I have been very happy with my Paul Pang built PC audio/video server and 12TB external hard drive for a couple of years now. I have been running JRiver for audio and video. I ran WinServ 2012 R2 with Audiophile Optimizer on said computer.
But now with Roon and MicroRendu things are changing…again.
I have not even hooked up my MicroRendu yet.
I have now gone to Windows 10 with AO. My PC runs a Intel i7=4770T CPU @ 2.50GHz with 8gb RAM and all the Paul Pang parts with Pang LPSU.
Whether running Server 2012 or Windows 10, when I run Roon with HQP out to my PS Audio DirectStream DAC my computer seems to run sort of glitchy. So I have decided to add a QNAP TVS-871-I7-16G NAS. Way more storage than I will need but I seemed to be doing it anyway. I currently have about 1TB of music and 3TB of video.
So my question is what is the best way to implement Roon Server and the other software I have with the hardware that I have…or will have soon enough.
PC media server Intel i7=4770T CPU @ 2.50GHz with 8gb RAM 32GB SSD for OS and 1TB SSD
QNAP TVS-871-I7-16G NAS. 128GB SSD and 4x4TB HDD
Audiophile Optimizer V2.0
HQ Player
MicroRendu
PS Audio DirectStream DAC
IPad Air
Panasonic 55" for monitor
darTZeel CTH-8550 Integrated Amp in a 2.2 system. I have no multi channel anything.
I would like to use the IPad for a Roon remote for music instead of the TV as a monitor all the time. I am just trying to optimize 2 channel audio. I am not concerned with the movie audio quality…if is fine as is.
I also want to incorporate Acourate software and convolution when I get really brave…
Thank you for any direction as I feel stuck and overwhelmed…
This will perhaps garner a bit of controversy as everyone’s “best” is potentially very different. Given that you have not explained in detail what is “glitchy” in your system to start with so we could address it directly, I will tell you what I would do with your equipment.
I would first simplify everything. Install Win 10 pro. Drop AO.
Up the RAM to 16 GB (because you will be using HQP)
I’m sure your 32 GB SSD is fine, but I’d drop it and put in a brand new 128 GB. Better specs in later SSDs and it is a cheap upgrade.
Add a 2TB SSD and use that not your QNAP to hold your music only. Video can live on the QNAP.
Get Roon setup and working. Then load HQP and test.
When I said glitchy, I mean that in general my computer has multiple times when I have run Roon and HQP that it starts taking a long time to move when I click on something. I can have NO music player running or open and the computer seems overly burden much of the time. I have looked at the resources monitor and it doesn’t show anything obvious. This has been with AO on and off and with 2012 and 10 Pro. I did run the AO Windows 10 repair and it seemed to clear it up but I have not run HQP again since the repair from AO last night.
It seems that when the two are installed and have been run that the system seems to just not respond well afterwards. The music plays fine. This computer is not used for anything other than audio/video playback and audio tweeking.
If there is a log of some sort that I can run that would be great.
I have Windows 10 Pro. I have a new 250GB SSD and easy enough to get a 2TB for internal storage. I will get the RAM up to 16GB.
So Roon should reside on my PC and not the QNAP?
This is where I am not clear. From light reading around the net I thought I would have Roon Server on the 128SSD on the QNAP and run HQP on my PC. I would still use JRiver for video playback from the PC. I don’t understand how to include the MicroRendu for the playback. I know the MR has multiple network options as well.
I would keep Roon on the PC. Other’s here use QNAP as a Roon Core and it works well for them. I think that is really for those wanting a “all in one box” solution. I haven’t heard of someone chaining a QNAP Roon to Core to a PC HQP; but I’m sure someone who has can chime in on how well it works.
I would set everything up using just Roon first, including the MR in Roon mode. Then when it is all working and operating smoothly. Then add HQP into the mix and change the MR to NAA mode.
While i completely agree with your first two points, I would offer another perspective for the others.
A good new 128/250gb ssd is cheap and a fine upgrade but i don’t see any reason why a 2tb would be necessary for file storage. Any drive is going to be fast enough for just accessing the files. Looking at the specs of the nas compared to what is listed on the PC i would personally consider running Roon on the Qnap as it easily has enough power (faster and newer chip, more memory) and an SSD for the DB. He could then use the PC to run HQ player to then send the signal to the MicroRendu using the NAA mode and finally to the DAC.
That being isn’t the PS Audio DAC Roon Ready? If so @Christopher_Whitten1 I would think Daniel has some very sage advice about starting simple. You could just put Roon on the QNAP and send it straight over the network to the DAC, controlled by your ipad. Once you are satisfied everything there is working then you could add the PC with HQ Player and the MicroRendu for the HQ Player endpoint. Until then the PC can handle video duties.
As far as I know I would need the PS Audio Bridge II to network to my DirectStream DAC. That is like $800.00 I will not be spending. But I am going the keep it simple route and move incrementally.
I like the idea of running Roon on the QNAP and HQP on my PC. Whenever I get the Acourate software running in the future I will probably need the extra bit of horsepower for HQP and Acourate to run together on the PC.
So Roon to QNAP. I wish QNAP had a smaller capacity NAS with the Quad-core Intel Core i7-4790S 3.2 GHz 16GB RAM.
Would I miss the power of the Intel Core i7-4790S 3.2 GHz by going with a QNAP 6 bay running Quad-core Intel Core i5-4590S 3.0 GHz 16GB RAM when just running as a Roon Server? I would think probably not…
I wasn’t aware of that. I knew the PS stuff was Roon ready but did not know that upgrades/others components? were required.
HQP can take some power but that is by design. Im not very familiar with Acourate but most DSP/Room correction stuff i have seen is not very resource intensive. A bit more Ram for <100 bucks if anything and id say you are fine.
I would think the i5 QNAP running Roon Server would be just fine. SSD for the database should be the biggest factor as long as that is the same i would not be concerned.
