Another option is to connect a small SSD via USB3. It worked really well for me.
Ok, thanks much.
Can my Synology stay as it is configured then and the install takes place on the external SSD?
I have about 18,000 tracks btw between iTunes, Tidal, and FLAC.
The App itself will be installed on an internal volume. But the essential part (=Roonās database) to boost the performance will be stored on the SSD.
OK, so just so I am clear, everything on my 916+ can stay as it is, I attach an external SSD to one of the USB 3 outputs and install the package and go from thereā¦?
Correct. You should initialise the USB SSD on the Synology (with ext4 filesystem) and rename the share to āRoonServerā (as described in the NAS instructions on my download page). Then the app will pick up the SSD as the destination for the Roon database. Your current internal storage can and will stay as it is.
Thanks very much. Time to order an external SSD and try it out 
Iāve been pondering SonicTransport, ROCK NUC and other things but like being minimalist so if my NAS can serve two purposes thatās great.
One more vote for just adding Roon to the NAS. I have a DS1515+ which is used as generic network store and nightly backup target. I added an internal SSD and loaded Roon using Christopherās package. Everything co-exists very well. It is true that the DS1515+ CPU runs out of gas if you attempt higher-level DSP processing in Roon, but it handles ordinary volume leveling very nicely and thatās really all the added Roon processing I want. If you do want higher level Roon DSP functions, you should look into a NAS with a more powerful CPU or run Roon on a dedicated box (ROCK?) and just get your music off of the NAS. Music files really arenāt much network load so pulling them from a NAS into a dedicated Roon box also works well.
I am running Roon core on my Synology DS716+II with external ssd. Its Synologyās fastest dual slot NAS. It runs Roon fine, even with dual channel convolution filters it handles 192/24 files just fine. Without the convolution filter enabled it can playback DSD128 files. I have around 1000 albums.
Those people saying that you should stay away from running Roon on a Synology NAS donāt know what they are talking about. Obviously there are more powerful options to run Roon core though.
I just installed Roon on my DS216+II a few days ago. I upgraded the NAS to 8GB of RAM first and added an SSD on the USB3 port. No issues at all so far - itās very responsive using an iPad remote, and Iāve had zero dropouts. I donāt need to leave my very power hungry PC on 24/7 now!
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How big is your library? Mine is 150,000 tracks+
How many endpoints play at one time? I often have 2 out of 7-8 running at any one time
How many DSP options do you use? I upsampling to DSD512 on one endpoint all the time! To 24/192 on most others
All of the above will eventually tax the Ds beyond its abilities depending on how much you use. Just indexing your library if itās large might take days or weeks while itās analyzing your tracks
Any hardware will have its limitations. Just choose something appropriate to your needs and enjoy the music!
This is the option that I needed to utilize. I would prefer to run a SSD volume for apps and a separate four-HDD storage volume, but I would need to abandon my current 5-bay volume in order to do so.
Hi Guys,
I have had to upgrade my NAS 710+ (is 6 years old, old non NAS drives etc).
I love Synology - has been extremely stable, DSM OS is great etc., so have no desire to move to QNAP.
I have ordered a DS1517+ 8G RAM with 3 WD Red pro 8G drives and a Samsung Evo 256G SSD.
The rationale was that this is a quick (for Synology) NAS and has room to expand!
Plan is to setup with RAID 1 (or likely Synology SHR RAID - easier to add 3rd drive), with 1 internal backup drive and the SSD for the Roon database.
Will not be too distraught if Roon doesnāt work too well - currently runs on a fast i7PC with upsampling to DSD to my T + A DAC DSD - but would be nice!
I was wondering if anyone was using a similar configuration with this NAS?
Do you think it will cope with upsampling PCM to DSD 128 (??256) ?
Cheers,
Dave
Addit: It looks like the DS1517+ has the same Atom CPU as the DS1515+. I would be very interested in JWCās opinion.
Turn on Parallelize Sigma Delta Modulator.
