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Which path to take...Roon or A+

74.116.44.200
Posted on February 4, 2017 at 13:42:27
farmdoc
Audiophile

Posts: 190
Location: No. California
Joined: December 8, 2002
 I am just getting into audio streaming. I have a dedicated Mac mini late 2014, 16 Ram, with 1 T hybrid drive. My music library resides on a Lacie 2T HD, ripped AIFF and cloned to an identical HD, cable via Thunderbolt. The mini feeds a Berkeley Alpha USB->Bel Canto 2.7->Hovland Radia Amp.

I have read the Roon webpages several times and am starting to get somewhat familiar with the terminology and setup. I plan to replace the Mac mini with a music server in the next year or so.

In the meantime, would I be best served as far as audio improvement (with an eye on the future) by subscribing to Roon, or purchasing Audiavana +? I have heard the latter on a friend's setup and it sounded very good, but Roon seems to be the current rage and may be a portal to the future, so maybe I ought to familiarize myself with this product, if the sound is roughly equivalent to A+. I also wish to begin streaming audio (?Tidal or ?) and this may factor into the decision for the best platform.
I realize these two products are dissimilar and Roon is much more than a playback medium, but I'm trying to figure out which way to go at this time.
Please keep it basic for the technologically challenged.

 

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Either way is great, posted on February 4, 2017 at 14:09:50
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46280
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
 It really depends on what you want to do. I still run AV+ now and then in "integrated mode" with iTunes as my interface and library manager. It sounds great. AV+ is a one-time buy. Roon is more costly.

But more recently I've been using Roon. Roon will cost you $119/yr unless you buy the lifetime at $499.

You can run Roon Core (the full-up Roon package) on your Mac/PC. You can launch Roon on the Mac/PC with it's nice user interface displayed on your computer screen, navigate your library with your keyboard/mouse, and output to a DAC and the rest of your system. You can ALSO use an iPad or other Tablet instead of the computer keyboard/mouse. There's a free Roon Remote App you can download to the iPad/Tablet.

Additionally, you can install Roon Bridge software on another PC/Mac in your home and 'stream' from the computer that has Roon Core on it the one that has Roon Bridge.

Plus, there are several commercial network streamers that are "Roon Ready" and you can stream to those from your Mac/PC that has Roon Core on it.

You pay for and run the main Roon Core package on one Mac or PC but you can have as many 'end-point' streamers as you like.

I haven't played with Tidal on Roon so that's another option and I've read that support for MQA is also in the works for Roon. Rather than signing up for the 14-day free trial, some hardware vendors are bundling a 60-day free trial for Roon. That's what I got when I purchased the $50 AudioQuest Jitterbug device for USB. I played with Roon for 60-days before I signed up. I was ready to sign up within a couple weeks but I figured I would first let my 60-day trial run out.

You can always try it out for 14-days to 60-days then decide if it's for you. It's hard to explain all of Roon's features and benefits so the best way is to get a feel for it by playing with it.

I plan to replace the Mac mini with a music server in the next year or so.

You can but you don't have to. Your Mac Mini IS the music server. It runs AV+ and Roon Core just fine. In fact, it probably runs them better than some 'dedicated' commercial music servers. Additionally, your Mini is powerful enough to easily run HQPlayer which is not the case for some 'dedicated' commercial music servers. And HQPlayer works nicely with Roon on the Mini.




 

Just go try Roon free for 14 days, posted on February 5, 2017 at 06:47:42
spons70ss
Audiophile

Posts: 35
Location: Indy
Joined: June 16, 2016
 You will never fully grasp what Roon is until you try it. Your setup is basically plug and play for Roon. Sign up for the free 14-day trial, load the software and the iOS app and have fun.

If you are wondering about Tidal, spend $20 and get a subscription after you set up Roon.

And if after 14 days you don't like Roon and Tidal you will be out all of $20.

 

RE: Which path to take...Roon or A+, posted on February 6, 2017 at 20:05:20
triodesteve
Audiophile

Posts: 803
Location: Walla Walla Washington
Joined: September 4, 2001
 Until a few weeks ago I used Audiavanna with iTunes..I used a macbook via a few doodads to get to my dac.
I switched over to Roon mainly because of Tidal integration (I tried Tidal before but I didn't care for the interface.)
I will say that if you are about music first, this is absolutely the way to go. For two weeks now, I haven't wanted to leave my place. So much music at your fingertips. Roon makes searching thru music fun. I'm hoping the integration with Tidal gets even better at some point but I'm very happy.
Roon is on a Sonic Transporter which was about $350 and is tiny and quiet. That to me is the cool thing about Roon....you buy networking and computing stuff which is really cheap. Eventually I'll get a uRendu but right now I'm using Raspberry Pi's for $35 a piece and lots of pieces of cheap networking equipment....this doesn't break the bank.

