Looking for suggestions to improve large library performance issues

Roon Software Discussion
1

I have 500,000+ songs in my library using a Nucleus+ with 32GB of memory with the files in a 4TB SSD and a 12 TB external drive.
The performance of roon has gradually been deteriorating and slowing down.
Can anyone help suggest ways to reverse this trend?

2

The way to get around this issue is to replace the Nucleus with something with greater power.

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3

A reboot not helping to make it snappier?

4

Sometimes a reboot helps until it slows down again

5

What would you recommend?

6

A M-ITX based board can allow for the more powerful processors to be used while remaining small. I built one when gen 8 processors were new and it runs ROCK just fine. It isn’t restricted by the power and heat limitations of a NUC despite being completely passive. It was an exercise in building a Roon server for Nucleus money but with superior performance so it has spurious bits like an audiophile network card. It was a success but the power was overkill for my modest collection and I went back to an 7th gen i7 NUC. The MOCK thread might be a good place to ask, and there is of course Uwe’s thread Evaluation of a Roon launch with millions of music titles
He might be a decent point of reference getting a Roon Server working with a massive collection.

7

That’s what I did, using an ASUS H310i-Plus R2.0 motherboard with 16 GB RAM and a Core i5-8600K processor in a HDPlex case. Fanless, silent, and runs totally stable under Ubuntu server. At the moment about 225.000 tracks in database, with RAM use hovering around 5-6 GB.

8

FWIW: I have a fanless core i7 NUC (10th gen) running ROCK on 256 GB SSD and 16 GB RAM. My music library (583,000 tracks / 31,100 albums) runs on a Synology NAS (DS1819+, 8x 18TB). I have no speed or performance issues. Everything is connected via ethernet and ‘regular’ GB switches (a well-known audio science forum debunked so-called audiophile network switches for me and I never looked back). The NUC acts as a server only, feeding a Grimm MU1 as the renderer.

9

Hi Henry,

Thanks for sharing details about your set-up and suggestions. I’m not sure If I want to go through the hassle and expense of a new server, but the Roon search function on my 3 computers is frustrating, strangely searching on my phone and Ipad is a lot faster.

10

Hi Andreas,
Thanks for sharing details about your set-up and suggestions. I’m not sure If I want to go through the hassle and expense of a new server, but the Roon search function on my 3 computers is frustrating, strangely searching on my phone and Ipad is a lot faster.

11

Hi Patrick,

The Grimm sounds interesting, I have a Naim Unity Atom in my music room and a Blusound in the lounge served by the Nucleus.

Thanks for sharing details about your set-up and suggestions. I’m not sure If I want to go through the hassle and expense of a new server, but the Roon search function on my 3 computers is frustrating, strangely searching on my phone and Ipad is a lot faster.

12

@Paul_Elliott If all suggestions from this forum are followed (no IPv6, Google DNS, wired, virus scanner, VPN, reboot, workaround XYZ…) it does not mean new computer, server, NAS or other hardware, but wait for Roon release 1.8 build >952.

I also estimate that your device can do more than it has loaded. The program code is getting better and the problems are gone!

Unfortunately with patience, because we only unsettle the team with aggression, anger, impatience…

At least one alternative without Roon should always be installed in the house. This way you stay more relaxed and who can’t/won’t do that may get angry about the problems of the competitors. Fortunately, they rarely occur at the same time.

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Hi Paul,

This seems to indicate that your performance problems might not be server-related. There have been many recent reports on this forum about malfunctioning remotes and broken search function. So maybe at this point I’d just sit tight and look forward to some new builds which hopefully may remedy those problems.

But if and when you reach the conclusion that with your large library a new computer setup is needed, with a little effort and maybe some help by a geeky friend a very well-performing machine can be put together for less than the cost of a Nucleus. Anyway, let’s just hope you get this sorted out without need to incur in new expenses.

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That right there. My NUC cost 40% of the Nucleus + and I have had ROCK solid (pun intended) performance from it.

15

And a PC purpose built with top of the line parts is what I use.

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16

That for a very large library will be the best bet…

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Thanks, it would be useful to have a backup without having to pay Nucleus prices.

18

Try aRock with a multi core CPU. In particular I have recently configured a Ryzen 5600g (8 cores, 16 treads) supporting 200,000 tracks with seamless library interface and superior sound to a Nucleus+…

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Can you say anything about why the Nucleus is slowing down with time (I’m assuming you mean with use)?

What is the size of the Nucleus’s internal drive? Is it filling up as you use Roon? Is there sufficient free space, for example?

20

Hi,

Thanks for replying.

Search times vary, it took 8 minutes on my mac mini to complete a search for Beatles. On my Ipad the same search took a few seconds.When switching to another track it takes a few minutes to show that track is playing.

I have a 4TB SSD and a 10TB External drive plugged into the Nucleus+ for my music library with 500,000+ songs.

I’ve upped the Nucleus+ memory to 32 Mbs of ram.

I have background audio analysis speed and On-demand audio analysis speed both off, do you know if this is the best practice for me?

Cheers