Thanks, David!
The more I think about it and research it and read all the so-helpful replies here (!), the more I think it would be simplest, best, most reliable and produce the best audio to stay with an expanded (do they sell the 8TB any more?) Nucleus
But…
… if I did, which would you recommend, please?
I’m a long-time Synology fan, but I would go with QNAP if I was buying a NAS specifically for Roon. Although it’s possible to get Roon Server running on Synology, it’s hackey since there’s no Roon Server package in the Synology “app store”. In contrast, Roon is a first-class app in the QNAP ecosystem:
https://www.qnap.com/solution/roon/en/
I’ve never used a QNAP NAS, so I can’t recommend a specific model based on personal experience. However, the page above lists three recommended models for use with Roon. Any of these would be a great place to start.
I would probably lean towards the Intel Core i5 model. At over $2k with no drives, it’s not inexpensive…
Very helpful, David. Thanks!
As things stand now, I’m veering towards the simplicity of a fully-stocked (with storage) Nucleus.
Unless you have a massive local music library (more than 6 TB), I don’t think you’ll regret that decision. Just don’t forget about backups. 
Good luck!
Again, appreciated, David. I feel pretty confident.
Atm I’m banking on Carbon Copy Cloner to take care of backing up the Roon database (although I’d also run the ‘built-in’) and meticulously-tagged files which I’d migrate to a Nucleus; all the developer will say (understandably) is that if it runs SMB, their software will. Others here have confirmed that they use CCC; so I’m very confident. But it’s a must.
My Roon library is currently fewer than 250 Albums at under 300 GB; though I’d expect that to change if I go all in .
Is this page the most recent tabulation for Roon-selling-Nucleus, as far as you know: it doesn’t seem to be distinguishing between Nucleus and Nucleus + (where all options are unavailable)?
I can’t remember whether RoonLabs participates in Black Friday
I would not trust anything except Roon to backup Roon’s database. Seriously.
But Carbon Copy Cloner should be fine for backing up your music files. It could also copy Roon database backups (not the same thing as the live database) to another drive or location.
NO, use the Roon backup routine to back up your Roon database. Why are you trying to use something else? Plug a USB HDD into the Nucleus and set up your automatic backup routines. It works 100 percent of the time and restores work. I’ve never had an issue in 4 years.
Thanks, Jim. Yes. It’s the tagged FLAC files which I have spent many hours tagging and will reside on the Nucleus that I need to be sure to be able to backup
Music files are something different. Backup your music files however you want. The Roon database is not your music files. Use the Roon backup routine to backup the Roon database to an attached USB HDD.
I think you are overthinking this. Order a Nucleus from Roon. Specify whatever internal SSD you want or no drive and purchase and install what you want. Roon may not offer the drive you want.
https://store.roonlabs.com/servers/
EDIT: I assume you’re going to store your music files on a relatively large SSD installed inside your Nucleus. So, you will send music file backup over ethernet from the Nucleus to a computer running your backup software program.
That’s my only concern now, Yes. Thanks!
… apart from the best/latest/only? version of Nucleus to get.
I am running Roon on a Synology 1522+ and as long as you are not doing some very heavy DSP (something involving DSD conversions, generally) it works really well, and the install was very easy. QNAP would be a good choice though, too.
Thanks, Boris!
Jim,
Right. Others have found CCC to work well. I shall assume I can get it to work for me. But until I get a Nucleus (and the Nucleus + page on the Roonlabs site seems to suggest that ‘+’ is no longer available), I can’t know whether such backups will be via Ethernet or USB.
You’re welcome!
If your music storage will be internal to the Nucleus, backups of your music will happen over Ethernet. If you are using an external USB HDD for music, you would still use Ethernet for automated backups. However, for manual backups, you could attach the external drive directly the computer running the backup software. Just remember to power down Nucleus during this procedure.
David,
That’s really helpful; thanks.
I’m 99.9% resolved to use internal for everything.
But not too sure how CCC works over Ethernet. Does it just ‘see’ the Nucleus as a mounted volume as if it were ‘any old’ external HD? Doesn’t it matter that Nucleus runs Linux?
Nor would I have thought to power down Nucleus before running it.
As mentioned above and in the link to the CCC documentation that I provided, it seems that you mount the Nucleus’ storage on your Mac via the SMB file sharing, so yes it appears like any other mounted volume.
No, because Linux implements SMB and the SMB protocol abstracts and hides away whatever is behind it:
Thanks again (as always) so much, Mario.
I’ve never used or worked on anything using SMB sharing, so it remains a bit of a closed book - until I do.
I’m now very clear about the way to proceed .
Sounds like a silly question: for my Ethernet cable (well under 50 feet), should I get Cat 6, 7 or 8?
Is there one brand of Ethernet cable that is recommended as the ‘industry standard’ etc; or does it really not matter? If I’m going to go to this level of quality in the hardware (and (Roon) software of course!), I want to get the best connectivity I can. TIA!
In a chat session with Roon, I was told that Nucleus + is currently unavailable because it’s out of stock.
Cat 6. The Cat 7/8 (and 6a generally speaking) are intended for environments with very high electromagnetic interference, so they are grounded and can cause trouble if the grounding setup isn’t well planned.
Get a good quality, professional cable that is tested. They are a bit more expensive than cheap ones but peanuts in the grand scheme. Most cheap ones will do, too, but the odd one can have an issue like poor termination that results in network errors and it’s not worth the trouble.
You are in the US, so BJC should have reasonable shipping rates and are very good cables:
Don’t get an „audiophile“ one, that’s snake oil.
