The Cheapest Roon Core Computer I could find

[Darrel]

Since I underwent the plan to build a fresh stereo system in January 2018. I've pieced together my current system. One was a store demo (NAD M12). One was a used piece bought on Audiogon (Bryston 4BSST). And most are new. And a few are left over from my past endevores. The last piece of my puzzle is replacing my Home Theater personal computer. It's a big box with lots of Hardrives a gaming video card and noisy big fans and a power supply. It has been my music, movie and concert video storage device for years. I used JRivers as my playback software. And since I've migrated to streaming via Tital and Qobuz using Roon software and a IPad along with a flash drive connected to the Lumin T2. The Flash drive has my CD library stored on it for playback.

Now, the hard part. How to just have a Roon core computer that has no other purpose. No music or storage of any kind. No fans or noisy power supplies. Just the most simple basic computer that's sole purpose is to run 24/7 so I can stream my music. I've read and watched videos on just about ever option available at every price point. I even bought a HDPLex 200watt power supply and a ATX module to build a fanless computer for the purpose of a Roon Core computer. I've yet to find a case that suits me. I will but that's another project...

So, now my current Roon Core computer:

It's a Intel i7 Windows 10 pro 64bit, 8G ram, 256G SSD drive computer. Uses a 12V 3/5A 60 watt external power supply. It uses the aluminum case as a cooling device. It's about the size of a thick paper back book. And not much heavier. All for the whopping price of $309.00. I may upgrade the power supply at some point but it works just fine thank you. Bought on eBay and took nine days to deliver from China.
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[nicoff]

That mini PC looks great and for $309 it is a steal! it shows that there is no need to spend thousands for a dedicated computer to run Roon.

 

[Mike]

That mini PC looks great and for $309 it is a steal! it shows that there is no need to spend thousands for a dedicated computer to run Roon.

Unless you want to run DSP and have a better user experience. Sorry, I’ve tried some cheap ones...makes Roon run very slowly and buggy in my experience and most crapped out trying to do some DSP functions.

Would be curious how this one handles DSP and what the overall user experience is like.

 

[Darrel]

Having Roon for almost a year now. I don't think I've ever jumped into messing with any of the functions of DSP on Roon. I keep things pretty simple I guess. I do the " I choose I play " approach. Maybe over time I will witness what Mike has experienced. So far things are running smooth.

 

[Mike]

Having Roon for almost a year now. I don't think I've ever jumped into messing with any of the functions of DSP on Roon. I keep things pretty simple I guess. I do the " I choose I play " approach. Maybe over time I will witness what Mike has experienced. So far things are running smooth.

That’s cool. I posted some of my interesting DSP settings a while back. Try some if you get a chance.

 

[Randy Myers]

Roon usually prefers a decent computer for a decent user experience. If you want to perform any kind of up-sampling a computer with decent power is a requirement. If you want to use the best of the best playback engine, HQPlayer, then a powerful computer is a requirement.

 

[Mechnutt]

I built a dedicated desktop that I run headless and remote in with a tablet or laptop using windows remote desktop to control it. I bought a mid tower modular insulated Fractal quiet computer case and put in ultra quiet Noctua fans. No graphics card. Running M.2 SSD drives, so no cables. Also using a very low noise power supply. 16gb 3200mhz low latency ram and I7 7700K CPU. Ultra fast and ultra quiet. Built it for about $1K buying the parts on sale. It made a huge difference in sound quality over the dedicated high end laptop that I was using. It has 10tb of storage. 2tb on SSD's internally and an 8tb external drive.

 

[astrotoy]

My needs were to have a computer powerful enough to upconvert to DSD256 from DSD64 in multichannel (5.1), using HQP with the filters that I found sounded best. I had one custom built. My builder thought that Roon was the most convenient for my needs. He consulted Jussi of HQP to determine what was necessary for the computing power. Turned out it was a quite powerful chip (CPU i7-6950X) which was quite expensive a couple of years ago and still is. It has 10 cores/20 threads (whatever that means). No hiccups or any issues, which I was constantly having with my previous computers. Total cost was much less than the DAC costs or the total cost of the files I play.

Larry

 

[nicoff]

My needs were to have a computer powerful enough to upconvert to DSD256 from DSD64 in multichannel (5.1), using HQP with the filters that I found sounded best. I had one custom built. My builder thought that Roon was the most convenient for my needs. He consulted Jussi of HQP to determine what was necessary for the computing power. Turned out it was a quite powerful chip (CPU i7-6950X) which was quite expensive a couple of years ago and still is. It has 10 cores/20 threads (whatever that means). No hiccups or any issues, which I was constantly having with my previous computers. Total cost was much less than the DAC costs or the total cost of the files I play.

Larry

Which DAC do you use? How do you connect the computer to your DAC? HDMI?

 

[MRJAZZ]

My INTEL NUC, works just fine with Roon......but requires a good LPS......Keces in my case....
I am not into DSP that much, but the few times I used some of Roons DSP capability’s ( EQ, etc.) have had zero issues with running Roon. The NUC, is very quiet, and the few times the fan has come on, I wasn’t even aware of it, until I shut off the system for the evening.
Cheers....

 

[astrotoy]

Which DAC do you use? How do you connect the computer to your DAC? HDMI?

For my mch files I use a Merging Technologies NADAC mch. It is an ethernet device which uses the Ravenna protocol - connecting my computer and NAS unit through a Smart switch. I use a different DAC for my stereo files, a Lampizator Pacific which is an HDMI device.

