I have a QNAP NAS which will not met the minimum requirements to run a Roon Server. I am considering a Mac Mini?
Has anyone had any experience of doing this?
Any tips or ideas welcome. Currently it’s looking like I shall be Roon-less come Monday…
Not enough information. How big is your library? Do you have local files in the library or just streaming? What NAS model do you have now? Why did you decide not to use the new Docker solution for the NAS?
Try to use docker version running on the container station.
Add that could be found where?
QNAP TS253-A QTS 5.2.9
Local Files are a large part of my library
Streaming from TIDAL
My Roon Library: 51673 Tracks 4472 Albums
Docker: I do not understand how to install it. I am concerned that it will create complications or cause slow(er) running.
Can you tell me where to find it and if there is any documentation?
Thanks
Not the fastest, but if performance was adequate before, it should continue to be with Docker.
A new Mac Mini will be much faster, though.
It’s not hard and will be explained, they said they are working on documentation. It should not have a noticeable performance impact compared to the QNAP version previously.
In this case you will still want a safe, backed-up storage solution. The QNAP can do that, of course, but ensure that the connection from a new Mac Mini to the QNAP is wired.
Of course, you could also attach an external storage disk to the Mac Mini (and back this up to the QNAP). Compared to storage of the QNAP, it has the advantage of faster access and automatic recognition of new files.
A larger internal disk in the Mac Mini is quite pricey but would be a neat solution. (And back that up to the QNAP).
Not too big and the Mac Mini will fly. (But then, if the QNAP was fast enough …)
One of my Roon setups (I manage 3 in different locations) is based on a Mac Mini M1. ~3000 albums, ~35k tracks, ~2500 local, rest from Qobuz. Local files are stored on a 4TB USB SSD, replicated over the net to my servers at other locations. Works really well with one exception: whenever macOS updates, its paranoid handling of local network permissions blocks Roon’s access to Roon endpoints over the network. There’s a set of moves with System Settings etc that fixes that until the next macOS update, described elsewhere on this forum.
Thank you, very helpful.
The QNAP struggles a bit right now.
Would making the change to a Mac Mini be straightforward? I imagine I have to move the licence and the locally stored files somehow. Also the database which I currently have on an SSD external device. I am puzzled about what order I would do all this.
Thank you.
Sure — these are the two official Roon links:
GitHub repository:
https://github.com/RoonLabs/roon-docker
Documentation site:
https://roonlabs.github.io/roon-docker/
Docker is basically a way to run an application inside a lightweight container, with its own environment and dependencies, without needing a full virtual machine. On QNAP, Container Station is the built-in app that lets you manage and run Docker containers from the NAS interface.
In my case, I installed Roon Server on my QNAP through Container Station using the official Roon Docker project. My experience has been very good so far: it feels faster and smoother than the native QNAP app.
The only part that took some work was setting the correct volume mappings and network share paths. I also used ChatGPT a bit to help me configure the folders correctly.
The official release should be out on Monday, and hopefully the full instructions will come with it.
That’s all documented
You’d also have to change some macOS settings to prevent the Mini from sleeping
There’s a lot of good info here Mac Mini Roon Server - thoughts? suggestions? List of settings for M1, M2, M3, or M4 Mac Mini as a dedicated Roon Server that worked for me on how to set up a Mac Mini as a Roon server. First thing you should do is to backup your Roon database from the QNAP to an external SSD (or flash drive) formatted in a way that a Mac can read it (ExFat works) so that you can restore it after you install Roon on the Mac Mini. Also, to start with you can use your QNAP music files from the Mac Mini Roon server by setting Storage to point to the SMB shared folder on the QNAP that contains your music files.
@John_Langley Namely, this:
I think it can also happen after Roon updates
I’ve not experienced that recently, just the macOS update issue I noted.
Don’t know, it certainly happened in the past with Roon updates
Thank you.
Thank you!
In light of the coming developments with Roon, I’m now using a Mac Mini as my Roon core / server monitoring or running my music files from my QNAP NAS which does not support the upcoming new Roon system requirements. I’ve done this because all this talk about docker and container on my NAS is bewildering for a less tech savvy person such as myself. The setup with the Mac Mini works fine. The only hassle is every time I load new music onto my NAS I have to rescan my music files on Roon on my Mac Mini.
Thank you. That’s exactly my feeling - I’ve gone past the age where tinkering is fun any more and feel that I’d be getting in too deep with Docker etc.
Was the process of moving to the Mac Mini straightforward for you?