2. digital
  3. 189377-160439

Please help with Roon server/core issue

Hi AGers, 

So long story short: I only stream music (do not own any). I have Tidal and Qobuz streaming through Roon. And that is my problem. I started out using a M1 Mac Mini to stream but I often lost connection to Roon. So I bought a Small Green Computer i5 Sonictransporter and LPS. SQ improved but not the Roon problem. 

We have fiber optic to the house, a fully wired network and I have Silent Angel N8 switch feeding the SGC Roon server and my Lumin T2. No wifi anywhere. 

Finally after a couple of years, the problems increased to the point that 192/24 files crackle and pop. So I wrote to the Roon Community Forum under the Support section.

The Roon support person wrote back that:

*****We’ve activated diagnostics for your account and RoonServer and here’s what we can confirm:

  1. Track downloads from Tidal and Qobuz’s servers are timing out with 24/192 FLAC files, and the prebuffer is barely ahead of playback. At times, it’s dropping out.
  2. There are sample dropouts reported with by RoonServer on T2 Zone. These at times accumulate sufficiently to cause unnatural interruptions on the stream.
  3. RoonServer constantly loses connection to upstream internet services due to network reachability changes in logs.

Your RoonServer’s intranet and internet connection appear to be struggling. How are you connecting your RoonServer machine to the internet?*****

Peter Lie from Lumin kindly wrote back and suggested I try changing my DNS to 8.8.8.8 - which I did. That did help a lot with SQ and speed but did not fully resolve the crackle and pop issue with 192/24 files. 

I would welcome any suggestions. 

Thanks, Nadine

128x128atanarjuat99

Showing 4 responses by fastfreight

fastfreight
678 posts
 

Yes +1 Erik. Run speed test many times in same location.

that being said I had issues with an Aries G2 dropping roon and then being a b**** to restart.   Many Roon support queries always ended in ‘a network issue’. I replaced the Aries with a Grimm MU1 and it has never dropped Roon.

I am not saying that one streamer is bad, but perhaps some streamers just don’t like some networks :)

fastfreight
678 posts
 

Yes.  And beware of wall plates, which use very cheap couplers.

I run my cables through the wall at both ends, and use JCAT Ethernet couplers where required.

fastfreight
678 posts
 

Hi Nadine,  I also only stream so I can understand your frustrations.  It can be so good and then so frustrating when it glitches.  And everyone runs to the ‘network issue’ excuse, which might in fact be very true.  So we(I) chase down every thing we can control.  My speed tests were also always good, yet Roon tests showed drops and losses that no one could explain.

I formerly had a setup similar to yours, going from Mac mini to Nucleus as server, with LPS and I also had the same Silent Angel switch!  Sound kept improving as I did these upgrades.  And I am Not knocking your equipment.

But the Grimm MU1 is such an upgrade on several levels.  It runs Roon core, so right away you eliminate your SGC and its power supply, power cable and connecting Ethernet cable.  It is rock solid as server.  But it is its streamer side that gets all the accolades; so again you eliminate the Lumin and get (IMHO) better sound.  

Also watch for the 100mb vs 1g thing.  I had a Network Acoustics Eno Ethernet filter that was only rated at 100mb and it was not compatible with my other stuff.  Replaced with the Muon Pro filter at 1g speed rating and things worked out better.  I also upgraded my service to 1G (available here with Verizon Fios).  I may not have needed this but again, to me it is worth it to do everything I can!
 

Good luck with all of this.  Keep the faith, quality streaming can sound amazing, and you seem to be doing all the right things!  Get back to us when you get it sorted out and I can bug you about a switch upgrade! :)

Ken

 

fastfreight
678 posts
 

Hello @atanarjuat99 

it is good to do one thing at a time!

I use AES from the mu1 to my Tambaqui.  I believe the magic of the Grimm happens with AES not USB.  I have tried both and AES clearly better.  I use KS Realization cables elsewhere, so I have one to power the Grimm (and AES).  Upgrading from an Elation to the Realization AES was easily heard to me. I do not think the power cable is as important for the Grimm as the AES cable. While I am probably not saying this right, the Grimm MU1 has some kind of hybrid power supply and does not need a LPS upgrade.

More to discover