USB hub for Nucleus

I’m considering buying a Nucleus. It has only two USB ports. I need one for storage, one for dac output, and… one for Roon backups, and one for CD ripping…

I would be happy if a USB hub would work; Seems it should - it’s a NUC after all, and those work with hubs.

Anyone use a hub with a Nucleus successfully? If not, how do Nucleus owners get by with only two ports?

Install an internal SSD for music storage and use an ethernet connected RPi4 running RoPieee to connect your DAC via USB.

Good thought, moving storage into the box, that or even easier just move them elsewhere on my network…

I think an internal SSD drive would work best.

I think the most flexible solution is to use an external drive - either a USB drive or a NAS. You don’t need to open up your Nucleus; it’s marketed as an appliance, so it should be treated as such :wink: Also, HDDs are perfectly fine for music in terms of speed. That would save you good money.

Regarding the USB switch, yes, the Nucleus is a computer and the USB port is just that, so I’d expect any switch to work.

4 screws to remove bottom of Nucleus. You can install internal drive in about 2 minutes.

Does not void warranty.

Or, order with drive installed.

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One caveat is if you put the HDD/SSD inside the Nucleus you will have to format it then be able to use it…this means you have to copy all your music from somewhere to the newly formatted internal drive.

Also I had a nasty experience when upgrading to Roon OS ,admittedly on a NUC not a Nucleus, Roon OS rescanned all the files on my external USB drive. It didn’t rescan the internal drive.

Also every startup (at least daily in my case) Roon scans the external drive

image

The bottom one shows scanning the top NOT.

Another vote for a SSD inside the Nucleus, It also keeps things looking neat.

That said a powered USB hub should work, there’s only one way to find out !! I use one all the time on my desktop.

Personally I would NOT recommend running an HDD or SSD of a USB hub. For syncing a phone or plugging in a mouse or keyboard no issue, but 2.5" drives drives tend to demand more power than a simple hub will be able to cope with. A USB DOCK however with USC-Power might be fine on a computer, but that possibly wont work on a Nucleus

I think the vote is in favor of keeping storage in the box. I agree. I will drop in an SSD. The pre-installed ones are really pricey.

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I use iFi micro iUSB3.0 on Nucleus for years, technically it is a USB Hub with it’s own power supply. It works well on USB DAC and external drive.

A Hub with an external power supply is a different beast. USB-A on its own barely supplies enough power for just a 2.5" HDD and nothing else.

Devices that need more power than USB provides usually come with their own power supplies.

not always…some come with a 2 USB-A split cable one for data and one for additional power…A USB HUB that is non powered wont help you here as the limit is the power from one USB port. SSD drives typically use more power than HDD too

Most usb ports tap out at 500mA or USB3 at 900mA