· My server, running via ROCK, has had issues for the past few weeks spontaneously losing connection and restarting automatically. More recently, playback of music stored locally has encountered issues with the left or right channel quickly, but noticeably, cutting out and back in, sometimes multiple times over the course of a song
So, not knowing how this is hooked up, (wired vs wireless, Dac, direct connected endpoints, etc)…
I would first see if it is overheating, then make sure it is updated to the latest Roon version, is the network is stable?
The more details you can give about how your system is setup the more we can help.
How old is the ROCK (is it a NUC)?
How is it connected to the network?
etc
etc
Sure, the ROCK is an Intel NUC that has a direct ethernet connection to the router. The NUC is connected to a Schiit Bifrost DAC, which is connected to a Schiit Jotunheim R, which powers the headphones. I believe my network is stable as the only stability/connectivity issues I’ve encountered were invariably fixed after an update to Roon. I thought these most recent issues were severe enough to warrant asking for help
Edit: I forgot to mention that I am using the latest version of Roon. For what it’s worth. I’m pretty sure all this only started happening after the last update, but it could have been the one before.
I think the next step here is to enable some diagnostics on your account so our technical staff can get some more insight into what’s going on here.
However, before I enable this feature, I’d like to ask for your help ensuring we gather the right information.
First, can you please reproduce the issue once more and note the time at which the error occurs. Then respond here with that time, and I’ll make sure we review the diagnostics related to that timestamp.
Hello, at 9:25 MDT I started playing the first album for which I noticed the channel dropping issue. At 9:29 I tried a different album and immediately encountered the same issue. As for reproducing the issue where the connection is suddenly lost, which results in an automatic restart, I can keep using Roon as I normally would and see what happens.
Edit: At about 3:12 I got the “Uh oh, something’s not right” connection error
I tried using my headphones connected to my computer instead of the NUC and also encountered the channel dropout issue, so it appears the issue is with the headphones. My apologies for not thinking to try this earlier.
As for the connectivity/restart issue, I would greatly appreciate any insight into why this might be happening so frequently for me.
Did you ever check to see if its overheating? When is the last time it wa taken apart and cleaned?
If it’s old enough it may need to have the thermal paste changed, also?
From a fresh Roon Server diagnostic report, I can see that your server had just completed a fresh backup, which can pause the connection temporarily while finishing the backup process:
Your signal path shows you are using Convolution (likely for room correction or EQ).
The Issue: Convolution is one of the most CPU-intensive tasks in Roon.
The Log Evidence: At 9:29:21, the log shows a short read: 0 / 8820. This usually happens when the Server can’t process the audio and fill the buffer fast enough. If the CPU spikes or struggles with the convolution filter, it can cause a "hiccup" that sounds like a channel dropping or a total sync failure.
Your logs also show constant clock adjustments: drift=-2809us, delta=-410us, etc.
While some drift is normal for USB, the values here are fluctuating. If the drift becomes too large, the RAAT protocol will “drop” the connection to try and re-sync, which results in that sudden connection loss or a silent channel while it attempts to recover.
I’d recommend trying these in order to isolate the variable:
Disable Convolution (Temporary): Turn off all DSP/Convolution filters in the Signal Path. If the dropping stops, your server may be struggling with the processing overhead of that specific filter, or the filter itself might be improperly formatted.
Test a Different USB Port/Cable: USB-Audio is notoriously sensitive to "noise" or poor shielding. A different cable can sometimes fix those RAAT sync drifts instantly.
Reseat the Unison USB Module: Since you have a Schiit Bifrost 2, if you’re comfortable doing so, ensure the Unison USB card is firmly seated inside the chassis (though try the cable first!).
Check Server Resources: Since you have a large library (240k tracks!), ensure your server isn't running out of RAM or hitting 100% CPU during those 9:25–9:29 windows.
I don’t recall starting a backup at that time, and I’m certain there was no backup happening today at 1:42 MDT when the same issue arose, which resulted in an automatic restart.
As for the channel dropping issue, I mentioned in an earlier reply that the culprit was the headphone cable. I will see if disabling the convolution filter improves playback even more. Thank you for pointing that out. Is there a good way to check Roon’s RAM/CPU usage on an Intel NUC?
Thank you for your patience while we reviewed your diagnostic data.
We looked closely at the logs around the timeframe you reported, and we were able to see exactly what is happening: Roon is consuming almost all of the available memory on your server, which is causing the system to stall.
This matches a specific memory-related issue that our R&D team is currently actively investigating. I have attached your system’s data to their internal tracking ticket, as your specific logs will help our developers map out the problem and work toward a software fix.
We will keep you posted right here in this thread as soon as we have an update or a patch available. In the meantime, you can also keep an eye on our Roon Software Discussion > Software Release Notes category on the community site for official release announcements.
Would you like me to keep this thread open so I can notify you directly the moment a fix is deployed?