I just want to investigate the best setup configuration for Roon. I have really got the hang of it yet. Here’s what I have:
Main Library is iTunes Ripped CDs in ALAC. About 2000 CDs. Mac Computer with CD Drive attached and all CDs ripped by iTunes onto hard drive.
About 1200 CDs ripped in an Innuos CD Ripper NAS in FLAC connected to Network via Ethernet.
About 300 Albums downloaded from HDTracks.com audiophile tracks. They sit in iTunes also on the Mac HD.
Tidal subscriber.
Wifi with access to around the house Sonos.
Cambridge EVO with KEF wired speakers.
I’m about to install a new Mac mini M2 with a 4TB SSD. I sort want advice as to how I use Roon and a suggested setup. I.e where’s the better ROON Core? iTunes with ripped 2000 CDs and just add the rest as folders? I also get annoyed that iTunes doesn’t get the Album Covers and Information right and whether I can use ROON to fix that?
As someone who also went from iTunes to Roon my advice is to ditch iTunes forever.
But this comes with a massive caveat: Edits you made in iTunes and other metadata will (probably) be lost.
But unless you’re sticking with iTunes for life this problem is going to happen at some point.
My suggestion is to start over now.
Organize your music folder in accordance with Roon’s suggestions.
Set the top level folder to be watched by Roon and let it do its thing.
If you’re lucky Roon will identify most of your albums.
For any that it doesn’t find I’d suggest using a 3rd party metadata editor to tag your music files to your preferences as edits you make in Roon are specific to Roon whereas if you get your library properly tagged most any music player, including Roon, will recognize your edits.
(You’ll have to enable use of personal tags)
And yes Roon will provide artwork (and lots more info) for the albums it’s able to match.
Edit: it’s occurred to me there may be a way to bring your iTunes metadata etc into Roon.
I’ve never done this. Others may be able to explain if this is possible.
But I still think best practice is to get your library properly tagged.
Ok, so I should probably use the Innous which is sort of a 2TB NAS as the Roon Core, which it can be. I actually like iTunes so I will keep that separate to Roon. I’ll have two libraries, one ALAC which are ripped CDs and HDTracks bought Audiophile in AIFF. I can focus Roon on the FLAC files, and incorporate Tidal with the Roon Core. To build the Roon FLAC library, I can convert ALAC files to FLAC for the music that I don’t have on the Innous NAS. Does Roon handle ripping?
Also, you could use your Mac for your Roon core assuming it meets the specifications for Roon 2.0.
This would simplify things as you could probably use the same files.