New to Roon. Which QNAP and set up

Hello, I am new to the world of digital music and my IT skills aren’t great. I used Roon at the dealers and prefer its functionality over the native app. I would like to go down the Roon route. Currently all my files are stored on my pic but I am looking to get a NAS for them. I would like to run Roon off the NAS I think as it would save me having my computer on all the time. There is also the advantage that I can use a wired connection rather than a power line. I have a few questions.

I know Roon recommend the QNAP TVS 471 but I was wondering if the TS 451 would be OK? Does any one have any experience.

If I get a 4 bay NAS I inderstand that Roon should run on one disc and the music library should be on another one, with RAID 1. When I set this up is this going to be straightforward enough for someone with limited IT skills. I am not sure how it all works and if it is easy to set up my cd ripper to drop files in a specific part of the NAS.

If this is all going to be tricky to do, would it be much easier to install Roon on a computer and just point it to the library on a 2 bay NAS, a cheaper short term option?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

So, the TS 451 is a celeron and below the recommended cpu specs. There are really two questions,

  1. Will it load and function? And the answer is probably yes. I have not tried it so I can’t answer completely with authority. But, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

  2. Will it provide you with a good software experience? That is something that is hard for others to answer for you. The required processing power is very dependent on your use case for Roon, how big is your collection, are you using DSP, how many zones will you be using, etc etc. Depending on things, it might just manifest as a slower response in the interface, when searching, when starting things up. OR, it could reach a limit rather quickly and drop outs and other audio artifacts could appear.

If anything I’ve mentioned in the above paragraph sounds is confusing, take a read on the Roon forums about how Roon works (https://roonlabs.com/howroonworks.html), or feel free to ask :D.

As long as the computer is an i3 or better; some would argue that this is the better solution. If this is easier and cheaper, then you could use it as a a temporary setup first to get a feel for how you will use Roon. Might let you make a more informed decision.

Also, there is ROCK coming down the line which would arguably provide an even more set it and forget it option for the less technically inclined.

See, this…

I run 3 TS 431 with 16 gig, plus others.
They are fine.
No issues.

I would question the NAS decision, if you don’t already have one. Just look at the forum at all the people having trouble with that configuration. A NAS is not really designed to be a general purpose computer, then people look at it and say it has a CPU and memory and disk and an OS so I can use it as a computer.

I understand the economics, if you already have a NAS. (A,though it depends on how you value your time.)

I would recommend getting a NUC, minimal configuration, and an external USB drive. Inexpensive, yes it is a computer but you don’t see it, tuck it away in a closet. To get it to really work as an appliance takes a little bit of work, but still less than a NAS, based on what I have read here.

And soon ROCK will arrive and make the NUC even simpler.

I am really dedicated to making my sound system as simple as a 70s FM tuner, a box with an ON button.

I use a separate PC for managing the music, ripping CDs and downloading, then I transfer it to the always-on NUC, so THE PC is turned on only when I need it.

(My own choice: a NUC with Windows 10, I installed 2 TB of internal SSD instead of a USB drive, but that is expensive, doubled the cost of the NUC, not needed. I also have a NAS, but I use it only for backup. And if I were starting today, I wouldn’t even do that, I would use cloud backup. You want cloud backup anyway, because having a NAS in the house does not protect against loss to burglary, fire, flood etc. Btw, I have worked in the IT industry for 45 years but i don’t want computers in my living room.)

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Depends, where you place your NAs.
Mine are “far” away. In a room in the basement.
No noise, nada…

I have to disagree partly with this. In terms of hardware a NAS is nothing else than a regular computer that runs (mostly) a linux distribution and it’s own GUI to manage services and settings.
You are correct, there are many people that are having trouble with the NAS configuration. Most of them are related to misconfiguration As a NAS offers many options regarding network and services, there are many more possibilities that could cause issues.

But it also offers some advantages: If you require a large amount of storage, it can offer plenty of it while keeping it safe by easily setting up RAID storage.
The files are also local to the Core. So there is just one network route that could cause errors (compared to having the media files somewhere in the network).
Also you will be more flexible in utilising other tools. I use for example Bliss as well to automatically correct metadata, folder structures and filenames.

But you are correct, that many NAS do not meet the proper requirements for RoonServer and in this case the user has to decide and test if the performance is sufficient for its needs.

Thanks for the advice. If this solution is easy to set up I’m more than happy to go for it. The device will be hidden away in a cupboard in the living room, so it would be OK. Looking around this is going to be a cheaper solution than a NAS and I can keep back ups on my PC and, possibly cloud and USB drive off site. Is there a link to guidance on how to set this all up anywhere that you know of, if I decide this route is better.

I wrote up my process a long time ago: the description is quite lengthy but the result is very simple:

But I think that since then, things have become easier.
Before you wade into my description, let’s hope somebody can offer an easier description. @andybob suggestions?

I use a TS451 for the core and it’s very responsive with an ~80k collection + Tidal. I don’t DSP and I don’t hi-res although it streams the very few 24/96 material I have perfectly.

That said, if you don’t have a NAS at the moment, you have no other use cases for the NAS, and you intend to buy something that’s dedicated to Roon only then a NUC with some stroage attached is the better option.

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I second much of the advice here. With limited computer skills I would not recommend using Roon on a NAS. If even an NUC seems a bit daunting then check out the slightly more expensive but even easier to set up Sonictransporters from Small Green Computers.

I use a TVS 471 i3 with 4GB Ram and SSD for database. This just works. The music is on internal 3TB drives Raid with auto back up and I also off system back up.
This is all upstairs in a cupboard with a UPS as well to ensure proper shut down if power fails.
I leave it on 24/7 and occasionally restart the app if RAM use creeps up.
I add music and PDF’s via a laptop.
For me, money well spent and even SWMBO uses it now on her android tablet.

sure, a NAS is more costly than other solutions, but once set up it runs forever … in my case a QNAP 671 with 4 x 4 TB WD Red in Raid 1 = 12 TByte and 1 SSD for the ROON database, I5 quadcore and 8 Gbyte, manages appr. 285.000 tracks VERY well and fast and runs 24 x 7 :slight_smile:

Same with a NUC or sonictransporter they just run forever too and as you say are cheaper. They are also easier to set up and often quieter. Only downside which may be a plus for some depending on location is multiple boxes.

4x4tb in raid 1 = 8tb. 4x4tb in raid 5 = 12tb

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sure, RAID 5, sorry

I’m using a QNAP TVS-882 with i5 & 16GB. This has adequate processing to do a nice job with Roon 1.3 Build 218 and the DSP engine upsampling to DSD128(the max accepted by my DAC). Has anyone tried substituting an outboard ATX linear power supply in place of the internal 250W ATX switching supply in a QNAP NAS? I’m curious about the HDPlex-- which includes a PC chassis panel with mating connectors to carry the ATX looms outside the NAS to the external PS…

Why would you do that?

Speculating that even if Ethernet transport from the NAS is unaffected, a lower noise PS might improve sonic performance of the DSP engine. After all, the stock QNAP ATX switching supply appears to be a pretty basic $95 piece.