Monolith by Monoprice Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC and Roon

Roon Software Discussion
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I bought a “Monolith by Monoprice Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC”…

Product page: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24459

Terrible model name, I know, but it appears to be a nice piece. It features Dual AKM 4493 DACs

With TIDAL, it works fine. With Roon, I don’t think it recognizes it.

My Roon core is on a QNAP NAS.

The Monolith DAC I am trying to get to work is plugged into a Windows 10 PC via USB.

The PC in question has the Roon app installed, and is hardwired to the network and can see the core.

Wondering if this is a piece where Roon will need some updates to recognize it, if if I need to do something on my end? I installed the XMOS Stereo USB drivers from the Monoprice website.

Here is what I see in Roon:

(https://images52.fotki.com/v1639/photos/6/743956/8034532/Roon-vi.png)

Roon
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1 Like
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Is device connected directly to your Core? You didn’t specify.

If networked the device isn’t Roon Ready so what are you using to feed it?

@support will want to know the topology of your system.

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Thanks, Slim…good point. I edited the original post with the details.

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As a test try turning off all firewalls on the PC the DAC is plugged into.

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I tried that, Rugby…unfortunately I had no luck…it still does not show my DAC as an option. My router is 192.168.5.1
The PC I am trying to get to work has an IP of 192.168.5.119 on the network.
NAS with Roon core is 192.168.5.148.
My home theater has a Pro-Ject Pre-Box S2 digital that works great on another PC - that is the Networked PC IP address you see in my above screenshot (192.168.5.153).

I almost feel like its a DAC driver issue.

6

I fixed it!

Thanks, Rugby…your firewall comment made me think to un-install and then re-install Roon, and I made sure to allow the firewall settings to communicate with both private and public networks and then the Monoprice unit appeared.

I hope that feedback helps others.

Here is what it looks like now:

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Thanks to all who helped!

Shane

2 Likes
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Glad it’s going. Enjoy the music !:grinning:

I’d love to hear what you think of the monoprice kit.

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It’s great so far! VERY clean; plenty of power on the balanced output for my Mr. Speaker Ether CX closed planar magnetic cans.

I had to do a firmware update right away to fix a DIRAC issue where the bass was killed if I used the RCA inputs, but now its fixed. I’m using the USB input now from the Roon equipped PC. As mentioned above, I also had to install the Windows drivers on the PC to get it to see the DAC over USB.

I’d say it represents a tremendous value being that you are getting a very nice DAC and a THX AAA amp all in one. I was trying to pick up a Massdrop THX AAA 789 amp, but they are impossible to get a hold of, and I read that this is just as good from an audio standpoint - plus you get a very good built-in DAC. Epic win.

Regards,

Shane

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Shane - just picked up the Monolith which I’m using to drive Aeon 2 Opens balanced. So far I’d say it sounds “cleaner” than the iDSD Black Label I was using. Are you using Roon to upsample everything to max PCM or DSD before passing to the Monolith?