Hi, what I’d like to do, and I don’t know the proper terminology … is setup ROCK on an Intel NUC.
I don’t really ever stream music from Tidal or Qobuz, only play my library of albums on a 4TB SSD that I’d like to put on the NUC.
I want to have the NUC USB connected to my DAC but run the Core aspect from my workstation … is this a reasonable way to go or am I missing something on all this?
Currently I have a high powered workstation with a Matrix USB card connected to my DAC and play everything that way.
Hi I’m not following you 100%, could you clarify what you mean by “Core” …
is that Roon Server or Roon GUI?
If you mean you wish to continue to run the Roon Server on the workstation then you don’t realy need a NUC/ROCK (but it would work) … what you need is a Roon Ready device or a DIY device (maybe a RPi) running Roon Bridge.
If you mean, Roon GUI … that’s fine … the NUC/ROCK combination would be running Roon Server, and your workstation can run just the GUI (as and when you need it).
Yes, sorry about the confusion. My Workstation currently is “All” of Roon…GUI and Server, and that Workstation is directly connected to my DAC. I don’t believe this ideal Sound wise, hence the NUC…to just run ROCK and connect to my DAC. So i guess my question is, which would most likely give me better sound quality, NUC/ROCK running Roon Server, GUI in from Workstation OR Purchasing a high quality Roon Ready device running in Bridge mode? Thanks for your response!
Please note that after installing your ssd in NUC you will have to format it with ROCK. So your entire library will be lost.
The only safe way is to import your library after installing ROCK.
Thank you for the responses…wondering, network wise would the 4tb SSD be visible via SMB or the like? That way i could just copy the music from my backup location, after Rock formated the Drive. If i we’re to look at Roon Ready bridge devices where would be a good place to start?
so you can simply copy and paste to Internal storage, you can see I also have a USB drive as well
If you are Windows 11 , the latest update has thrown a spanner in the works with SMB but you can by pass it , see this post courtesy of @Geoff_Coupe, a few posts down
From a sound quality standpoint, the better solution is to have a streamer as a Roon endpoint rather than a full computer - NUC or your workstation. A NUC is simply a streamlined way to get the Roon server (ie the Roon core) running. If you intend to still use your workstation as a control point (ie the place where you run the GUI but not the place where the Roon Server sits) then that would work too.
As for what are good Roon endpoints, there are many answers to that. On the cheap side you can use a Raspberry Pi. Better than that, maybe an Ultrarendu… Many options.
Roon server and Roon core are the same thing. For the best user experience run Roon server on a nuc, Mac Mini or Nucleus. Connect your Roon server to your network using ethernet.
Use a computer, laptop, phone, or tablet running Roon to control Roon. Connect to your network using ethernet or WIFI.
For best SQ, use a Roon ready endpoint connected by ethernet or WIFI with USB or optical, etc. to your DAC.
A DAC that is itself Roon Ready is the best, imho. Clean simple and fewest parts. Plug ethernet into the DAC, and then RCA out to your amp. You can leave the server on your current PC as the DAC will just show up under Settings/Audio.
Yes, an OpticalRendu will be a great sounding solution. Your USB DAC will connect to it (it only supports USB DACs, it does not itself have any other outputs).
I don’t understand your sound quality concerns nor the other users’ suggestions here to spend a lot of money and add complication for no logical reason. I have a NUC running ROCK connected directly to my processor via HDMI. There are no issues with sound quality whatsoever and I control the GUI with a phone/tablet the same as any endpoint. A very simple and direct system with full sound quality, minimal cost, and great reliability.
Those suggesting placing an endpoint (which is just another computer!) between your existing computer and DAC are doing so without logical/engineering basis. A USB or HDMI connection is not the analog output from DAC, even though there are a lot misguided attempts to treat them the same (the cable industry certainly has spent a lot of time and money spreading a lot of mis- and disinformation on this topic).
Tyler, you’re right as it relates to a single playback in proximity of your NUC. However, missing from the OP is a description of WHERE his NUC/ROCK is physically located in relation to WHERE he wants playback. If you place the NUC in a closet and have several places you want playback (home office, living room, bedroom…) then it needs to connect to a network and have some way to play back in each location independently. Each of these is an endpoint.
I previously ran Roon core on a dedicated Win10 computer and, given all of the Microsoft updates, it was a real pain. Worked great for a few months, then some random driver or security update would cause hiccups. Upgraded to NUC/ROCK and its rock solid and nearly flawless.
With my current setup, I can play what I want to hear while in the home office, the wife can play whatever she wants in the living room (at the same time).
I think most folks are just following the manufacturer’s (Roon Labs) instructions:
Of course, things will generally work fine with alternative setups, but I have found that these recommendations still have value…even beyond sound quality.
Holland, you are of course right that OP would need an endpoint at each playback location, but they mention connecting the NUC directly to their DAC. If OP only cares about playback at that one DAC, then a NUC running ROCK directly connected to it is the superior solution. Basically, it sounds like we are in agreement here.
David, if you read that article you linked (and the further article linked within), you will see that Roon is prioritizing the ability to have multiple endpoints rather than just one. But further, Roon wrote a guide from the standpoint of Roon for Dummies. Any talk of sound quality in either of those two articles is based on avoiding Windows or the video card causing problems with interrupts or limited bandwidth. Roon never makes any claims that using an endpoint magically increases sound quality (and rightly so). Using a NUC with ROCK eliminates any problems with Windows or video cards and offers full sound quality with the highest reliability and least hassle – if you only have one listening position.