Many thanks.
I am replacing my endpoint and will experimentā¦
I am running Roon on a 1515+. If you search on my screen name you can see some previous comments re:1515+ performance when resampling. Generally speaking, the 1515+ processor is marginal for anything more processor intensive than volume leveling especially if you want it to serve more than one Roon endpoint. The good news is that Roon tells you how the processor is doing and Roonās indicator seems to tie very closely with reality. Basically if Roon says the processor factor is below 3.0 you are right on the edge. Iāve found things start breaking up when processor factor gets below 2.0. However, thereās no telling in advance how much processor resource will be required for any particular audio manipulation you might want to do. I suggest you try it in your setup, watching the processor factor and listening for bad outcomes. You might be surprised what you can doā¦ but donāt expect too much.
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I put up a post regarding using an external SSD in support. Wondering if you could help me with this since you use something similar:
"Hi. I am fairly new to Roon and to most things computer except banging out a text document on my MacBook Pro. Though, baby steps, I have managed to network most of my entertainment needs. So, what I have is the Roon core on my Synology DS916+ NAS, which also has a very small but ever increasing library of 10,000 songs. Though it performs fine mostly, I find, simplistically put, dsf files stuttering at times as well as playing at lower volume than the flac ones. Which, of course, reminded me of this one line I had read in Roon advice for NAS; that the core can still be set up on an external SSD. Which is where I need help:
Which core platform can be installed here. The reason I ask is because it has no OS. Also have no idea if any OS can be installed on an external SSD. Do help.
Which external SSD would you recommend? I imagine it should be 128gb?
On network, Roon catches my Oppo UDP-205, which is also how I got introduced to Roon. Hopefully, this SSD setup will not intervene in this flow?
Once set up on an SSD, will I be able to migrate my current database, or will it have to be a complete new haul?"
I would appreciate all help.
ānot ever think about running Roon on a Synology.ā
Ha, I just installed Roon on my Synology 412+ (2gb memory, 16TB of good old spinning discs) on a lark after reading all the anti-synology comments. It just works. No problems at all with my rather large music collection, thousands and thousands of albums.
On the other hand, Iāve heard a LOT of negative things about the QNAP. So as they say, YMMV.
Iām new to Roon- in the 14-day trial to decide whether I want to buy or not. To best evaluate this, I am installing on my Synology DS1815+ because thatās how I would expect to use it. (None of my computers are on 24/7.)
I just want to clarify something about installing the core on a USB device. All of my drive bays are occupied, so I picked up a 128Gb Corsair Voyager GTX, expecting that it would be identified as an SSD (because itās not just a flash driveā¦it has an SSD on-board controller).
But DiskManager just sees it as a removable USB device, so Iām already a bit confused in the very first step of the installation instructions. I canāt create the Roonserver volume in Storage Manager because thereās no available disk spaceā¦the USB drive isnāt recognized there as an available disk.
It is shown as a share in File Station. Do I just rename that (from the default āusbshare1ā)?* Do I simply install it there? Or am I on the wrong track with this kind of device? If I have to attach a traditional SSD via enclosure or SATA-to-USB adapter, Iād like to know that before proceeding down the wrong rabbit hole.
Thanks for any feedback and guidance.
* EDIT: I just discovered that I cannot rename the volume āvolumeUSB1ā to āRoonserver.ā I found a year old thread about this issue with an eSata SSD, but the resolution doesnāt seem to directly apply.
I put up a similar query two posts above you. Then reading a bit here itself, I figured it out. And if I have understood your question correctly, then first format the SSD drive to ext4. You can do that on the DSM itself by opening Control Pane -> External Devices -> Select Your SSD and punch the format button. Once done, now still within the Control Panel -> Shared Folder-> Select USB Input. Once selected, press the edit button on top and rename it āRoon Serverā (without quotes). You are done creating the Roon core folder. You can follow rest of the installation as specified in the knowledge base. Hope this helps.