Thanks.
yes, will double check the NAS.
In the mean time, I saw that the Nucleus Titan is not limited for DSD functionality whereas the Nucleus One is. How do these aspects compare to that of a MacMini which will focus on Roon and Rock, both with the legacy and UEFI Bios? Are these limited as well? I know that my NUC has problems with 5.1 output (don’t know if that is in the HDMI cable or in the NUC).
Hey @Verver,
Happy to clarify how DSD and multichannel work across these options, there’s a common misconception worth untangling first.
The DSD “limitation” isn’t about playing DSD. Every Roon Server platform, Nucleus One, Nucleus Titan, your NUC/ROCK, or a Mac mini, can play and pass through native DSD to a capable DAC without restriction. What differs is DSP horsepower: how much on-the-fly processing the server can do while streaming, especially DSD upsampling (converting to DSD256/DSD512) or applying DSP/filters, and doing that to multiple zones at once. The Nucleus One has a modest processor, so heavy DSD-domain DSP is where it runs out of headroom. The Titan’s much more powerful CPU removes that ceiling. If you’re only playing DSD files as-is (no upsampling, no DSP), the One is not limited at all.
How a Mac mini compares: DSD capability on any host comes down to two things, CPU power for DSP, and what your DAC/endpoint accepts. An M4/M-series Mac mini is a very strong performer, comparable to (or beyond) the Titan for DSP, so it would not be DSD-limited in the way the Nucleus One can be. The real DSD ceiling on the Mac is set by your DAC and connection (native DSD / DoP over USB), not by Roon.
One important correction on the Mac mini: you can’t run ROCK on it. ROCK (Roon OS) only installs on our supported Intel NUC hardware, Apple Silicon Macs can’t run it natively (only unsupported VM workarounds). On a Mac mini the supported path is Roon Server on macOS, which is excellent and well-supported. Related to that: the Legacy-vs-UEFI BIOS question doesn’t apply to an Apple Silicon Mac, those machines have no PC-style BIOS. That whole consideration (and the “wrong BIOS type” update issue you hit) belongs to the Intel NUC world, not the Mac. So the choice is really NUC + ROCK or Mac mini + Roon Server, not a Mac running ROCK.
On the 5.1 output issue: ROCK does support multichannel PCM over HDMI, so this is usually somewhere in the HDMI chain rather than a hard Roon limit. Multichannel HDMI is sensitive to the cable, the HDMI version, and the EDID handshake with your receiver/processor.
To isolate it: try a different (ideally high-speed/certified) HDMI cable, connect the NUC directly to the AVR/processor rather than through any switch or TV, and confirm the zone is configured for the channel layout in Roon’s device setup. If it works with a different cable, it was the cable; if it fails across cables and inputs, the NUC’s HDMI output is the more likely culprit. Worth noting that on a Mac mini you’d typically route multichannel the same way (HDMI to an AVR, or a multichannel USB DAC).
What would be the argument to go for a Titan in stead of a Mac mini. One thing is sure: the Titan looks fantastic and obviously is quiet?
The device on the receiving side is a Trinnov Altitude ci processor.
I swapped cables and am now using an Ultra high speed HDMI cable (with ethernet) that was delivered with my top tier LG monitor temporarily (as soon it should be NUC-Trinnov over ethernet once the Trinnov is Roon Ready).
Have ordered a certified cable to make extra sure.
Hey, @Verver
Yes, the Nucleus is quiet. It has no fans and uses passive cooling. Please let us know if you have any more questions!