfect size for sitting on my lap. I don’t have big hands so using it in portrait mode is a bit unwieldy but not uncomfortable for short amounts of time.

It was destroyed earlier this year when my son crushed it whilst it was in my bag under a cushion on the sofa. It was replaced by my insurance company for a 4th gen 12.9, I take it everywhere and dont find it too big at all, in fact I’d hate to have anything smaller. As for performance between the 1st gen and 4th gen whilst using Roon, I dont know that I can see any difference but then the 1st gen Pro was pretty fast anyway.

I’m hoping that this one will be good for at least six years.

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I recently upgraded my iPad Pro 11inch (2018 model) to the latest M1 iPad Pro 11inch. While the high performance means apps load even quicker, I noticed no particular improvement in the Roon app. Its responsiveness seems to rely more on your Wifi connection and the performance of your Core.
That said, any recent iPad, including the Pro, is a great way to browse your collection.

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If you are one that likes to peruse album art and read liner notes, then the larger the better IMHO. I use a 12.9" iPad pro and it’s just about big enough. If Roon would allow zoom on the images it would be even better. I’ve heard that Apple are considering an even bigger iPad, so that might be better still.

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Beware the OpenGL 3.0 requirement of Roon, check before buying.

Not all Samsung tablets support V3, eg my Samsung Tab A 6 in doesn’t run Roon Remote

Thanks everyone. I was on the fence with regard to the 10 inch vs. the 12.9 inch but now after reading about your experiences, I’m leaning towards the larger model.

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Totally with you. I bought my big pro just for roon and all things music related.

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The only thing to be aware of Steve, is if you purchase the magic keyboard, which I have, Roon does not work witht the touch pad. This is frustrating when you are used to using swipe and touch gestures and then need to raise your hands to touch the screen.

Hopefully one day Roon will support the touch pad (but personally I dont believe it will happen anytime soon as I am sure there are plenty of other priorities for Roon).

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I doubt that one newer iPad is particularly better than another for Roon app use. I use a two year old iPad Air (4th Gen, I think…) and it suits me - not too small, not too large…

I figure as long as you stick with one of the newer models, any of the iPads will perform very well with the Roon app.

While you’re looking into your hardware, make sure that you have a very robust Wi-fi into the area in which you’ll be using the iPad as a Roon remote controller as the last thing you want to experience is a drop-out when you’re attempting to select music. One iPad or another, great Wi-fi is essential…

Happy Listening!
Lon

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Thanks, I think I’m good on WiFi. My router is connected via cable to my Nucleus and they’re both in the same room.

Sounds good - I’m a big fan of Ethernet v. Wi-fi. If possible, I suggest you keep some distance between your Nucleus and the downstream playback analog equipment (to help avoid the EMI nasties from the computer leaking into your playback)…Especially if the Nucleus is in the same “stack” as the analog equipment, I’d also recommend the use of shielded power cable to the Nucleus (probably also with a fairly hefty Ferrite core) - all things equal, this should reduce the noise floor quite nicely. But, I’m rambling on about something you’ve not inquired about…

Best regards,
Lon

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I’m using an iPad Mini (5th Generation). The small size makes it easy to handle but it is large enough for a decent display. I also run my Harmony Remote on it putting full control of my system at my finger tips.

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Thanks, but I’m all digital these days and I haven’t looked back. :slightly_smiling_face:

My main Roon endpoint is controlled by a 5th gen (2017) 9.7-inch iPad without complaint. It’s dedicated to Roon so I have very few other apps on it. But like @Thomas_Mauceri, I also run the Harmony hub app on it, so all controls are centralized.

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Thanks @Thomas_Mauceri and @wkimbel87 , I guess I need to find out more about this Harmony app. It has probably been mentioned in other threads here but somehow I’ve missed those discussions.

To use the iOS Harmony app you need to have a hub-based Harmony remote. Keep in mind that Logitech has discontinued the Harmony remote line (but full support will continue for the foreseeable future) so if you want to move in that direction, pick up one while you can!

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Me, too, Steve! And, with hi-rez files I see no need to look back for any reason!

What I actually meant was your preamp, amplifier and speakers, after the digital music signal has been converted to analog - that signal can carry with it EMI from the Nucleus (and the router), even as it has been optimized for use in stereo systems. That’s what I was referring to…(I wound up putting my music server in our LAN switch closet with our modem/router and the signal is carried via Cat6 cable into my listening area with the rest of the sound system…I try to keep the audio equipment as physically separated from digital signal artifacts as possible.)

Happy Listening!
Lon

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