Watched folders: NAS vs. USB

Roon Software Discussion
1

Roon is fabulous. Thanks for the work you guys are doing.

I just upgraded my PSAudio DAC to include a bridge which has Roon built in.

I’ve added the Bridge successfully to Roon and it’s now playing through that output.

I have an NAS on the network. I’m able to add that NAS to the Roon watched folders list.

NAS and Bridge are wired to a router. Mac is talking to both via Wifi.

AND

I still have my library on USB.

So, the question:

How does Roon decide which version to play?

I’m assuming that the NAS on the wired network will sound better than the music via wifi from the USB that’s hooked up to the Mac.

Short of disabling the USB drive, is there a way to tell Roon to prefer the NAS?

thanks

2

What computer is your Roon core installed on? Roon pulls the music to the core server first AND THEN sends it out to the endpoint. So, files stored as close to local on the Roon Core without any wireless hops is always the better solution.

3

Fascinating. Well, Roon runs on the DAC Bridge I’m told, but I’m controlling it from my Mac. If there’s this pulling and pushing going on, I guess I have no choice but to make sure the Mac is also wired to the router.

Unless there’s a way to teach the Bridge to be the “core”.

thanks Daniel

4

Nope, with Roon you have a server, remotes and endpoints. The server handles all processing chores, of which Roon does a fair amount, the remotes run Roon but only as a control point, they tell Roon what to play and which endpoints to play to. Roon endpoints of which the PS Audio Bridge is one, only have the Roon software to “receive” the stream from the server.

The Roon software is both the server and the client software in one. You tell it which it is going to be upon initial setup. the first setup will always be a core because you ahve to have the server to run anything. So if you’re Mac is the core and you are playing music from teh NAS, then you are sending the music from your NAS to the Mac over Wifi and then from the Mac out over Wifi to the DAC. A situation which can lead to dropouts especially when you play higher resolution music.

The best option is to have your Roon server on the same wired switch as the NAS and the DAC.

So weirdly enough, if this is the setup than the USB might be the better option as the music files are local to the server.

5

this is a great insight. Thanks, Rugby.

6

Hi Seth,
What make/model/version of NAS do you have and how much RAM is fitted?
It may be possible to run RoonServer on your NAS.

7

Thanks Carl.

It’s an NAS520 from Zyxel

it seems to have 1g of ram

Memory: DDR3 1 G

8

I was hoping you’d say an Intel i3 (or higher) QNAP or Synology NAS which Roon supports.
Your Zyxel NAS can still be used for music file storage, but Roon would have to be run elsewhere.
If you wanted an always on solution then this could be a NUC (or a MacMini) running Roon Server.

9

I’m awfully happy, so no worries!

thank you

10

Seth, you can attach stored music files in multiple locations, and enable, or disable the drives as you see fit. I have the same library on a WD My Book USB drive, and a RAID USB SSD drive. I enable one or the other, and as such, have a ready backup in case in need to take one or the other out of service.

Settings> Storage> Watched Folders> SELECT “the gear symbol” to the right of the selected folder to take action.