Roon not working with Benchmark DAC3 HGC after recent upgrade

Support
1

Roon Core Machine

Screenshot 2023-04-09 at 9.48.04 AM
Screenshot 2023-04-09 at 9.48.04 AM1818Ă—828 107 KB

Networking Gear & Setup Details

NetGreat 8 port switch
Netgear 5 port switch

Connected Audio Devices

Sonos Port
Benchmark DAC3 HGC
Benchmark Coax digital connection

Number of Tracks in Library

28k tracks

Description of Issue

I have had a Roon Nucleaus for nearly two years, working flawlessly with my reference system in my living room, digital music library and Qoboz sub.

In my living room setup, I have the Nucleaus streaming to a Sonos Port, connected through a Benchmark DAC3 HGC. This has worked flawless for years.

Presently, I can stream through this exact setup through the Sonos app, connected to exactly the same sources and the same DAC. So, it is not a network issue, or DAC issue. It is a Roon issue.

I just upgraded the Roon software, this appears correlated to the problems I am now having. It stopped working after that.

I have stopped/started the Roon server through the web link, I attached that image.

Roon streams fine to all other Sonos devices and to my KEF LSX setup in my office. So, it is only this specific zone that is the problem. But this zone works fine through Sonos. So, clearly, Roon changed something in this update that has rendered my setup inoperable.

The error I get through the app is “Roon lost control of the device”.

BTW, I can see my DAC blink when I attempt to start the stream, then about ten seconds later, I get the error message. So, this last update must have modified the stream in some way where my Benchmark DAC3 HGC just stopped working.

1 Like
2

Since you’re using coax (S/PDIF), the issue is with the Sonos not the DAC because the Benchmark isn’t visible to Roon.

Therefore, what happens if you attempt to play music through this Sonos?

3

He says it streams and plays just fine when using SONOS.

“Presently, I can stream through this exact setup through the Sonos app, connected to exactly the same sources and the same DAC.”

4

Is this not related to the recent Sonos issues after the Roon update?:

1 Like
6

When using the Sonos app, not Roon. He also implies that the issue only affects this particular endpoint–one of multiple Sonos. It would be useful to know if it only impacts S/PDIF, or the device when using the internal speaker. If it does, then it might be a known issue, as mentioned by @Anthony_B.

2 Likes
7

Sonos is not without its issues where it comes to Roon. My RPi endpoints can play BBC Radio 2 via Roon’s Live Radio selection with no issues. None of my Sonos endpoints can play BBC Radio 2 via Roon, despite all of them having hard-wired ethernet connections.

If the DAC is connected via S/PDIF, it’s not a Roon issue with the DAC. It’s a Roon issue with Sonos.

I run a DAC3 HGC on Roon over USB from a RPi4. No issue whatsoever there.

8

Confirming @mjw and @garym - streaming through the Sonos Port and Using Sonos App, which goes through the exact same wiring setup, works fine.

I also have three other Sonos endpoints, two ARC soundbars and a Sonos Amp, and those endpoints all work fine as Roon streaming targets through the Roon app.

I also have KEF LSX setup, which uses a “Works with Roon” KEF connector. That also works fine.

So, the only thing that is not functioning is this particular Sonos Port>Benchmark DAC3 HGC connection.

Again, this same exact thing worked fine for at least two years, and suddenly stopped working post the last “upgrade” from Roon.

9

@Anthony_B I did try this workflow, a couple of different ways, and it did not improve anything.

Oddly, I found that when I created the file, and dropped it in the appropriate directory on my Nucleus, and then restarted-the file I created to their exact spec was deleted upon restarting the Roon Nucleus. Not sure what was up with that? If you have tried this and it worked, would appreciate the steps you went through?

10

Hello all,

Interesting update. I found out today in a test that I did that if I start a Roon stream to a Sonos endpoint other than the Sonos Port in question in this thread, I can then add the Sonos Port endpoint to the Roon stream and it works flawlessly. Doesn’t matter which other Sonos endpoint (I have two Arc soundbars, and a Sonos Amp), as long as I start the stream there first, then add the Sonos Port endpoint, it works. If I start the stream on the Sonos Port, it fails 100% of the time with the “Lost Control of…” error.

I have reproduced this three times.

So, there is no issue with any of the equipment, this is most definitely a Roon software or Nucleaus issue. How else can you explain the behaviour above?

11

My interpretation is that the issue is most likely with the Sonos since Roon continues to stream to other Sonos devices, and for some reason Roon loses control of the Sonos port.

Did you read the thread posted by @garym?

12

see sonos thread above posted by @Anthony_B

1 Like
13

@garym and @mjw I have tried the -nosonoflac flag setting as suggested in the linked thread by @Anthony_B, and this did not work for me.

@mjw to be clear:

  • I can start a stream from the Roon to any of four Sonos endpoints in my house (A “Move” portable device, two different Arc soundbars, and a Sono Amp).

  • Except the Sonos Port, which fails with the “Lost Control of…” error message.

  • If I start the stream to one of the four Sonos endpoints that work, I can then add the Sonos Port to a Roon Group, and it plays flawlessly.

This suggests to me that Roon is sending different stream encoding depending upon the endpoint. When it negotiates the stream encoding with the four Sonos devices that work, whatever it is picking is able to be decoded by my Benchmark DAC3 HGC.

This is most definitely a Roon problem. Roon advertises they are compatible with all Sonos endpoint. Roon was compatible with Sonos, and then Roon changed something in the most recent update, to break this working compatibility.

Roon is the software that is choosing how to encode the stream, not Sonos. The Sonos Port is a dumb terminal in this case since its DAC is being bypassed, it is just passing what Roon sends it through.

I am not sure where to go from here. This is a Roon software problem that Roon needs to fix, IMHO.

14

The Benchmark is largely irrelevant here since it is attached to a coaxial cable, i.e. neither Roon nor Sonos knows what’s connected to the S/PDIF interface. Moreover, when Roon says it lost control of the device, this typically means something else has gained control.

I also note that the Sonos Port isn’t certified Roon Ready.

16

This topic was automatically closed 45 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.