Roon stability - am I an outlier?

Roon Software Discussion
103

Although I’m a rookie here - I’m working with roon now for about 3 weeks - I really, really like the roon features and information you get. At the beginning I was very euphoric, thought of lifetime license and so on, but the longer I keep reading in the support forum I get more and more doubts about that and I’m thinking about to cancel that roon experience.

But I read in this thread that here are a lot experienced users with a lot of backround (and positive experience which builds me up a little bit).

If I play music it just has to play, no stops, skips to the next title and so on.
And that’s the problem I have with TIDAL streaming (higher likelihood with MQA but also in CD quality).
General internet speed is fantastic >900Mbit/s, ethernet to endpoint, doesn’t depend on endpoints, always works fine with Bluesound and Tidal Apps but not with ROON.
Tidal quality setting is switched to “Master”.
There are days with no skippings (or almost no) and sometimes with 7 skips within an hour.
I guess I found relationships to Tidal server down times, but its hard to say and the Tidal connect App didn’t show that picture (same quality setting).
So I agree with:

If there is somebody out there who knows something about it - your help is more than highly welcome to a big music fan. Please get in touch with me.
Or post something at (sorry I meant library):
Titles (Tidal and libery) stop playing and roon jumps to the next title

Is there a way to track the internet speed or consitency to the Tidal server in Europe?
So far when I got skips I try to report them also at a DOWNDETECTOR Web side for Tidal. Just to make them also aware of it (Down times Tidal).

I read a lot in other threads but almost never found or got a solution or hint what I can do (Core PC is already on DNS 8.8.8.8), router as stated here as well cannot be switched.

I got no feedback like “we know that issues, we are working on it” or “TIDAL is involved” or an answer like “thanks for the updates we’ll be back in touch with you till…”
Its always like throwing something out and you don’t know if someone picks it up (or reads it)

At the moment and because of that topic (especially the support :cry:) I think more like:

It doesn’t help to just throw out always the same question, don’t read the questions/statements thoroughly and have people to keep other people calm. :cry:

The program on the other side is really great and that’s the only reason while I’m still following up and I’m investing such a lot of time. At the moment.
I have almost no crashes on Android remotes, no Core crash, no bigger functionality issues, no streaming issues from local library (fixed it with new LAN driver or BIOS update).
Thanks :wink:

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104

Just remember that forums such as this are never representative of the user base. There will be thousands of users who have never had an issue and haven’t even made a community account.

It’s the same mantra for restaurant reviews.

Bad experience? Bad review.
Good experience? Silence.

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105

My system is with Roon Optimized Core Kit (ROCK) running on an Intel New Unit of Computing (NUC). The NUC is connected with CAT 5 to a switch and to my integrated DAC/Amplifier. The switch also connects with CAT 5 to the home fiber modem that has WiFi capability. I control the system with an iPad or laptop also connected through WiFi.

I turn the whole system on and off with a single switch. The system is rock solid. It’s turned on and off every day, and works every time. It plays without dropouts, hesitation or latency of any sort.

I previously ran with the Roon core on a laptop, and connection to the DAC/Amplifier with USB. That also was rock solid and without any issues.

Maybe you could provide some details on the problems you’re having.

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106

I really do feel genuinely sorry for people who have problems with Roon.

But let’s get one thing crystal clear: The problems that people encounter in using Roon have nothing whatsoever to do with Roon’s software.

I have a Nucleus feeding various endpoints in my home, and in two-years, it has never, ever skipped a beat. It’s been absolutely faultless, bar the very odd bug following software releases, which Roon has picked-up and rectified with rapid updates.

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107

That’s quite a statement. How would you know?

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108

Because Roon has worked for me without a single hitch for two years.

109

Sorry to say. But the conclusion likely is wrong. Fits for your setup which is great. Others may and do have other equipment well within the requirements of Roon and are less faultless. What’s your message to them: My way or the highway?

110

My message is: Look elsewhere for problems, rather than ‘blaming’ the software. It’s been said before, but most problems that users encounter are probably down to network issues.

