Roon users - Nucleus review

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Geektastic

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#295419 27-Mar-2022 22:18

I use Roon to run my music system.

If you like music, Roon is a first class interface that places Qobuz, Tidal, internet radio and your own stored music into a single library interface.

I recently invested in a Roon Nucleus which is their own US built “core” to run it on. I had been using my iMac as the core.

I upgraded really because I wanted the music system to be doing just that and not be part of a computer that other stuff going on that might affect the music.

The Nucleus is expensive as a stand alone music server but at the price (around $2k) it’s excellent.

Sound quality is notably better than running off the iMac and the Nucleus is silent with no fans so you can have it in your listening room if you choose.

Recommended.

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#2893018 28-Mar-2022 10:42

Or build your own using a nuc in a fanless case and install Rock. Way cheaper and IMHO just as good.

networkn

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#2893104 28-Mar-2022 12:43

tkr001:

Or build your own using a nuc in a fanless case and install Rock. Way cheaper and IMHO just as good.

This is fine if you have the technical knowledge and resources, inclination and can handle ongoing maintenance of said system.

Lots of people don't.

Geektastic

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#2893126 28-Mar-2022 13:26

tkr001:
Or build your own using a nuc in a fanless case and install Rock. Way cheaper and IMHO just as good.

I wouldn’t even know what that was, much less how to build it.

Since I’m running a $30,000 music system, saving a handful of dollars on the principle source of the music instead of using a professional solution seems like spoiling the ship for a ha’p’orth of tar really!

Of course it might be a better solution for those with the knowledge or less critical equipment.

tkr001

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#2893177 28-Mar-2022 15:24

Your Nucleus is just that, a NUC in a fanless case. TBH the DAC your Roon endpoint is connected to will have far more impact on the sound than the Roon server.

richms

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#2893189 28-Mar-2022 16:20

What impact does the server have on audio quality? Is there DSP happening before it serves up the files to the player on the server? I haven't really looked into roon since so much of the sites to deal with it are full of audiophile bullshytery stuff that its a massive turnoff.

Richard rich.ms

tkr001

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#2893194 28-Mar-2022 16:42

Yes it can do dsp before serving the files. But if you don't know how it works what value is there in you commenting. You are after all the person who some years ago denied jitter had any effect on sound quality.

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richms

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#2893196 28-Mar-2022 16:52

no need to be a prick about it, was a legit question about what difference the server hosting the files would do, if it was something like plex with a reencoder etc then it would matter because of what acceleration it had available to it.

Richard rich.ms

tkr001

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#2893197 28-Mar-2022 16:53

And a legit response which answered your question!

Geektastic

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#2893220 28-Mar-2022 18:37

tkr001:
Your Nucleus is just that, a NUC in a fanless case. TBH the DAC your Roon endpoint is connected to will have far more impact on the sound than the Roon server.

That’s true, but it’s not the case that the core you use has no influence. My DAC is a Linn Katalyst Exaktbox which contains 8 separate amplifiers, one for each of the drive units in the speakers.

There is a qualitative difference between the iMac core and the Nucleus core sound.

The sense of space and separation of instruments is better with the Nucleus.

mailmarshall

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#2893236 28-Mar-2022 19:58

Hi did you buy the Nucleus locally or from US? Been meaning to get one for some time (running on a PC at mo) but exchange rates are a bit crappy at mo.

Geektastic

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#2893283 28-Mar-2022 21:51

I got it from The Listening Post in NZ.

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#2893398 29-Mar-2022 10:37

tkr001:

Or build your own using a nuc in a fanless case and install Rock. Way cheaper and IMHO just as good.

I'm not familiar with Rock. What does it do and how well does it work?

I'm getting interested in this area at the moment, as not that I'm close to finishing sorting out my TV and movie server, reorganising the way I manage my music and stream it around the house is getting to the top of the project list. Both Plex and Jellyfin, which are excellent for films and TV shows, seem to have deficiencies as music servers.

At the moment I have a bunch of Panasonic Allplay speakers, and three Chromecast Audios, which I use for music streaming. I'm hoping to keep those in service, and overhaul the backend (which currently uses Jellyfin and DLNA, and isn't satisfactory).

tkr001

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#2893404 29-Mar-2022 10:45

JimmyH:

tkr001:

Or build your own using a nuc in a fanless case and install Rock. Way cheaper and IMHO just as good.

I'm not familiar with Rock. What does it do and how well does it work?

I'm getting interested in this area at the moment, as not that I'm close to finishing sorting out my TV and movie server, reorganising the way I manage my music and stream it around the house is getting to the top of the project list. Both Plex and Jellyfin, which are excellent for films and TV shows, seem to have deficiencies as music servers.

At the moment I have a bunch of Panasonic Allplay speakers, and three Chromecast Audios, which I use for music streaming. I'm hoping to keep those in service, and overhaul the backend (which currently uses Jellyfin and DLNA, and isn't satisfactory).

You should probably investigate Roon but be warned it ain't cheap. As regards ROCK have a look here

bendud

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#2893600 29-Mar-2022 16:51

Good to hear your Nucleus is going well. It is a lovely thing to see - much nicer than my NUC. However, the little old NUC was bought second hand from some kind soul on here for a bargain price so I'm not complaining. It sits in the cupboard under the stairs doing its thing, so I can't hear the fan anyway!

There is a bit of buggering about installing ROCK (i.e. the Roon Core) on the NUC as the program doesn't install decoders for audio files, which needs doing manually. This involves messing around with linux commands which (with due deference to those on here who understand linux) is not an area most normal people are that comfortable with. I can easily see the attraction of a plug in and turn on solution.

I was only thinking last night how good Roon is - and even more glad I got in on an early 'lifetime' license rather than paying the sub these days! The only disappointment I have is the Roon support forums seem to have been taken over by a bunch of rude, entitled edge-lords who regard any change to Roon as being a calamity. Ah well.

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tkr001

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#2893610 29-Mar-2022 17:15

bendud:

Good to hear your Nucleus is going well. It is a lovely thing to see - much nicer than my NUC. However, the little old NUC was bought second hand from some kind soul on here for a bargain price so I'm not complaining. It sits in the cupboard under the stairs doing its thing, so I can't hear the fan anyway!

There is a bit of buggering about installing ROCK (i.e. the Roon Core) on the NUC as the program doesn't install decoders for audio files, which needs doing manually. This involves messing around with linux commands which (with due deference to those on here who understand linux) is not an area most normal people are that comfortable with. I can easily see the attraction of a plug in and turn on solution.

I was only thinking last night how good Roon is - and even more glad I got in on an early 'lifetime' license rather than paying the sub these days! The only disappointment I have is the Roon support forums seem to have been taken over by a bunch of rude, entitled edge-lords who regard any change to Roon as being a calamity. Ah well.

b

Not quite correct. You don't need to anything on linux to install the missing ffmpeg file. You can do it all on windows or mac. Instructions here

I have long ago given up on the Roon forum. You described most, although not all of the contributors accurately :)

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