Unable to connect NAD C389 DAC via Roon Ready, only through AirPlay (ref#UI4TUI)

What’s happening?

· I'm having trouble connecting to Roon

What type of connection issue?

· Something else

How can we help?

· None of the above

Other options

· Other

Describe the issue

I am having issues connecting my NAD C389 DAC via Roon Ready (connection is only possible via AirPlay). While the device is listed as Roon Ready on both the NAD and Roon website, neither restarts of Roon or the device or a hard reset did help resolving the issue.
I had already connected with the NAD and the BluOS support team, which had redirected me to the Roon support team in this matter.

Describe your network setup

Router: FRITZ!Box 7490 / Repeater: FRITZ!Repeater 3000 AX / Roon Server: MacBook Air M2 / Roon Server and DAC are connected via WiFi

Hi @christoph-reitz,
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. To investigate this further we need to take a look at your logs. Please use the directions found here and send over a set of logs to our File Uploader?

Hi Daniel,
Thank you for your quick reply. I have uploaded my log files as requested.
Best
Christoph

Hey @christoph-reitz,

Thanks for the update! We were able to review the logs you sent over, but didn’t see any indication that the C389 was announced properly when syncing with your Roon Server.

If possible, could you reinstall the latest firmware to the device and see if that helps?

If you still run into issues afterward, let’s see if refreshing your Roon Server database may help:

  • Create a Backup of your current database
  • Exit out of Roon + RoonServer (from taskbar area)
  • Navigate to your Roon Database Location
  • Find the folder that says “Roon Server” and “Roon”
  • Rename the “RoonServer” folder to “RoonServer_old” and “Roon” to “Roon_old”
  • Reinstall the Roon App from our Downloads Page to generate a new Roon folder
  • Verify if the issue persists on a fresh database before restoring the backup

Here is the process outlined from a macOS machine:
roonoldmac

Hi @benjamin,

Thank you for the instructions. Unfortunately neither a factory reset of the C389 (follwed by updating to the latest BluOS firmware version 4.8.17) nor refreshing the Roon Server database did resolve the issue. The C389 is still listed as “Uncertified”.

Best
Christoph

Hey @christoph-reitz,

Thanks for the follow-up! We were able to review a recent diagnostic report, and oddly enough, see the NAD device announcing itself as RoonReady, here’s what we see:

Info: [Broker:Transport] [raat] Initializing RoonReady Device
Info: [Broker:Transport] [raat]     RaatVersion:     1.1.41
Info: [Broker:Transport] [raat]     Model:           C389
Info: [Broker:Transport] [raat]     Vendor:          NAD
Info: [Broker:Transport] [raat]     VendorModel:     NAD C389

If you haven’t yet, I’d also reboot your router and allow all devices to reestablish connection. Let me know if you’re still having issues afterward. :+1:

Hi @benjamin,

Thank you for the update. I have rebooted all devices as suggested but unfortunately the C389 is still shown as uncertified Roon Ready device.

Best
Christoph

Hey @christoph-reitz,

Thanks for giving that a try! After further analysis, we found an inconsistency within our database that could be causing you to experience the device showing uncertified.

We’ve since made an update that should fix things for you - restart Roon and let me know if you’re able to connect via RoonReady properly. :+1:

Hi @benjamin

I have exactly the same problem, unable to connect BLUESOUND PULSE SOUNDBAR+, and the rest of the HT via Roon Ready, only through AirPlay since last 4.8.17 FW update.

Let me explain the issue:

I have a Bluesound Home Theater system consisting of the following components:

  • Philips 48” OLED806 Series TV
  • Bluesound Pulse Soundbar+
  • Bluesound SUB+ Subwoofer
  • Two Bluesound Pulse M as rear speakers

The speaker system is configured as a fixed Home Theater group in the iOS BluOS 4.8.1 app, which was recently updated.

On January 30, 2025, I installed the latest firmware version 4.8.17 on all speakers. After successfully installing it on all four speakers, I attempted to play music from Roon, but nothing played. In Roon, I could see the playing trying to start, but the timeline never go beyond 0:00. After about 10 seconds, on the same timeline position 0:00, without playing, it skips to the next track, and the same thing happens again. This repeated continuously.

