QNAP TVS-671 not recognizing any DAC via USB-so close to getting Roon working!

[Jeff_Jordan]

Hi folks,

I think I already know the answer to this, but wanted to ask anyway. Got all my hardware in today (QNAP TVS-671 i3/16G RAM, SSD in slot 1(running the Roon DB), WD RED 6TB driver in slots 2-4, running RAID 5.

Got the Core installed on the RoonServer share, installed Roon on my PC as a remote device. Roon pulled in all of my music files from a share located right on the NAS. Everything is great…then…

I pulled the USB cable out of my Macbook where I was listening through JRiver with my Marantz DAC, and plugged it into a USB 2.0 port on the back of the QNAP…on the console of the QNAP, it shows “no external devices”. This is my Marantz HD-DAC1. So I moved the USB cable over to my Oppo HA-1…still “no external devices”. Finally, I hooked my Oppo Sonica DAC with the same cable-"no external devices.

So I know I have a good USB cable, I know the DACs are configured and working fine as I tested every one of them with my Macbook Pro.

I tried hooking a Seagate 1TB portable drive to the USB port on the back on the QNAP to ensure it was working, and it popped right up as an “external device” on the QNAP console.

I also did the same test with my QNAP TS-251. the Seagate was found just fine, but all 3 DACs were a no go…

Something tells me I am jacked here, but I just can’t understand how the QNAP would not recognize 3 different DACS, since I have seen threads here in the community of folks that use this connectivity

I have a SoTM SMS-200 on order, so I’m sure that will resolve the issue for sure by networking to the SoTM Roon Endpoint and then USB to the DAC…but until that arrives I really wanted to get Roon going here and start figuring things out.

It’s like I bought this brand new (expensive!) car, and they forgot to give me the keys to start it.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

Jeff

[anon47919701]

I think the USB DAC support built into QNAP is quite limited, see https://www.qnap.com/en/compatibility/?model=255&category=15 … if the QNAP doesn’t recognize your DAC then my guess is that the Roon Core won’t see it either. I’ve read something about installing mpd might help but maybe it’s better to wait a little for the endpoint instead of messing with settings on the QNAP.

[Jeff_Jordan]

I think i agree with u! Think i will use my macbook hardwire attached to the network as a remote with my dacs hooked to the mac. That will give me a great chance to check out the sound quality and operational aspects of Roon, like u say, until my endpoint arrives.

Just wanted a sanity check

Thanks!

[wizardofoz (Mr Fix It aka The Wiz)]

Get a raspberry pi and ropieee and plug the DAC’s into that…then you should be good to go

[crieke (Christopher Rieke)]

The compatibility list mentioned by @anon47919701 is not really a reliable source, as it seems QNAP does not put much effort in it (just 10 compatible devices??).
I hooked up my Rotel Amp to my QNAP. It is not shown in the QTS as an external device, but listed in the audio settings of Roon.

That all of your 3 devices are not recognised feels odd. I also encountered (also with really good and expensive USB-cable), that, especially with long USB cables, they might work flawlessly, but this is not universally true for all devices. (I am not saying it is a bad cable, but you should at least try, if the results are the same with a different cable).

[Jeff_Jordan]

Thanks folks. When my SMS-200 arrives, I should be good to go with my DACs directly network connected.

yes, Chris, I was kind of expecting the answers I got here, as I read in a thread from someone who had a DAC directly attached to their QNAP with a similar problem. QNAP support told them the device was never designed or tested to connect to DACs, only “traditional” PC type of gear…

While waiting on the SMS to arrive, and I running my DACs through my Macbook Pro and a Win7 PC build running Roon Remote so I can get acquainted with Roon and it’s operation. Working great…Roon is amazing…

[Mikael_Ollars]

Like @crieke, my QNAP also registers the USB DAC within it’s ALSA stack, but it does not display like an External Device

So it should work, but nevertheless your chosen path (with the sMS-200) will most likely be the better sounding one.