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

@fastfreight I see the path pointing me to the Grimm MU1 :) I have a NOS DAC so that might be a good combination. However, strategically I feel I should wait - after having persuaded my non-audio loving partner that our music will be so much better with the Sopra 2 speakers. But two questions: are you using the stock power cable with the switching power supply on the MU1? And did you add a LPS? Oh, and do you use the AES output?

@audioman58 I would go to the Innuos. I love their philosophy but I am committed to Roon for music discovery and the feeling of being in a record store online. If Innuos were a Roon core, it would be a no-brainer. 

@adsell I am going to try that tonight. Honestly 96/24 is already such an improvement over Redbook!

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.

I also use AES from my MU1 to my Lampi.  i agree, the MU1 is designed to take advantage of the AES/EBU. 

But you don't have to buy an MU1 to get stable roon.  Before it I had a Innuos Zenith MK3 and a Chord DAVE with M-scaler.  I ran my Roon Core on a NUC.  For a while I ran it on windows.  Had occasional lock up and had to reboot.  Finally I installed ROCK and never had a problem.  I still have it and will list it for sale, watch the for sale listings.  

So when I went to the MU1 I retired the Innuos, the M-scaler (MU1 has upscaling built in) and the NUC with Roon core.  Really cleaned up my rack. 

But ROCK on a dedicated machine will get you stable.

Jerry

@carlsbad2 Thanks for telling me a bit of your audiophile equipment history. I can really see myself going to the MU1 in the future. But focused right now on making my NUC/ROCK as stable as possible. It has a very cheap LPS which I plan to upgrade (from AfterDark) and also upgrade my network switch. 

Honestly adding my initial network switch was one of the biggest improvements I have made.

Enjoy the music ! Nadine