Larry

 

[Kingsrule]

A Roon core that "works" vs. one that actually sounds good are entirely different products.....

 

[nicoff]

A Roon core that "works" vs. one that actually sounds good are entirely different products.....

Agree to some degree. But keep in mind that it is all in the mind of the user. If a basic Roon install (no fancy DSP, no DSD updampling, no HQP) is all one wants/needs, then a fancy/expensive computer is not necessary. I used to run Roon from an old iMac and it sounded good to me. I then "upgraded" to a PC that can run HQP and process all the fancy filters and upsample everything to DSD512. And while it sounds better than before, I still think that the previous (basic) set up sounded good.

 

[Mike]

Unless you're running USB off the Roon Core, there should be no sonic differences between Roon Cores. Roon states the same. However, if you're running USB off the Roon Core, then it's a different ball game.

I've been quite happy with the Roon Nucleus+ (core) plus the Lumin U1 (end point). It sounded best in my shootout.

If I was building one from scratch, I would be definitely using M.2 and not SSD's or HD's. M.2's are much much faster than SSD's and blow the doors off HD's.

 

[Kingsrule]

Unless you're running USB off the Roon Core, there should be no sonic differences between Roon Cores. Roon states the same. However, if you're running USB off the Roon Core, then it's a different ball game.

I've been quite happy with the Roon Nucleus+ (core) plus the Lumin U1 (end point). It sounded best in my shootout.

If I was building one from scratch, I would be definitely using M.2 and not SSD's or HD's. M.2's are much much faster than SSD's and blow the doors off HD's.

In my listening via ethernet this couldn't be farther from my results....everything matters.

Cores I've had (from worst to best):

Roon Nucleus+
W10, 1TB ssd, 16gb ram (only running Roon)
Above with trimmed down W10
SGC STi7
Above with KECES ps

 

[exupgh12]

Hi,

i use latest genaration mac mini (core i5, 8GB memory and 256SSD) to run roon core, all files are stored on NAS and connection to NAS and DAC\Streamer are done via CAT 7 wires.
Since my DAC\Streamer (Cary DMS500) can do all converting and up sampling in real time domain i usually let it do the work, however from my experience i didn't encountered any issue running DSP or without DSP.

 

[MPW]

I'm curious about the quality of the USB output of the Roon Nucleus. I have trialed Roon using a laptop as the core and like the ease of use and the interface. I used a Bluesound Node 2 as the end point with coax out to my Marantz SA-10 DAC. If I get a Nucleus, I could eliminate the Node 2 by going directly to the DAC via USB. Any thoughts on the sound quality merits of this configuration?

 

[Mike]

I'm curious about the quality of the USB output of the Roon Nucleus. I have trialed Roon using a laptop as the core and like the ease of use and the interface. I used a Bluesound Node 2 as the end point with coax out to my Marantz SA-10 DAC. If I get a Nucleus, I could eliminate the Node 2 by going directly to the DAC via USB. Any thoughts on the sound quality merits of this configuration?

It’s actually VERY good in our testing. I was quite surprised.


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[Darrel]

Unless you're running USB off the Roon Core, there should be no sonic differences between Roon Cores. Roon states the same. However, if you're running USB off the Roon Core, then it's a different ball game.

I've been quite happy with the Roon Nucleus+ (core) plus the Lumin U1 (end point). It sounded best in my shootout.

If I was building one from scratch, I would be definitely using M.2 and not SSD's or HD's. M.2's are much much faster than SSD's and blow the doors off HD's.

I can see the logic of that Mike. The sole intent of this little box is just to run it as a Roon Core device. No USB, DSP or NAS sever etc. I do plan on building a more dedicated audio pc using my Craigslist ($250 ) HDPlex 200 watt power supply and the HDPlex 400W HIFI DC-ATX power supply. That project will probably be taken on when I see the right case and one of the newest Ryzen 5 motherboards catches my eye. The HDPlex company makes some very interesting cases to use with the HDPlex power supply. But, they are always sold out. I think other companies have first bids on them. But, small silent computers have been coming into there own lately. So, I can wait.

This was just to see if a cheap Chinese computer off of Ebay could work as a Roon Core device. The audio quality isn't coming from the small box computer. That's why I have the Lumin T2 and NAD M12 in the Network.

 

[Mike]

I can see the logic of that Mike. The sole intent of this little box is just to run it as a Roon Core device. No USB, DSP or NAS sever etc. I do plan on building a more dedicated audio pc using my Craigslist ($250 ) HDPlex 200 watt power supply and the HDPlex 400W HIFI DC-ATX power supply. That project will probably be taken on when I see the right case and one of the newest Ryzen 5 motherboards catches my eye. The HDPlex company makes some very interesting cases to use with the HDPlex power supply. But, they are always sold out. I think other companies have first bids on them. But, small silent computers have been coming into there own lately. So, I can wait.

This was just to see if a cheap Chinese computer off of Ebay could work as a Roon Core device. The audio quality isn't coming from the small box computer. That's why I have the Lumin T2 and NAD M12 in the Network.

Roon (the company) has tested dozens of Roon Core’s for certification purposes. I speak with one of the founders regularly, he assures me, on Ethernet there is no sonic differences, it all has to do with “user experience” and processing capabilities for DSP. But it seems others have found there is a difference. So, who knows?


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