I am new to Roon and would like to use a Naim Mu-So 1 for one zone. This is roon tested but not roon ready and won’t group with my Bluesound Node 2i. It does have a digital toslink digital input. I could get another Node but is there any lower cost/profile alternative for this? Would the Google chrome cast audio work?
I have a first gen Muso in the bedroom, and you will have to use airplay to cast Roon to it natively. Not sure about the Node, but I guess that would be one way of doing (I use the optical input for a TV). Generally for multizone one has to link like for like gear with it.
You’d need a streamer with Toslink running Roon Bridge. Probably the cheapest way to build this is RaspPi 3 “B+” and HiFiBerry digital HAT + RoPieee (or other image that supports RAAT).
Unless you have an old MBP laying around then you can use the headphone / optical jack for free.
Chrome Cast will not work as it does not support RAAT; it supports Cast. To group RAAT “Roon Ready” devices together they must support RAAT.
The other “free” option is to enable the Bluesound Node 2i as an Airplay device. Then, in Roon, you can group the Mu-So and your Node 2i together using Airplay. You can enable both RAAT and Airplay at the some time to the Node 2i. Use RAAT when single and Airplay when grouping.
Thanks for the reply Charles, I am trying to avoid Airplay/ ITunes.
I have seen the Raspberry Pi option, does anyone sell these put together? You have to run Slimserver with these? I am not into diy.
I’m guessing MBP is MacBook Pro. I have an old Mac notebook (one of the first with 17” screen) that I haven’t used in many years.
I’m failing to fully grasp the Airplay enable option on the Node. I pretty much always have these two rooms playing together and don’t ungroup them. This would have me using AirPlay I guess which I am trying to avoid. Interesting idea though, would this enable me to play with other zones also? Thanks for the info/replies.
All grouped zones must be of the same “type”. RAAT with RAAT. Airplay with Airplay. Etc…
But if an endpoint supports multiple things you ran enable them, name them different things, and they show-up as different zones. That gives you some flexibility but not the ability to group unlike zones; that’s still a hard rule.
Raspberry Pi devices do come pre-built but the price jumps. They are not hard to build; especially if you buy a “kit” with board, case, memory card, and power supply. I do not know what slim server is. RoPieee is literally plug and play. Follow the directions to burn the image onto the microsd, plug into pi, power pi, wait about 5 minutes, login to website, do a few clicks to finish set-up. Then, in Roon, you enable it as an endpoint. Music comes out Toslink into Mu-Su. Of course I’m simplifying a couple things. If you’re mildly comfortable with a PC then you can get a Rasp Pi running. If not then something like this may be required https://bryston.com/digital-audio/bdppi/
You don’t need iTunes/apple music to use Airplay. Just run Roon remote from a mac or iOS device. Sounds fine on the muso to me and I doubt with the muso will notice if it’s not hi-res (I certainly wouldn’t).
I didn’t realize you could play airplay without ITunes. I need to group zones so this won’t do. I haven’t run a PC in many years, only macs. I still couldn’t find where to buy an assembled raspberry pi. I’m leaning against it but would be curious.
Another idea would be to use my currently not in use Squeezebox Transporter. I could use it in my main system where I am now using the Node. This would free up the Node to be used on the Mu-So.
I know there is a setting for Roon to search for Squeezeboxes. Do you have to run LMS (Logitech Media Server)? I am wary of this because my MacMini has 8gb ram. I’ve had one full memory shutdown and other problems if I do tasks. I don’t know how much memory LMS uses.
You would have to run the Squeezebox emulator in Roon I believe which still wouldn’t group the zones (I use it for the Bridge app on my microRendu to cast to my older Naim Unitiqute. It really has to be like for like - for example of the five endpoints I currently use only two will group - the Sonos Play 1’s in the bathroom and kitchen. Otherwise I have one RAAT (opticalRendu) one Airplay (Muso) and one Squeezebox (microRendu) and none of those will group with each other.
Your best bet to group the Muso with a Bluesound would be Airplay. Other than not getting anything over 44/16 it will sound just fine.
And actually you don’t even need a Mac as a remote. Airplay is native to Roon and will play to the Muso just fine from my Android phone.