The vinyl has no home after I’ve gone, so may as well monetise now. Love Vinyl Studio and as you said so easy to use
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Thank you for that photo. It’s good to know that I’m not the only one with a less than pristine desk.
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It is the one I bought from you… Remember, the incident with the washing machine and so on.
By the way, I am very content with the device.
And now for something completely different …
I really admire - and sometimes envy - the people on this site for their well-equipped, well-thought and beautifully arranged systems, hats off! In contrast, this is a low-end, cheap setup working as a daily driver for “fun” listening - and it works pretty well 
The latest blogpost of archimago motivated me to “show off” my setup here. The post can be found in this thread: Great remarks by archimago on roon strategy
I live in a 100-year-old downtown apartment, so there’s no listening room, no ethernet and even too little power outlets out of the walls. I’m trying to avoid cables and extra boxes by any means, so it’s all WiFi with Chromecast Audios (CCA) or compatible devices. As the library consists of mainly reedbook FLACs, I’m totally fine with Chromecast capabilities. No streaming services, just local files and live radio, library size about 70k files.
Roon Server and library rest on a QNAP HS-435DX NAS with 8 GB RAM (fanless, because located in the living room), which is also used as File- and Plex Server. Yes, I know, not recommended and underpowered on paper, but works flawlessly and lasts, as long as it lasts. No DSP, just auto volume levelling.
NAS is directly connected via CAT6 to the WiFi router, which is an ASUS RT-AC66U B1 with a 2.4 and 5 GHz network, which both operate under the same ID to avoid thinking about which WiFi you’re logged in.
Main endpoint is a 12-year-old ONKYO TX-NR727 AV-Receiver (hidden in the sideboard), connected with a CCA and running Onkyo’s “Pure Audio” mode, to make things a little bit better Speakers are Teufel Ultima 20 Mk3 bookshelf speakers. If I had to get new gear at the moment, I’d have a Cambridge Audio Evo 150 and better speakers on my mind, but again, as long as it lasts, it lasts … The TV is connected via a CCWGTV but is rarely used for displaying Roon.
Not much to see here, speaker stands are still missing in this picture, as i had to rearrange the furniture lately:
Kitchen, dining room and sleeping room are equipped with JBL Link Music and Google Nest Mini 2 respectively, which provide enough buzz for background listening. In the children’s room, a CCA is plugged into an old Grundig radio, which can be replaced with something better at any time.
Additionally, three different groups of endpoints (All Rooms, Party etc.) are defined within the Google Home App to make them available for other services as well (Plex, Spotify, whatever …)
Roon “management” is done with a Windows 11 Laptop, remotes are two iPhones and an old iPad, which is barely used and collects dust in a shelf. Thinking about adding a WiFi headphone streamer/DAC and proper cans.
Sorry for the long read. This is certainly not for audiophiles, but I just tried to show that it doesn’t necessarily require expensive high-end gear to enjoy Roon and your music across your home on a daily basis Maybe this also helps taking away some fear of the unknown for people interested in Roon. Oh, and of course I do use ARC intensively as well.
TL/DR: It doesn’t always have to be hi-end/hi-res to have fun with Roon
Keep on rockin’ in the free world!
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Your multiple “low end” listening setups are to all those high end music rooms as Amazon Fire tablets are to Apple iPad Pro’s. 
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You get so many points for playing Santana! Way to go!
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Love the style of the cabinet and speakers - but no speaker stands?
Even getting them up/out to level with top/front of the cabinet would improve the sound IMO
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I agree! Sound notwithstanding, I think the speakers would look really nice if they were raised enough to carry the lines and flow of the gorgeous credenza
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Completely agree!
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Roon is as much about music discovery and enjoying music as it is about sound quality.
Sheldon
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The stands are installed in the meantime, 68 cm (2.2 feet) high.
Thank you all for your kind words 
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Far from my main system, here’s my recently set up office system… and despite the cobbled-together nature, it’s glorious in the space (even though my main system makes me happier, I spend more time with this one).
- Nikko NR-519 20 watt per channel late 1970’s amplifier pulled from a friend’s attic
- Misson MS-50’s, $25 at a garage sale
- RPI4 running RooExtend (normally I use RoPieeXL but for here I want the surface dial to control volume; will likely replace with a Pi Zero 2 W when those become more available)
- Schiit Modi+
- MS Surface dial (which normally sits on my desk, 10 feet away)
All sitting on a lovely sideboard to the side of my desk. Thinking about adding my REL TZero MkIII in order to fill in the bass, but it is just a cobbled-together office system and the bass on these speakers is shockingly better than they deserve to be with 4.3" woofers. But they are only rated to 75Hz at -3db, so maybe I’ll do the little guys a favor. Listening to Chet Baker and Lars Gullin vol 1 right now, and feeling productive, in large part thanks to the music!
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Chet Baker at work, how cool!
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I wonder if the low cost adds to the sweetness of the music? 
The best thing about these “other” audio systems is that when used with Roon all of these systems have one’s entire Roon music library available. Beautiful 
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I’d suggest some IsoAcoustics speaker stands, but that would double the cost of your system. 
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Great post Johnny.
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Touché 
Seriously, I was looking at them, but their looks just don’t make me happy in connection with the rest of the furniture. I was thinking more along the lines of something like a straight square steelframe cube.
But in the right dimensions (to level the top of the speakers and the sideboard) there seems to be no solution available off the shelf. Maybe I gotta ask a metal woker friend, matt black would be percfect
Thanks all. Am in the process of putting in new surrounds for a pair of Phase Tech PC60’s that I pulled out of my friend’s attic. My first speaker surgery. If it fails, it’ll cost me $80/woofer to fully replace the drivers… Phase Tech is still going strong and producing the actual drivers I need! Stereophile really liked these back in the day. Take a look at how disintegrated they are… But if it works, they might replace the Mission MS-50’s in my office.
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Wow. Looks like the surrounds have seen better days! Good luck with the repairs. 
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Sorrounds are overstated. Open baffle by the back door
Good luck with the repair, @Johnny_Ooooops and keep us in the loop 
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