Sluggish playback on Roon with Qobuz playlists and connectivity issues (ref#DI4HVB)

Support
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Hi @Alan_Meldrum,

It’s a frustrating problem with a deceptively simple solution. Please accept our apologies for any lapse in communication. I can assure you we haven’t abandoned this case.

The unfortunate reality is that, without clear reproduction steps, our engineers have no precise mechanism by which to attempt a fix. This means we can only implement blind fixes incrementally and then solicit your feedback to measure the effect.

The immediate workaround is to avoid Shuffling playlists that consist of over 1000 tracks as a Play Now action. For your specific use case, none of this works for you and none of this gives you any path forward.

We don’t expect you to accommodate this frustrating symptom within Roon long-term and the team is obviously still investigating this report. We still need time to identify the actual causal mechanism deductively through testing. During that time, we’ll have to ask for your patience. We will provide updates here as soon as they become available from the team.

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Hi @connor

Sorry, did I miss a memo? Can you expand on this ‘deceptively simple’ solution you refer to, because I’m afraid you’ve lost me.

Do you mean by a ‘solution’ that I should only shuffle tracks from playlists of a limited length, even though it would be my preference to select from playlists featuring the Qobuz 2,000 track maximum, something I have historically managed to do without any difficulty? Can you confirm that this is what you mean, and can you explain why you think that would be a solution?

Once again I feel that you are hiding behind vague promises of the problem possibly being resolved at some indeterminate point in the future, and asking me to stumble along in the meantime. If you think this is acceptable, I have to say that from my perspective as a paying customer it certainly is not.

I have forwarded you the database that you requested, yet you do not confirm receipt of it, and you make no reference to any analysis of this data that may have begun, nor do you offer any timescale for when you expect this analysis to be completed. Could you please update me on what progress has been made, if any, with this data?

Finally, could you please try and be more proactive, and stop hiding behind the same weary platitudes. I am the customer, you are customer services, I do not feel that I am being adequately served. I cannot make it any clearer.

Please update me at your earliest convenience.

A

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Good day, @Alan_Meldrum!

While you’re waiting for an update from Connor or Noris, I’d like to share some additional findings from our side.

During our investigation, we observed that although your Nucleus is not under heavy CPU load, it typically has only ~400–600 MB of available RAM. This is a relatively limited amount of memory for handling more demanding operations, such as shuffling large Qobuz playlists (e.g. ~2,000 tracks), which can require additional memory for metadata processing and stream preparation.

At the moment, our automatic diagnostics do not provide sufficiently granular insight into short-term memory pressure during peak operations, so we can’t conclusively confirm memory exhaustion at the exact moment the slowdown occurs.

To help determine whether memory capacity is the limiting factor, we’d like to suggest a comparison test:

  • Install Roon Server on another PC or Mac with 8 GB of RAM or more
  • Restore your Nucleus backup to that system
  • Repeat the same actions (e.g. shuffling the same Qobuz playlists) and observe whether playback starts more quickly and behaves more smoothly

If performance improves significantly in this scenario, it would strongly suggest that additional RAM could help alleviate the issue on the Nucleus.

Please let us know what you observe after trying this, and we’ll be happy to continue the investigation.

Regards.

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Hi @alex_h

I have a ten year old Mac upstairs in my house, and the Nucleus/router/Linn DSM are downstairs. I previously had connectivity and playback issues on the Mac which were more pronounced than anything I am currently experiencing on the Nucleus. This is why I originally purchased the Nucleus - on Roon’s advice - to try and overcome these issues. I see nothing to be gained by installing the Roon server on the Mac, when it was previously performing so badly on that setup.

What I need to hear from Roon is some sort of explanation as to why the system no longer performs as it once did, ie being able to shuffle 2,000 track playlists without any lag at all, whereas now there are lags of between a few seconds and a minute or two. My library has not increased greatly since that time, so why is it not performing as it used to? Can someone give me some explanation as to why this might be?

I also await a response to the issue below from my last message.

A

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Hi @Alan_Meldrum,

Our development team is still investigating your case - I can confirm the database you’ve sent over has been useful for the team, and I’m sorry we don’t have any updates yet.

To set proper expectations, we likely won’t have any updates or new information to share before the new year. Thanks for all the patience so far!

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Hi @benjamin , @connor , @alex_h , @vadim , @noris

Thank you for the update. I will wait and see what the New Year brings. May 2026 offer more solutions and fewer problems, and not just with Roon.

I am sorry if the tone of my messages is often critical and at times abrupt, but at times it can feel as if I am living on a diet of promises and dying of starvation. It is very frustrating, and my messages reflect that frustration.

However, I hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable time over the festive period, whatever you are doing.

