Moon ACE volume control issues

Core Machine

MacOS Big Sur 11.4, MacBook Air (M1-2020), 16 GB, Roon 1.8 (build 795)

Network Details

AT&T BGW210

Audio Devices

Simaudio MOON ACE wifi, Simaudio MOON 390 ethernet, iPhone, iPad

Library Size

10,000 tracks

Description of Issue

I just re-subscribed to Roon and am looking forward to using version 1.8.

Initially both my Simaudio pieces showed up as fixed volume devices. I changed them to device volume and they now operate normally.

However the Roon volume controls for the Moon ACE on the MacOS app and both the iOS apps do not work as I think they should. The Moon 390 has a slider and reports the volume level. But the Moon ACE only has + and - buttons. Someone (a Roon associate?) reported on a different post that the ACE only reports incremental changes and not the volume level. I think that may be incorrect. Both the ACE and Moon 390 use the Simaudio Mind2 module. The ACE is by no means a stripped down product. Furthermore Simaudio’s Mind apps on IOS correctly report the volume level for the Moon ACE and reflect volume changes I make using the Roon apps.

My issue is that it can be unpleasant and inconvenient to start playing on a device with no idea of how loud it is going to be. That and a volume slider is a very convenient control. Could Roon dig deeper into the claimed incremental volume reporting limitation for the ACE? Perhaps the Moon ACE capabilities should be verified with Simaudio Moon support.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

I absolutely support that request. The Moon app on my iOS devices show the volume level no matter which way I change it, so it must be reported back to the app.

Furthermore I now have the problem that Roon doesn’t support changing the volume on the Moon ACE altogether: all of a sudden (update?) it tells me the volume level could not be changed at all…?

Hi @Art_Cuneo and @H_R,

This issue has been seen by a number of users with the Moon Mind 2 software. The issue is usually solved by turning the power switch on the Moon device off then on again, or by removing the power plug.

It may also require restarting your Roon core.

Check out this thread.

Cheers, Greg

Hello Greg, thanks for the reply to my post.

I think my critical issue may be lost in my long-winded first post. The issue I would like resolved is that there is no volume slider nor volume number for the Moon ACE in Roon. I don’t have the fixed volume issue.

From an older support post I saw this explanation from a Roon rep:

-paste-
Apr '19

Hello @Audio_Vision,

The SimAudio Moon Ace is only capable of incremental volume control, and thus will not show it’s volume level in Roon.

We are planning to include a fix in an upcoming version of Roon that will stop Roon from showing “0” as the Device’s volume if it only supports incremental volume.

-John

-end paste-

I am quite doubtful that the ACE only supports incremental volume change. I understand that it uses the same Mind2 module for streaming as the Moon 390. The Moon 390 has a volume slider and displays the volume level number in Roon (I have a 390 as well and have verified it).

Also the ACE current volume (set with Roon + and - buttons) is displayed accurately in the Mind app in IOS.

I think Roon should be able to interface with the ACE the same way it does with the 390.

Regards, Art

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