From the BluOS control app, the speaker system appeared connected to Roon, displaying the album artwork, and the time cursor was advancing, but no sound was coming from any speaker.

I performed a factory reset on all the speakers, reinstalled them, and, for the moment, kept them as independent speakers, without configuring them as a fixed group, except for the SUB+, which I paired with one of the PULSE M speakers to leave the PULSE SOUNDBAR+ as an independent unit. After this, both the SOUNDBAR+ and the two PULSE M appeared as Roon Ready devices in the Roon app, correctly connected to my Roon Core, which is installed on an Intel NUC i5 with everything up to date and working flawlessly.

I confirmed that both PULSE M speakers played music perfectly from Roon Core when used independently, but the SOUNDBAR+ still had the same issue, it did not play anything. The time cursor in Roon remained static, and after 10 to 15 seconds, it skipped to the next track.

I want to emphasize that all speakers are connected via Ethernet. Despite having a strong 5 GHz Wi-Fi signal in my room (around 45 dB) with virtually no interference from neigh boring networks, provided through a Unifi AP6 Long Range, the performance of the speaker system over Wi-Fi was a disaster with constant dropouts, lag between speakers, etc.

At this point, I must warn anyone considering purchasing a Bluesound system with similar characteristics that using it over Wi-Fi is not a viable option. Even in my case, with a dedicated Wi-Fi network created specifically for this function, it did not work properly.

Finally, I created a fixed Home Theater group with the Philips TV. The system now works correctly as a Home Theater setup with the TV, but it still does not play music via Roon, just as before. Now, since all the speakers are grouped as a fixed group, none of them play music, even though the system still appears Roon Ready.

I have restarted my Roon Core multiple times, but without success.

I have also looked for a way to roll back to the previous firmware version before 4.8.17, but it is impossible due to the fact that Bluesound does not provide any way to do so, which is very frustrating.

I must express my deep dissatisfaction with both Bluesound and NAD. In addition to the issues I mentioned and other past problems, I own an NAD T778 since September 2023, and the experience has been disastrous. This device has spent more time in the repair shop than in my home.

I have had to send it in twice, and they still haven’t fixed the issue with the display, which does not turn on, leaving the entire device completely dead and non-functional. As of today, it is still in the repair shop, and neither the reseller, the importer, nor NAD itself has offered me a replacement or a refund in all this time.

Unfortunately, I must say that my investment in Bluesound and NAD equipment has been the worst purchase I have ever made. I wouldn’t recommend these products to anyone, no matter how appealing their advertised features may seem. A complete waste of money.

Now and here, that someone from the Roon Support team is following this topic, I would like to say that it Is quite disappointing that Roon Labs, despite being such a great product and a magnificent support team, presents and endorses these devices so positively, because they do not deserve it.

There are many users with different Bluesound and NAD devices experiencing serious issues and being completely abandoned by the support teams of both companies. In my case, NAD stopped responding to my requests about the T778 months ago, marking them as resolved and closing them, even though today the issue remains unresolved after five months. Regarding Bluesound, I opened a support ticket a week ago, and it has yet to be answered or resolved. When I complained about this, they simply censored and deleted my posts. Intolerable, I have no other word for it.

@Benjamin, I will follow the instructions mentioned at the beginning to send you the necessary information in case something can be done from Roon, although I am inclined to believe that the root of the problem is the new firmware version 4.8.17.

In any case, thanks for listening.

Hi @benjamin,

I have just uploaded my log files from both RoonServer and RAATServer. If you need any additional information, please let me know where and how you would prefer me to send it, or if it is necessary to open a request on my behalf.

The files were uploaded under the name of Jose Ignacio Labiano.

In any case, thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Hi @benjamin,

After an additional refresh of the Roon databases, the issue has been resolved and I can properly connect the C389 as Roon Ready device. Many thanks for your support!

Best
Chris

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