Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)
Nucleus, No idea about Roon Nucleus build number.
Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)
Gigabit ethernet.
Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)
Synology DS413J ethernet to RN, ethernet to Marantz, USB to Chord Dave.
Description Of Issue
I have recently purchased a Roon Nucleus to replace a 2012 MacBook Air as a dedicated Roon Core.
The Nucleus will “see” and accept my Marantz SR7005 receiver (via ethernet) and will start to play to it and then stop. This seems to occur after about 20 minutes. The little music icon keeps showing the track as playing but it is not.
If I start the play again by using the play button then sometimes the music will start playing again and sometimes the icon next to the Marantz selection shows that the music is playing, but it is not.
Once the latter has occurred I sometimes cannot then play to the Marantz at all until everything is rebooted. This is regardless of whether I am playing on my other system at the same time.
This never occurred with my Macbook Air which had precisely the same connectivity.
Music will play on my other system, which is direct connected to the RN via USB and has no issues.
I take it that you’re playing to the Marantz via Airplay here since this product is not Roon Ready. Can you please confirm:
Do other Airplay zones experience this same behavior or is it just the Marantz?
If you use iTunes on the Macbook to output to the Marantz via Airplay, does the same issue occur?
Just to clarify here - the other system that you mention is the Chord Dave, correct? And this still works as expected when the Marantz is in the above state?
Hi Noris.
Thanks for your prompt reply. My responses:
The SR7005 is not Roon ready.
I have no other Airplay zones. I only need the Nucleus to send files to these 2 locations.
I was not clear - the MacBook Air was previously used as the Roon Core. I simply replaced it with the Nucleus in exactly the same location using exactly the same cables. I did not ever experience this issue with the Macbook.
Can you please try using the Macbook to stream content via iTunes to the Marantz zone for as long as it takes for this issue to appear in Roon and let me know how that goes?
Using iTunes from the MacBook Air and via Airplay, the Marantz stops playing at about the same time as the Roon. However using the Macbook Air as a Roon core the music does not stop.
This would indicate that this issue is hardware-specific. I would reach out to Marantz and let them know of this report and that you have tested the behavior both in iTunes and in Roon. You may also want to check to ensure you have the newest firmware for your Marantz.
Hi Noris.
The iTunes incompatibility with Airplay is well reported and I spent time trying to fix it with Apple some time ago. That it is not working correctly is not relevant to the issue with the Nucleus.
The Marantz is on the latest firmware and works with a number of audio software programs including Roon, so I agree that it is likely a hardware issue.
Thanks.
Both iTunes and Roon (on the Nucleus) are using Airplay to communicate with your Marantz receiver. If the receiver is having difficulties playing Airplay content via iTunes, it could indicate that it would have issues playing Airplay content via Roon as well.
Hi @noris
So on the one hand you tell me that it is a hardware issue and now that it is software. The Marantz has been used for many years with various pieces of hardware and software and has had no issues with Airplay.
If you do a quick search you will see very quickly that iTunes and Airplay is a very well reported incompatibility - it has nothing to do with this issue as neither the Nucleus (as far as I know) nor the Marantz are using iTunes.
Roon itself works perfectly well with the Marantz on other hardware but not when it is used on the Nucleus. So it is either a hardware issue as you previously concluded or perhaps the version of Roon used in the Nucleus is in some way different to that which you guys provide for OSX??
I believe this to be a hardware issue on the Marantz side when it communicates via the Airplay protocol with either Roon or with iTunes.
Both iTunes and Roon in this case are communicating with your Marantz receiver via the Airplay protocol. If there are issues with Airplay streaming to the Marantz via iTunes and Roon uses the same Airplay protocol, this suggests that Airplay in general is not stable on the Marantz receiver.
As a follow-up step, I can take a look at diagnostics from your Nucleus when this issue occurs. Can you please reproduce this behavior and let me know the exact local time + date when this issue occurs, as well as which track it occurred on? This information should be similar to the following: Issue occurred at 4:22PM on 12/18/19 while playing Dark Side of the Moon.
Please let me know this information and then I can go ahead and enable diagnostics mode for your account. Thank you.
Hi @noris.
Thanks for the additional info. I cannot reproduce the issue on the Nucleus as I have taken it back to the retailer as I advised earlier and the issue simply does not occur with other hardware running Airplay. The retailer said he will take it up with Roon because has the same issues with other clients.
However, my question is still… why if Nucleus and my laptop and Mac Mini each running Roon Core and all using Airplay does this issue only occur with Nucleus?
Just to confirm, you’re able to use the Roon App on your Macbook at the present time and stream to the Marantz without any interruptions?
Are you streaming directly to the Airplay input on the Marantz in Roon or are you using Roon’s “System Output” and routing the stream through the MacOS sound mixer?
Just to confirm, you’re able to use the Roon App on your Macbook at the present time and stream to the Marantz without any interruptions? Absolutely correct. This is what I have been trying to convey to you - it is only the Nucleus that exhibits this problem with Roon.
Are you streaming directly to the Airplay input on the Marantz in Roon or are you using Roon’s “System Output” and routing the stream through the MacOS sound mixer?
I select the Marantz as follows: Roon Settings/Connected to Core/Marantz
I spoke to the hardware team and they have confirmed that there is no difference in Airplay streaming when using the Nucleus vs the Macbook if both are being routed through Roon (and not the System Mixer). Since you no longer have the Nucleus it’s hard to say why you were seeing otherwise.
If you change your mind about the Nucleus and have one back in your possession, we would be happy to do some further troubleshooting, but until then we unfortunately have no way of knowing why there was a difference for you.
If you have any other questions please do let me know.
Hi @noris.
Thanks for checking that out.
However, there is of course a difference in that the Nucleus and the Macs are not running on the same OS. Whether this is the root cause or not I have no idea. Regardless there is clearly an issue with Nucleus and Airplay in this environment.
I haven’t seen any reports for issues with Airplay on Nucleus, it’s strange that just changing the OS introduced this behavior as both Mac and Nucleus should be using the same Airplay implementation. In either case, we can’t troubleshoot this much further without the Nucleus, but do let us know if you purchase one again and we can certainly take another look. Thanks and happy holidays!