I’m in the market for a Yamaha AVR (probably a low-end RX-V385). Why Yamaha? I’ve had them before; I find them easy to navigate; I like their sound.
I have a Roon Nucleus One on order.
What I WANT to happen: Use the USB-A output of the Nucleus One - connect to the USB-B input of the Yamaha = MUSIC!
Will this work? If not, why?
What I DON’T WANT to happen: From the USB-A output of the Nucleus through an interminable number of converters. I also don’t want to convert from digital to analog prior to the Yamaha. Why? More (unnecessary) D/A-A/D conversions, each with its own loss of sound quality.
If I can’t get from Roon Nucleus to Yamaha in one swell foop, then I’ll have to choose between Roon and Yamaha. That choice becomes a toss-up, and Roon is very likely to lose.
Then you should buy an AVR that has a USB UAC compatible digital audio input and not an RX-V385 that doesn’t. IIRC most don’t have. Read the Manual / Technical Specifications carefully.
EDIT: Why USB? What is wrong with HDMI, especially as it seems you want to connect to an AVR?
Also a Roon Ready network streamer or bridge (rPi + Digi hat) would work. Probably any resonably recent japanese AVR has HDMI and network.
I’m agnostic about digital connections - Once the Nucleus One is set up (assuming I need the HDMI output for that?), will it stream music via HDMI? If so, would it see the Yamaha RX-V385 as an endpoint over HDMI?
I don’t se why. AFAIK you need another device with Roon software as remote and a (supported) web browser to setup and use a device running Roon OS.
According to the manual, yes.
Obviously, I guess? Why would/should he not? HDMI is a supported audio output on the Nucleus One.
Or do you mean to ask if you get a nice line art for the Yamaha? The RX-V385 is neither Roon Tested nor Roon Ready – so no. I don’t even know if HDMI is even 2-way. If not then nothing can be “seen” anyway by the Nucleus. Maybe other users with a Nucleus and an AVR want to comment on that.
PS: Looks like the RX-V385 is six years old now and out-of-sale (likely soon to be totally EOL). Why even bother with an outdated product? Do you get payed to take care for such an antiquity?
Fun aside, this device already lacks support for latest codecs and future firmware updates are unlikely. Depending on the features you need most and what the future brings, this device may be a paper weight sooner rather than later.
I don’t think Roon needs to know what is attached to the other end of HDMI. Once you enable the HDMI zone the setup is basically manual. You can set the max sample rate, bits per sample and channel layout (7.1 5.1 2) based on your device.
I have a NUC/ROCK with HDMI to a Denon AVR that works that way. It plays Stereo and Multi-channel files as recorded.