 

Shoutout to Abe, posted on February 7, 2017 at 17:44:49
farmdoc
Audiophile

Posts: 190
Location: No. California
Joined: December 8, 2002
 First, I post rarely, and usually with a question. Out of ten of my ??'s, Abe C. has answered (probably) at least 7 of them, and always lucidly and graciously. You seem intuitive re: my (and others) lack of digital sophistication, and I thank you for making it simpler for me.

I still am on the bottom of a steep learning curve. So, subscribing to Roon allows me to load the core onto my Mac mini, which I can then control with my iPad (Roon app). Does Roon grab the music in my music library residing on an external HD? Or do I have to invest and learn how to transfer/use a NAS? If I get a NAS and manage to load my music library on it, does it feed by ethernet to my Apple airport router? And if so, do I need to keep the Mac mini in the system (either ethernet or wirelessly) to the Airport? I guess even after reading their website, I can't figure out where Roon resides in a Nas-Mac system. And this whole core/client business....whew!

TriodeSteve mentioned the SonicTransporter. Another 'black box' to me. It seems that music servers like that mentioned (and AA DMP-1, PS Audio LANRover, microurendu, Surender N10 & N100, Sotm sms-200, Wyred MS-1, and a dozen more, plus Raspberry Pi, whatever that is) remove the Mac mini from the system, but for some reason need a NAS for storage. Is that because Roon has to reside in the NAS?

From these questions, you would not believe I am a college graduate with graduate degrees, and a Mac user for 20 years. Probably my age and encroaching senility (hope not yet) are working against me. Be gentle.

 

RE: Shoutout to Abe, posted on February 7, 2017 at 18:37:10
triodesteve
Audiophile

Posts: 803
Location: Walla Walla Washington
Joined: September 4, 2001
 Sorry, its actually easier than you think. Because there are 10 ways to skin the cat, it gets overly complicated.

Roon Core (the software) has to live somewhere..in my case on a little headless box (Sonic Transporter) but it could be on your Mac or a Windows machine or even(if you have a powerful enough one) an NAS drive.
The music can be stored on anything....a hard drive attached to your computer, an NAS drive, or probably even a thumb drive. Roon will even recognize your iTunes library if you want it to..

From there, you don't even need an iPad if you don't want one. You can control it from your Mac.
At a minimum (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong) you could load Roon onto your mac, use the same HD you have been using and use the same dac you have been using still connected to your Mac.
Its that easy.
The complications come when you build the system to work in different rooms. Ignore that for now.

 

RE: Shoutout to Abe, posted on February 7, 2017 at 21:06:59
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46280
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
Pretty much what triodesteve said. It doesn't have to be complicated so don't go there, yet. First, make sure your Mac Mini is on the network. Hardwired is preferred but Wifi will work. Then....

Step 1
Since you already have a Mac Mini why not focus your efforts there? Just load the complete Roon package on the Mac Mini. Launch and setup Roon. It will recognize your iTunes music library. Now use your mouse, keyboard, computer screen as you normally would to navigate Roon. Now play your music from Roon. Enjoy. Step 1, done.

Step 2
Assuming you were able to make Step 1 work, step 2 is to simply grab your iPad, iPhone, Android Phone, or Android Tablet and load the Roon Remote App on it from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Make sure this device is on your Wifi network. Launch the Roon App. The Roon App will 'find' your Roon Core (on the Mac Mini). You can now navigate your library and control the music from the tablet or phone. Enjoy. Step 2, done.

Until you get Steps 1 and 2 done and working to your satisfaction, don't bother with anything more 'complex'. My approach is always take the simplest route first, understand it, then expand from there.


 

Great advice and how-to, Abe!, posted on February 8, 2017 at 05:19:16
spons70ss
Audiophile

Posts: 35
Location: Indy
Joined: June 16, 2016
 I think the best way to learn about music streaming is to start with something simple and cheap, use it for a while, and then decide what you like and don't like about it. At that point you will have the expertise to decide if you want to make changes.

farmdoc - like Abe says, you have a setup right now with your Mac Mini and iTunes that makes adding Roon as easy as downloading and installing the software on the Mini. (And then loading an app to your phone if you want remote control.)

Please keep posting additional questions so we can help you get set up.

 

RE: Which path to take...Roon or A+, posted on February 8, 2017 at 21:37:26
farmdoc
Audiophile

Posts: 190
Location: No. California
Joined: December 8, 2002
 I appreciate all you guys who took interest and time to help me. I'm on a business trip now but next week will read all this info again (and again), then dive into the mysteries of Roon. Don't be surprised if I'm back calling for assistance again.

 

RE: Either way is great, posted on March 22, 2017 at 06:04:37
Pondfish
 Abe,

the fellow member who solicited advice is my situation also...I've run AV+ for years (have #2, will wait for bugs to come out of 3). It's my understanding Roon is also playback software, not just a file management system. I like the sound of AV+ and is Roon comparable in SQ???
thanks,
Larry

 

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