Roon with Playback Designs

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)
I am running Core on an new HP laptop dedicated to my music system.

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)
Frontier fiber connection via coax to Actiontec adapter. Adapter to NetGear Gigabit switch via Cat 7 cable. Synology 1019+, Laptop running Roon.

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)
Laptop connected to PlayBack Designs Stream-IF via USB in. Stream-If to Playback Designs MPS-5 via PLINK (Fiber Optic)
Analog out of MPS-5 to Preamp and to Amps.

Description Of Issue

With no network connection to the Stream-IF
To use the Stream-IF Playback Designs suggests USB input.
In the -Audio- section of -Settings-, Roon Core Shows AKDesigns Audio, which is the software on the laptop to run the MPS-5 and Stream-IF.

When I try to perform initialization it says “Device Not Found”.

With a network connection to Stream-IF
If I connect a network cable from the Stream-IF to the NetGear switch it will find the Stream-X portion of the Stream-IF in -Audio- and connect only via a Network connection.

Andreas Koch owner of Playback Designs recommends the USB playback.
He tells me the Playback Design products is a Roon end user.
How do I configure Roon to accept the connection to Playback Designs equipment?

Thanks
Brad

The manual only mentions it as a roon end point via streaming.
What OS are you running on the laptop and if windows have you installed the playback driver?

Hi @Brad_Rockwood,

Since you are connecting via USB, I would double check to see if a driver is needed to communicate with the DAC. Also, since you are using a Windows PC, I would verify that both Roon.exe and RAATServer.exe have been added as exceptions to your Windows firewall.

You can use these instructions to add the exceptions and the executables themselves would be located in your Database Location/Application folder path. I would also add these exceptions to any Antivirus or other Firewall blocking applications you may have.

Hi Ged, If it is an end point via streaming would that mean the signal would only enter via ethernet from the network switch to the PBD Stream-IF?

My laptop is running windows 10. what playback drivers are you referring to?

Very computer illiterate person here. The simpler/more detailed the directions the better.
Thanks

Hi Noris, I have not looked at that but I did turn off the firewall to see if it would help. it did not. I will check on the Antivirus settings also.

Thanks

Yes over Ethernet.
The windows drivers need to be installed on your laptop for the device to work properly.
http://playbackdesigns.com/#inline_content_drivers

1 Like

Hi @Brad_Rockwood,

It does appear that a driver is required, do let us know how it goes after installing the driver on your PC.

Yes I have had the AKDesigns 2.0 driver on the laptop. I added it to the audio options under settings but Roon says it can’t find it.

I can play music via USB with the current setup using JRiver. If I open Roon it will not find the AKDesigns software when I ask it to.

Another question for you all.
JRiver is running on the same laptop as Roon. JRiver has been running for 3-4 years using the AKDesigns driver software to integrate with Playback Designs hardware.
I realize that JRiver and Roon are different programs.
Is it possible that with the connection to JR that Roon can’t access the AKDesigns driver software on the laptop?

Hi @Brad_Rockwood,

I would exit out of JRiver in case it is using exclusive mode for the DAC, but Roon should still be able to see it, so I think something else might be happening here, I believe a firewall may be blocking proper communication through Roon.

Since you are using a Windows PC, I would verify that both Roon.exe and RAATServer.exe have been added as exceptions to your Windows firewall. You can use these instructions to add the exceptions and the executables themselves would be located in your Database Location/Application folder path.

I would also add these exceptions to any Antivirus or other Firewall blocking applications you may have. Once you have added these exceptions and if the issue still remains, can I please ask you to take a screenshot of your Roon Settings -> Audio page and upload it here? It should look something like this:

I’m not trying to run JRiver and Roon at the same time. I just wasn’t sure if JR had some connection constantly that would prevent Roon from finding it.

I looked at the Window Firewall and neither of those exceptions exists. I did not have time to look at the database location but will do that later.

Here is the image. Ronns finds Stream-X that will play via network cable but won’t find AKDesigns that is the USB driver.

Thanks, I will check the database and get back to you.

Hi @Brad_Rockwood,

Thanks for sharing that screenshot. I am seeing Device Not Found and Device Initialization Failed for your “Connected to Core” zones, which further indicates that this could be a firewall issue. Do take a look to make sure that both Roon.exe and RAATServer.exe are added to Windows Firewall and any other Antivirus Application you may be using (Norton/McAFee/Avast/ect.),

Neither of the exception exist in the firewall as you can see in the pictures.

In the DataBase location, they both exist but I didn’t see anything I could do with them. If I opened them, they both showed the image posted of the Roon Control Panel that shows the Synology NAS.

It appears it was the Anti Virus program stoping the USB process to my PBD MPS-5.

It doesn’t make any sense that it would find the Stream - X via ethernet but not the DAC via USB.

I am curious though why it still says Device Not Found but it plays to it.

Thanks for all the help. I was about to nail my music room shut and buy a Walkman.

1 Like

Hi @Brad_Rockwood,

Great to hear that you narrowed down the issue to the Antivirus software. I would reboot your Core to see if it helps with the “Device Not Found”, but this is for your System Output and not for the DAC (System Output is the “generic” Operating System output). In either case, glad to hear you’re up and running and if you have any other issue do feel free to reach out!

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