I’m new to Roon, i ve heard so much good things on using Roon for music lib managing and dsd upconversion, so i would like to have some guidelines to start this
My audio system consists of:
Cambridge Audio CXN V2 using as streamer with local NAS ( synology DS718+) via local network
PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC as preamp
PS Stellar M700 for power amplifier
Monitor Audio Silver 100 5G speakers
interconnect and speakers cable: AudioQUest Maxkenzi XLR and rocket 33 biwire cable
current topology as below
NAS -> CXN V2 --> via digital coax cable --> GCD DAC --> M700s —> speakers
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I would like to build the roon server to work with the music lib on NAS to have some advantages of roon, so what would i need to have to implement this
This looks like a fabulous system. The latest firmware for the Cambridge Audio CXN V2 looks to be Roon Ready (a good thing).
To get started, you just need a reasonably modern desktop computer (5th gen Intel Core i3 or better) with the O/S installed on SSD. You’ll want this computer connected to your router via wired Ethernet. Install Roon Server on this computer.
Next, you’ll need a reasonably current Android or iOS tablet or smartphone. On this, you’ll Install the free Roon Remote app and use that to login to your new server. You’ll point Roon at the music on your NAS and enable your CXN V2 Output.
That’s really about it to get started. Keep the questions coming, and welcome!
I have done install Roon Remote on iOS and done the trial roon subcription and have room server install on Synology NAS ( DS718 4cores 6GB RAM) and all ready, on room remote on iphome it can see the roon server ( NAS) and indexing the music lib
when i start playing music , there is only iphone only , the room remote does not see the CXN V2
Would you let me know what i need to do next to use the roon ready on the CXN V2
All devices are on the same LAN network and can talk to each other
Many thanks
The Synology DS718+ is a bit under-powered to run Core, but that’s not your problem. Are you running the latest firmware on the CXN V2? How is it connected to your network?
yeah, i do see the CXN V2 now and can play via network on remote, but i don’t see the option to upconvert to DSD like others can do ?
I’m misunderstanding somethign ?
i went to DSP but , toggled the sample rate conversion , but dont see any rate to select, is that the NAS is not capable of upconversion then that option is not visible ?
OK , i will try to setup a new Roon server on windows
PC : Lenovo thinkcenter m720q with 8th gen core i7 , 20GB ram and Samsung 500 GB NVMe
it should show the rate conversion option right ?
I noticed that playing via roon by CXN V2 the sound seem less details and clarity? bass is lower than i play directly on CXN via DNLA, is there something wrong with the setting, all i use is default setting on roon
Thanks
OH i found it, on the global setting of DSP, i set the ouput rate to DSD , the CXN V2 is just capable of DSD 64 only, but that improve much of the sound quality, it 's noticable changes.
Woo, Roon is so cool
I have done setup roon server and start playing via roon remote. However, i found that the sound color is changed and not bright as i was streaming directly CXN V2 via DNLA, some high frequency seems not as sharp as before, bass is tighter , but the mid is somehow not like i used to hear.
All inputs is always upconverted to 384khz, this some time create the “strange” effects with low quality ripped PCM 44khz 16bit wave/flac files.
Others have complained about sound quality from Roon with the CXN V2. This suggests to me that Cambridge Audio has something wrong with their implementation of Roon firmware on their device. I’m surprised that it made it through Roon Ready certification with issues like this though.
In that thread, I proposed that the person with the CXN V2 try converting some of his albums from FLAC to WAV and stream those via DLNA (or play from a thumb drive) to see if the results sounded more like Roon. He was very rude and did not bother trying this, but I hope you will consider it. I’m very interested in the results.
I will retry tomnorow or the day after tommorow when the GDS preamp come, the CXN V2 will be roon enttity only with coax out to the preamp so that no upconverting made. I think the Analog out from CXN V2 is not highly recommend since it is auto upsmapling by default with ATF-2 that can change the sound color
The testing then will be more pricise to say.
will post the update
quick question: the roon radio does not have my country stations, is there any way to add them manually ?
@David_Snyder can you explain your reasoning behind FLAC to WAV conversion and CXN certification? It will be Roon who would unpack the FLAC and would process PCM downstream. CXN will not deal with FLAC but rather with direct music stream from Roon. I can assume that stream handling via Ethernet might have an issue but it has equal probability that Roon did something wrong with the signal (e.g. buggy decompression of FLAC)
In my post I stated that playing back a FLAC from DLNA or from USB sound better than playing via Roon. Playing WAV from DLNA or USB does not (obviously) make it sound any better. Just for peace of mind i did try to uncompress FLAC to WAV and play from Roon (in imaginary case of buggy decompressor in Roon) - but there was no miracle and USB playback still sounds better than same WAV played via Roon