Roon fails again

Also Roon server decompresses and processes (if required) audio data and moves an uncompressed PCM stream across your network. I suspect in most cases Spotify streams a compressed mp3 (or whatever) and allows the end point to do the decoding.The PCM stream will have higher bandwidth requirements.

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Yes, that’s a good point.

Ryan

Can I ask if you’re using Tidal, Qobuz, or both. I’m the latter and have to say I think it’s been slower since I added Qobuz. Stress think, I’m not sure, hence asking

Phil

I have to say I was fully in Ryan Stratton’s boat with this issue but you gave me another perspective that changed my mind, Bill. Perhaps Roon created a system that was ahead of consumer infrastructure and made a business assumption that they could make it work “acceptably” in the short term and “perfectly” when other consumer network devices eventually improved with time.

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5 posts were split to a new topic: Roon is slow at starting playback

3 posts were split to a new topic: Roon stops after a few songs

If you actually want some help solving the issue, you need to describe your system and the connections between components in detail. Otherwise all we can do is nod our heads and agree that you’re not having a good experience.

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2 posts were merged into an existing topic: Roon stops after a few songs

So, Wi-fi networking problems.

Well, one of the themes of this thread is to open a ticket with Support. They have a systematic way of testing things piece-by-piece. From what I can see, it might not be as fast as a good lucky guess, but the process is designed to eventually give a solution to all problems. But the start requires ‘filling out the paperwork’ in the support sticky so Support can sink their teeth into it and develop the strategy appropriate for the user’s system.
I guess another way to view this is that either the enduser has a problem in their system that can be fixed through support, or Roon software has a flaw that would be uncovered in the course of going through the process. If the former, the enduser benefits. If the flaw is in Roon, many users may benefit from a software fix.
Paul and Ryan have issues that they should not have to live with. The occasional slow search everyone had with 1.6 was system-wide. But these particular issues don’t sound like something that all users face. Networking is often the issue, but sometimes its other crazy stuff.

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I’ve had exactly this problem with Qobuz. It’s gotten so bad that I’ve switched to Volumio.

Couldn’t agree more. I suffered Tidal drop outs & also local file dropouts, slow searches (before 1.6) and they were guaranteed to happen when visitors were present. This problem persisted for months. I had invested UK£275 on a “good” Netgear modem/router and so my problems had to be an “issue with Roon.”

After much time investigating with no success I decided to purchase a Mesh network system & on installation my problems disappeared.

I wouldn’t suggest that this exonerates Roon from the problem equation but I certainly learned not to fully trust the networking equipment. If I have any problems now I start with rebooting Roon Core, Network etc. before I investigate anything else. This approach usually resolves the issue without the need to seek support.

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I wish Apple would completely revamp Airplay.

It was a remarkable feature when it released but I wish they could implement something like Google Cast where the endpoint/streamer/output device would stream directly from the content server and NOT through the mobile device.

Hi @ryan_stratton/@Paula_Dickerson,

I have split your posts into it’s own support threads so that we can take a look at this issue closer. If anyone else in this thread is experiencing issues, the best way for us to take a look at the issue and address it would be by opening up a thread in #support and providing the setup details.

Could be a library indexing or backup issue. You might try and disable auto backup.

I’ll probably have to dodge some bullets for this, but I’m running a DIY Roon ROCK/Core that’s far away from the recommended spec hardware (AMD Ryzen 2200g, 8GB RAM) feeding devices like Raspberry/hifiberry units and a Naim Uniti Atom, and I get none of the stability issues that seem to crop up.

All I can add is that everything is hardwired (apart from controllers phone/tablet), and the only slight search sluggishness I’ve experienced is when I’ve added Tidal/Qobuz accounts (on trials as my library of 2000+ albums is enough for me!) maybe due to the Internet connection adding latency, or if I swap out my ASUS router for something like those awful things supplied by BT/SKY etc.

Outside of Roon, I’ve seen some major problems with streaming systems (Airplay, Googlecast and more) when users are relying on WiFi for combined audio streaming and app control.

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Reading about a new “router /modem” to solve a ROON-network problem confuses me a bit. Installing a new mesh-WLan sounds something speziell.

It is widely know that ROON requires quite a bit of hardware-power to run smooth. This includes a fast and reliable network (T+A who produces my streaming client does not accept High-Res via WLan because of perfomance issues).

I am running a network 1 Gigabit (even the internet-Connection via Fiber is 1 Giga) all over my house. NAS (85’000 tracks mostly flac) and the dedicated ROON-server hardware, an I5-7xxxx using M2-SATA as disks ist connecte via Giga-LAN through a switch. Music-files are sent to the client via LAB-cable and a second switch. The music-files/CDs or whatever are created and tagged using a separate device in my home-office, connect by 2 Giga-bit connections to server an backup-server.
There is Nothing which might be called slow or what so ever. BTW The connections IPad to ROON-Server is via WiFi, of course. But this is fast because it is optimased to serve alle Rooms (incl. garden)
If someone Encounters performance Problems with roon, check the hardware and network.

Tim is making a very important point here. Roon operates fundamentally different from several other products for streaming. All streaming to the endpoint player is done at high res, or the resolution of the source after decompression, etc. The Roon Core unfolds compressed files, does any dsp, etc. then ships the music off the to the player in a continuous stream. The endpoint player doesn’t need to do a lot of processing, and doesn’t buffer files, but the network link to the player must be good.

This configuration has some very definite and interesting benefits but I do think it also requires a good network. I have voiced my displeasure with Roon’s recommendations for network hardware since I do not think a “fast” wireless router or fast gaming router is a good suggestion. But, a good wireless router is certainly very important and more importantly the network must not have a lot of junk eating up bandwidth. If you have many devices in your home you can bury even the fastest routers unless they are serious equipment and designed properly. This makes troubleshooting very difficult and Roon’s request to open a thread where all configuration details can be explored is a very reasonable and fair approach.

Give Roon a chance, the software is amazing. You will be rewarded for sorting through the problem and Roon will help you.

Jamie

I remember Bob Stuart talking about MQA requiring people to clear their pipes (Network etc) to get the blue light shining…
This is also true for ROON, you gotta clean the pipes and have your network sorted… then it’s great.
Saying that, I have a BT hub and use basic switches (£10.00) with Cat5e cables and it all works a treat.

Yeah but why does it work perfect for a time and then terrible another time? My network is perfect and never have an issue with anything including streaming 4K wireless so seems like when everything else is fine and works on a solid Network and one thing doesn’t you should blame the one thing not the network. Anyway what would they want you to do to change it? I’ve given up on airplay wireless via roon. I don’t even try it anymore. Maybe it will be better one day when they fix it. All the complaints and issues they get help them make it better and I hope they fix it. I’m willing to put up with the BS until then, it’s still a great program just not a smooth running one at this point.