HI @scolley,
Roon Ready has always exclusively referred to the networked audio feature.
-John
Wow. I just missed that distinction. So the original Roon Ready devices were ONLY network devices. Interesting.
Thank you.
Hi Steve,
If you remember, Roon did not use RAAT when it was initially released, is was UDP, I believe, but, might not be. RAAT was added in … 1.2?..(scrambles to check)…aha my memory is still doing okay! 
See below:
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You sure Dan? UDP is just a network layer transport like TCP it’s not a streaming protocol. They switched it from UDP to use TCP for more stability.
LOL, well, I did use the quibble words, “I believe”. You are right about dropping UDP in the switch to TCP. It may be that the pre-RAAT protocol was never mentioned? Now I will have to do some research.
It does say they moved all aspects of streaming to use RAAT at that point though so yeah no idea what they used before. It does say Roon Ready was already using RAAT though.
I do remember something like that, though details are fuzzy. Though I know that UDP was in the mix somewhere. I recall grumbling about it.Thank you Dan.
And I also find the statement above fairly interesting. From that statement, when RAAT came out in v1.2, there were ALREADY Roon Ready devices. John stated above that any such devices were all networked devices, and always have been.
As I recall the term “Roon Tested” came out a good while after “Roon Ready” had been in place for a while. So prior to us having Roon Tested, what were all those approved-by-Roon USB DACs called if they weren’t Roon Ready? I’m asking - of course - because if I were asked, I’d say they were called Roon Ready. But that memory - possibly incorrect - contradicts what @john has said.
They more than likely had no definition at all as ir wasn’t necessary. No usb device has to be tested to work in Roon. Plenty dacs, AirPlay and Chromecast that are not Roon tested and work the same. I am finding hard to work out why you think they where Roon Ready when their is no documented evidence and John has already confirmed it’s for networked devices only. It even talks about In that article that usb and Roon bridge etc now use RAAT like Roon Ready devices not that they are Roon Ready devices.
As I recall the term “Roon Tested” came out a good while after “Roon Ready” had been in place for a while. So prior to us having Roon Tested, what were all those approved-by-Roon USB DACs called if they weren’t Roon Ready? I’m asking - of course - because if I were asked, I’d say they were called Roon Ready. But that memory - possibly incorrect - contradicts what @john has said.
To the best of my knowledge, Roon has never referred to USB audio devices as “Roon Ready”. I can say this with certainty since I joined in early 2018.
To the best of my search capabilities, the first mention of RAAT and Roon Ready came in October of 2015:
I believe that the “RoonSpeakers” software app became what we know as “Roon Bridge” today.
Yep, it was originally RoonSpeakers; thanks for the memory jog.
Thanks John for the clarification. So what were devices tested by Roon called at that time called? I ask because I know Roon kept a list AND even though any USB should theoretically work, all did not initially, and testing was done on USB devices to ensure they worked.
So unless my memory of such is completely wrong, what did we call those tested USB devices?
Thanks.
@john thanks for the detailed info and the trip down memory lane…great thread!!! One for the FAQ
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Then this Roon Ready device is behaving in a compliant manner for this aspect.
As explained by multiple posts above, Roon Ready = RAAT over network.
The limitation you found with USB does not affect Roon Ready (network).
If the device supports volume control with its native network playback, then Roon Ready requires it to support volume control over RAAT over network. This is known as feature parity requirement of Roon Ready.
If only if the device supports RAAT over network. USB is irrelevant.
No.
In a more complex configuration, you may have a network RAAT device that outputs USB (e.g. Pi or another computer doing a Roon Bridge), then USB input to the DAC.
In this case, the USB DAC is not functioning as a Roon Ready device.
Since you’ve got Roon Ready over network, why would you use USB when playing Roon?
Roon Ready only concerns RAAT over network.
USB input is irrelevant.
To my knowledge, Roon Tested (not Roon Ready) can cover inputs like USB, SPDIF, AirPlay, Chromecast, HDMI, or certain Roon blessed proprietary network protocols where RAAT cannot be done.
On the subject of UDP vs TCP:
Prior to June 2017 RAAT was based on UDP. Since Build 234 Roon redesigned RAAT to use TCP. See
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Because my DAC supports higher resolution files over USB, vs. Ethernet or any other input.
That answers the state of affairs now, as has been previously posted here. I’d like to know what all the USB DAC’s, tested by Roon, were called initially. It may well have been Roon Ready. I know John says “No”, but he also indicated that he’s going by memory and he’s only been with Roon since 2018. I’m curious as to what those devices were called in 2015.
Maybe you can use the Wayback Machine to look up product webpages from back then?
http://web.archive.org/
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So never Roon Ready for USB, I hope this matter is now put to bed.
I does for me. Thank you. That’s what I wanted to see. A little surprised. But it all adds up.
Thanks.
So, if I connect a “Roon Ready” streamer to a different DAC, one that is not Roon Tested, when using Roon, can my streamer still be considered “Roon Ready”? Does it matter?
As I read that back it looks like a dumb question. OK it probably is, but I’m left wondering. Does “Roon Ready” imply a one-device solution?
As far as I know, Roon Ready applies to streamers, not DAC’s. It’s the streamer that is attached to your network.
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