I’ll give you another example. My Linn KDS/3 can’t be connected directly to my ASUS router. If it is, it drops in-and-out of my network. Linn recommend placing a simple unmanaged switch between the router and the DS. This solves the problem.

Should I ‘blame’ Linn for this idiosyncrasy? Is my DS ‘flawed’ because of this? Of course not. This piece of hardware just has certain network demands.

As does Roon. Spend some time and effort ‘getting Roon right’, and you’ll never look back :grinning:

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111

No doubt. Network issues often are named. As misunderstandings and non complying hardware configurations. And are often the cause for their troubles. But putting this anywhere near an universal truth and cause is plain wrong. As any simplification. Giving Roon a free pass because your setup works is maybe a bit short.

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112

Hi @Martin_Kelly ,
Sorry, I also don’t agree with your statement and conclusions.

I’m just curious - are you streaming Tidal Master files?
In what country do you live?
What’s your conclusion that all other music software plays without any interrups, skips and just roon does?
With standard hardware roon ready and a powerful ethernet connection and powerful core PC!
Yes, the network environment is complicated but…
I also found stuff in my network, when I looked closer, but this is fixed now.
And yes, Tidal also might have an influence on that,

113

No. I have a library on the SSD in my Nucleus, and I stream from Qobuz.

UK

? :roll_eyes:

114

@Martin_Kelly
Thanks!

Qobuz files in what quality?

And thanks for the emoji with the “?” :wink:
I also see more failures with higher quality (MQA).

Everything is very well if I stream from local NAS - doesn’t matter what quality.

115

I stream up to 24/192 from Qobuz.

It’s very debatable that MQA can be regarded as ‘higher quality’… :wink:

In essence, streaming MQA is no more demanding on your network than streaming 16/44.1, due to the small MQA file sizes:

One example provided by MQA is Madonna’s Like A Virgin . When encoded into a hi-res FLAC file at 192kHz/24-bit, it ends up as 135.3 MB. The MQA version, which theoretically contains the same level of resolution, comes in at a relatively tiny 46.2 MB. Even when compared to a slightly lesser quality 96kHz/24-bit FLAC, the MQA version comes in at half the size.

116

Thanks I didn’t know that and good to know. :+1:

My full format Madona’s Like A Virgin (ALAC 16 bit, 44.1kHz) has 24MB - so it is still smaller (but maybe not vs MQA 96kHz).
I just mentioned more trouble with MQA96kHz and higher, but maybe I’m wrong.
I only have 2,3k “normal” FLAC with 24bit up to 192kHz - so I don’t have a comparison to MQA.

117

My library only contains locally stored music (internal and external SSDs), but I also stream up to 24/192 from Qobuz (no wired connections; Wifi only!). No dropouts or other issues. In other words, everything “just works”…

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118

No problems here, use it 24 hours a day… Dedicated Windows 2012 R2 server with only Roon Core and music. No wifi connected endpoints, only ethernet… Lumin U1, Totaldac and a Cubox…
[Edit] Oh… Did I mention Qobuz… Use that most of the time as source for Roon…

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119

Maybe Tidal is your issue. Tidal was a train wreck up to about a week or two ago. They did a software update that seems to have stabilized things , but even with that I have since a moved on to Qobuz getting away from the train wreck that has been Tidal/MQA has been best move ever.

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120

Possibly was, but knocking on wood its been stable for 3 weeks now.

121

I’m at 75,527 tracks and would consider it a modest collection. I also although being relatively new to the Roon community have only had little issues ( Mostly with the whole MQA nonsense which I have since moved past).
Running Roon on a ibm i5 NUC. Music storage is on Synology NAS. And although I don’t use any wireless speakers, all my end points, various tablets, phones and a Denon AVR, everything has been working perfectly including two chromecast streamers tvs.

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122

@Andrew_Webb — just thinking about it some more, I would really suggest that you consider trying a NUC + ROCK, if it’s feasible for you.
It won’t answer the questions of why your current setup doesn’t work, when by all expectations it should. But I think there’s a high chance it will give you a much better Roon experience. And in addition to the stability, I have found it very liberating to have an always-on “appliance”.

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