I’ve been able to interface Roon core to a Sonos connect by using a USB dragon fly DAC on the PC running Roon Core, then analog out from the Dragon Fly DAC to Connect analog in. Works ok.
Does it sound better, worse, or the same as using the digital Sonos OUTPUTS and Sonos software. Sounds like you are makeshifting the Sonos Line-in, selecting Line-in on the Sonos Controller, and managing the library via Roon. I am doing something similar with a Denon HEOS 5 in my computer setup.
EDITED-----I meant the digital output connection. Thanks for catching that Louis.
Louis, interesting issue I’m using sonos for years and have licensed roon now since 8 Weeks. In my set up I’m running both strands (1. sonos and as a 2. source roon core on win 10, both strands controlled by iMac) providing digital output to a DAC. What do you want to acheive by feeding sonos with analogue (which has limited quality compared to digital) input frm roon?
Please can you explain your intention?
Don’t Sonos support using a single Airport Express as an Airplay receiver - wouldn’t this be a (potentially) better solution?
Rik
The Sonos Connect only has audio in and digital out. The Mac mini has analog out, tousling out and of course USB out. The direct route would be Mac-mini analog out (LQ) to Sonos Connect analog in. Sound quality is low to middling.
Or we go USB out into Audioquest Dragon Fly DAC, analog to Sonos Connect - SQ might be better. Improvement would be to replace the Dragon Fly with the Meridian Explorer 2 (MQA) to connect to the SONOS Connect.
I have SONOS speakers in the bedroom, with the moveable TV and in the kitchen, with a Connect attached to the LAN.
This enables Roon to direct music to the SONOS devices.
It obviates installing Apple Airplay because I do not have any airplay speakers. I do have two Apple TV’s which Roon could direct music to via Airplay. and middling SQ.
The Mac-mini is deployed as a server accessing a thunderbolt drive on which all the music is stored at various resolutions including DSD etc. The Mac-mini itself stores the iTunes files.
The Roon core also directs music to the Bryston BDP-1 Roon end point which then feeds the main Hi Fi.
Porting to the SONOS speakers does not require Hi Fi quality as I normally use Tunein to port internet streaming which is inherently low SQ. My internet bandwidth has trouble with 44.1/16 and as I mainly listen to classical, big band and jazz, Tidal etc are of no interest.
If MQA starts streaming, from wherever, I can cope with this by deploying the Meridan MQA DAC at the appropriate time; But it’s not very high on the list.
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