Best regards

Alan

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Hello @Alan_Meldrum

Thank you very much for your kind and thoughtful message — it’s genuinely appreciated. We completely understand your frustration, and there’s no need to apologize. When expectations meet repeated obstacles, it’s only natural for that to come through in tone. Your feedback is honest, and it helps us understand the impact these issues have on real-world use.

I also wanted to share a quick update from our side. We’ve identified that your Roon Server is consuming nearly all available memory immediately after startup. This behavior has already been escalated to our R&D team for investigation. Based on what we’re seeing so far, it appears that shuffling a very large playlist is not the root cause by itself, but rather the final trigger that pushes the system over the edge and leads to the reboot.

While R&D continues to analyze this, one possible short-term mitigation would be to increase the amount of RAM available on the device, which may significantly improve stability and overall experience in the meantime.

Would this be something you’d be interested in exploring while the investigation is ongoing?

Once again, thank you for your understanding and for the warm wishes. We sincerely hope the New Year brings more stability, clearer answers, and fewer frustrations — with Roon and beyond.

1 Like
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Hi @vadim

I would be happy to explore any option that improves performance. I think some advice was offered in this regard before, but it was thought at that time that planned software updates would be a solution, as opposed to increasing RAM. My technical knowledge is very limited however, so if you could offer a ‘RAM update for dummies’ guide it would be appreciated. I am not sure where in the myriad of past messages the original advice you gave me might be.

Best regards

Alan

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Perhaps this article might help?

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Hey @Alan_Meldrum,

@Geoff_Coupe is correct with sharing the above article, here is some additional information as well - hope it helps!

Here is the RAM we suggest:

Suggested: Crucial DDR4 2666 MHz CL19 2

Requirements: DDR4 2666 MHz CL19 - ECC Type = Non-ECC, Form Factor = SODIMM, Pin Count = 260-pin, PC Speed = PC4-21300, Voltage = 1.2V, Rank and Configuration = 1Rx16, 1Rx8 or 2Rx8

And here is the step-by-step for replacing the RAM. Be sure to make or have a recent Roon backup or two saved!

Power Down and Unplug the Nucleus:

Turn Off the Nucleus by properly shutting it down through the Roon app or web interface.

Unplug all cables, including power and network cables, from the Nucleus.

Open the Nucleus Case:

Remove Screws: Use the screwdriver to remove the screws securing the top cover of the Nucleus.

Lift the Cover: Carefully lift and remove the top cover to access the internal components.

Install the New RAM:

Locate the RAM Slot: Find the RAM slot on the motherboard.

Remove Old RAM (if upgrading): If you’re replacing the existing RAM, gently release the clips and remove the old RAM module.

Insert New RAM: Align the new RAM module with the slot and firmly press it down until it clicks into place, ensuring the clips secure it.

Reassemble the Nucleus:

Replace the Cover: Put the top cover back on and secure it with the screws you removed earlier.

Power On the Nucleus:

Reconnect All Cables and power on the Nucleus.

Check Functionality: Ensure that the Nucleus starts up correctly and that Roon operates as expected.

If you encounter any issues or have any questions during the process, feel free to ask for further assistance!

1 Like
56

Hi @benjamin

Thank you for the info. Below is a snapshot of my current library. I realise the ratio of albums to tracks may seem odd, but I essentially listen to music from playlists I have created (as previously discussed), rather than listening to albums, so my library is basically genre-based playlists which I am continually adding to.

Question: given my library profile, would the problems with performance I have been experiencing be removed if I were to invest in a Nucleus Titan? It’s something I’m giving serious thought to.

Best regards

Alan

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Hi @benjamin

Further to my previous post, I have made enquiries with my hi-fi dealer, who I purchased the current 2019 Nucleus model from, about purchasing a Titan. Given the issues I have been experiencing I think this upgrade would make sense, and would hopefully future-proof me.

Question: If I were to have an internal SSD fitted to the Titan when purchased, would it have a purpose beyond storing my iTunes music files, ie my local library? Would it store Roon OS and database also? Is there a specific model of SSD that is recommended by Roon? If you could advise I’d be grateful. Please bear in mind my IT knowledge is fairly limited.

Best regards

Alan

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Hi @benjamin , @vadim , @alex_h , @noris , @connor

Once again I seem to be struggling to get your attention, and it is now six days since I last heard from anyone at your end. Would you be kind enough to respond to my request for information about the Titan? As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards

Alan

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Hi @Alan_Meldrum,

Apologies for the delay here!

I believe your current Nucleus with additional RAM should be completely fine, although the Titan would also certainly do the trick as well.

You can add an internal SSD of up to 8TB capacity, which would strictly hold your local library. There is a separate m.2 SSD that hosts your Roon Server database.

Many users have used Samsung SSD 860 EVO 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD, here’s a link to amazon for reference:

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