sonicTransporter i5 vs an NUC for running Roon Server

Good article posted today:

[Intel NUC & sonicTransporter: A Tale Of Two Mini Computers Running Roon Core]
(http://www.audiostream.com/content/intel-nuc-sonictransporter-tale-two-mini-computers-running-roon-core)

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Why is this posted under Music Services?

Why does the article say if you want to use HQPlayer you have to “stick with Windows”? I used both Roon and HQP on Lubuntu without any issues. I only switched to Windows because I thought it sounded better.

Good point! I accidentally put this post in the wrong place. maybe one of the admins will move it.

The article is discussing purchasing a box from Small Green Computer. We use a headless version of Linux with no desktop. This works great for audio and for Roon Server but not for desktop apps like HQplayer.

The box we sell that does both Roon Server and HQplayer is Windows 10 not our Sonicorbiter OS.

It is a very interesting article. And I must say I am surprised and skeptical. Nothing at all against SGC, I considered them but went the NUC DIY route with an internal HD for music storage. I don’t get how similarly powered bare bones servers can have different sounds in systems. I just don’t get it.

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[quote=“fritzg, post:5, topic:12540”]
I don’t get how similarly powered bare bones servers can have different sounds in systems. I just don’t get it.
[/quote]you lack imagination…if you imagined differences are possible you’d hear them.

I also wonder if the difference in sound quality is a result of Linux being used on the STi5 and Windows on the NUC.

I wondered the same thing. It would be interesting to see/hear a side by side comparison of two NUCs, one running Roon under Linux, the other running Roon under Windows…

I’d posit as long as you have a decent Roon Bridge transport between the NUCs and DAC there’s no difference.

One runs Linux, the other Windows – and even then I doubt whether this will make a difference in a networked, distributed audio setup. Luckily, the perceived differences are written down in the usual vague and flowery prose – with the music being more or less engaging as the key point.

Funny: my own singular setup tends to do that too, being more engaging on one night than on the other. Usually a bit of relaxation and a good glass of wine tends to fix things quickly.

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You might very well think that; I couldn’t possibly comment…

Do you think Roon creates a different PCM stream under different OS’?

Sorry - the “you might very well think that; I couldn’t possibly comment” is a quote.

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I remember it well, enjoyed the series.

Hi Andrew, @agillis,

Just getting into Roon and I am running the trial on Macbook Pro with Synology NAS as storage. The jury is still out as to whether I will carry on as I am not sure the difference over my Sooloos is worth the hassle to be honest, and I appear to have lost 200 albums, but I might carry on as a lot of good words have been said about it.

However, what I do know is that if I continue I can’t carry on using the Macbook as the core, and I will need something to run Roon Server on, as I want it to be always on. I have been reading and SonicTransporter seems an interesting option.

Although I am in the UK I believe I can source it directly from you. Can you please give me a quote for the i3 and i5 model.

Rgds

Martin

We don have an i3 model you can purchase the i5 model here.

If you are using a USB DAC you should also get a Roon player like the microRendu

We ship all our products world wide and they all work on 120v/220v autoselect.

Hi Andrew

Thank you for response.

Will you have the i3 available at the later date as I am not sure I will ever get above the 24k limit?

Also I plan to use the Meridian MS600 as my endpoint. Have you any experiences or reviews with Meridian endpoints please

RGds

Martin

It does not hurt to have an i5, as Roon will continue to add functionality over time…

I have used an MS600 with Roon – works fine and sounds exactly the same as with Sooloos (as it should). :wink:

We sell a Celeron based unit that is basically as fast as an i3. It works well for small collections.

https://microjukebox.com/products/sonictransporter

I can accept that there might be differences - but only now as I have upgraded my system with an OPPO 205, ultra Rendu and soon LPS1.2.

Each upgrade above led me to understand what people mean when they say more sound stage - more presence etc.

I like the idea of a dedicated ROON server but I’m stuck on HQP. Any chance in the future of an HQP compatible device like the sonictransporter?