Yes, but OP said that the Nucleus+ no longer sees the DAC either when directly connected via USB. It’s unlikely that the USB inputs on both the DAC and DDC would fail at close to the same tine.
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Good point.
Thanks David…yes I’ve also tried the browser based reinstall twice prior…painless and fast…glad to try it again. Agreed unlikely the 2 USB ports on the Nucleus+ would both go batty at the same time although I’m sure they share the same controller on the MB. Btw they both work and read the external Ssp drive fine. Which is why I leaned towards a software glitch and knowing that that problem has occurred in the past on version upgrades etc. I’m trying to find a cheap digital device with USB output that I can use to completely remove the GAIA and Terminator Plus USB ports as culprits. At which point me thinks Nucleus+ needs to go to mama Roon. Any suggestions welcome on a cheap test head.
Thanks Bill
Thanks Tor
Hi David you mentioned connecting an HDMI monitor to the Nucleus - I can do that but how would I connect a keyboard? Forgive if I’m being daft here but worth a try tnx
Connect any USB keyboard to any of the USB ports on the Nucleus.
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Aha! The old school method…forgive…I’ve been in the IOS world for seems like decades now…I shall fish out one of those and try it…tnx
Hooked up hdmi monitor and USB keyboard CTRL-ALT-DEL worked and device rebooted. iPad’d to http://10.0.0.x and reinstalled software download success reinstall success. Removed keyboard. Rebooted device using switch just to make sure no usb device was cached. Powered up DDC and DAC. Plugged DDC in to Nuclues+ nothing reported on hdmi screen on this action.
Does anyone know of CLI commands one can issue from usb keyboard to run drags - ie show ports etc?
Keyboard activity is not echoing. Does the Nucleus+ have basic stdin/out enabled?
Typing may not produce any output, but CTRL+ALT+DEL should trigger a reboot.
Nucleus is built on Intel NUC; so no magic here 
It did. Seems with access to get to a prompt one should be able to do some basic diag commands
Ugh…I wonder how they run diags then perhaps there are hidden UI areas to get to diags
I guess there’s no OS per say on the Nucleus so nothing is listening…wonder if a USB boot disk (like ultimate boot) tool even work. Might write over the boot cmos -ie kill the built-in reinstall process. Not gonna try it. Looking like time send it to Roon Labs.
You could always try booting a random Linux live image USB stick to test your Mainboard, which will not change/damage anything.
That way you’ll know if your USB ports work properly…
This is not ideal but considering an hdmi to usb audio extractor—do you guys think this might help test from the Nucleus+ hdmi port(s) to USB? I’m doubtful this results in a digital signal on the output side to be honest
Tnx Marin…so this is the Roon Nucleus+ appliance. Not a home built computer Roon core. Just making sure before I go try that avenue
It has a NUC Mainboard inside!
Nothing special, besides its OS being optimized to run passively cooled.
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Ok guys. I’m now certain the Nucleus+ is (was) still is at least part of the issue. I’m going to contact my good friend Alvin at Vinshine (sole Denafrips distributor) to find out more about their USB protocol handler to see if he knows why this is suddenly happening. I thank all of you for hanging in there with me and making recommendations.
I remembered a few minutes ago I have a Gustard DAC X12 boxed away from years back. Fished that bad boy out and hooked up 2 sources one optical and the other the Nucleus+ usb. Hooked up the Gustard XLR outputs to the Preamp/Amp.
From all head devices in off position. Powered on the Gustard with the Optical source and Nucleus+ off. Of course nothing was clocked sync as both sources are off. Powered on the optical device and chose optical on Gustard front panel boom clock sync’s and music. Powered off optical source. Again nothin sync’d. Powered on the Nucleus+ surprise it sync’d…meaning the port and the cable are good….however no music.
So this was in my mind the final test. The Gustard DAC x12 clock sync’d to both sources. Yes that’s right the Nucleus+ USB port sync’d to the Gustard no mater which of 4 USB cables I tried (3 new ones and the original cable that worked for 2 yrs).
Here’s the kicker….wait for it….remember I had both sources hooked up at the same time to the Gustard. Upon attempting to swap out the last USB cable - not hoping for much… the optical source was actively playing music…… I hear a brief and temporary pause in the music which caused me to stop, thinking I don’t to blow something out…then said screw it I went ahead and plugged the last USB cable in and briefly heard the same pause. I powered the Gustard down and back up switched to the USB it clocked at DSD 256! Surprised I powered it down again and sure enough it came up as DSD 256!.. with nothing to loose I went to the Roon (iPad) UI low and behold there was the USB XCore as an option!! I clicked enable and music was playing over The Nucleus + USB port! Albeit through the Gustard. As the music was playing the USB XCORE Audio 2.0 switched to just ALSA no indication of USB. As soon as I disconnected the Gustard from the Nucleus the USB option disappeared all together. Switched all cables to the GAIA and sadly we’re back to square one.
Switched all wires back to the Gustard and it goes into DSD 256 mode again and Roon UI sees it as XCORE Audio 2.0. Switching the Gustard on and off the Roon UI goes in and out respectively. Music playing fine - this on the Gustard.
Now like me you’re probably saying ok then that means the Nucleus+ is, “ok”, and it is not seeing the GAIA or Terminator Plus…yeah but why was it working before for 2yrs no issues? Why was the Gustard also not working at first for almost 30mins while I was trying this and that but broke into a DSD 256 mode suddenly?
Thoughts guys…
I’d forgotten how pretty that Gustard DAC x12 can sound…wow! But definitely no where close to the Denafrips.
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