Roon Core NAS connection to streamer/DAC

Audio Gear Talk
1

Hi
I have my ROON core and music on a QNAP NAS (TS-410E with specs similar to those recommended by ROON).
This is connected by USB to a Cyrus 8.2 DAC amplifier.
The NAS has a wired connection to my router/modem & hence to the internet and my home network.
Previously I played music from the NAS to a Cyrus Stream XA (with wired ethernet via my router) and then to the Cyrus 8.2 DAC.
I loved the sound from this set-up but absolutely hated the Cyrus software which was why I switched to ROON.
The ROON software is great. However, I find the sound just lacks the kick and life from the previous set-up with the Stream XA.
I suspect the low resolution of the Cyrus 8.2’s USB port may be an issue.
I have tried a wired ethernet connection from the NAS to the Steam XA via the router but I cannot get ROON to recognise the Steam XA.
I am therefore looking to purchase a Cyrus Stream-XR which is advertised as a “ROON Ready” streaming DAC.
This raises the following questions:

  1. With a wired ethernet connection from the NAS to the Stream-XR via my router, should ROON automatically recognise the Stream-XR?
  2. By “ROON Ready” I assume there is some ROON software installed on the Stream-XR. Does this software need periodic updating and how is this done? Will the Stream-XR remain “ROON Ready” for all future releases of ROON or will it eventually become “ROON obsolete”?
  3. How does ROON actually work (in laymans terms) when RAAT is sent to a streamer - doesn’t RAAT make the streamer’s function redundant? Will the Stream-XR essentially just pass the RAAT directly to it’s DAC?
  4. Anything else I should know before buying the Stream-XR?
    Thank you
2
  1. isn’t automatic. Roon will be able to identify it as long as it is in Roon mode. You then need to enable it in Roon.
  2. Roon Ready is maintained by the manufacturer. It is unlikely a Roon Ready device might stop working. Especially from a brand like Cyrus who enjoy customer loyalty a lot of manufacturers don’t get.
  3. RAAT is a tansport mechanism for getting from one device to another without the inconsistencies of open source methods like UPNP. It can then be dealt with by the streamer the way the manufacturer wishes up to a point. You might need to speak to a dealer to see how Cyrus approaches this if it isn’t in their marketing. But once set up you should only need to interact with Roon. The XR will behave like a dumb streamer.
  4. You can still try to use your XA with Roon, Before the XR it was a popular hack. Roon will see Squeezebox devices and some devices can exploit that to feed non Roon streamers. Read up on UPNP bridges in Roon. An old Sonore MicroRendu would do the job and shouldn’t break the bank
3

Thanks for that info Henry.
One follow-up question:
Previously (before I had ROON) I had my music on a NAS and to play it I had to connect to a streamer and then to my DAC/amplifier.
In my current set-up the NAS with ROON core and music is connected directly to my DAC/amplifier by USB cable.
In this case it would seem that RAAT is effectively streaming to the DAC?
How does this fit with the description of RAAT as a “transport mechanism”?
Is RAAT something different depending on which devices it is connecting?
Hence why I am a bit confused about the effect of sending RAAT to a streamer.
Thank you
Derek

4

The best way I can describe it is Roon points RAAT at the USB stack the same way it points it at the Ethernet chipset. In one case RAAT seems then to be stripped away and in the other it is encapsulated in IP for transmission. That is my interpretation. The people who could describe it better may well be too busy to respond quickly.

5

Thanks Henry
I’ve bought an ifi ZEN Stream and am using s/pdif output to my Cyrus 8.2 DAC.
So far I like the sound much better.
I’ll test if I can connect the ifi Stream to the Cyrus Stream XA and if I can hear any change.