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Roon/Bluesound Node - adding new DAC (non Roon-Ready)

Hi guys, 

I'm currently at the start of the 14 day trial of Roon; Roon is running on my PC in a wired network, using my Node as endpoint, with the remote app on my android tablet. 

All good at the moment, I'm enjoying using it, but in the next couple of days I'll be taking delivery of a new DAC;  it isnt a mainstream DAC, it's a built to order unit from a tiny, 2 man company here in the UK. I don't think they even ship their units outside of the UK, so I doubt they Roon-Ready.

I will be slotting in  the new DAC via SPDIF/Coax to my Node; my question is, how will the new DAC fit in to the processing stream if not recognised by Roon?

I'm obviously new to Roon so please forgive my ignorance. I've tried looking online, but I'm still not clear how the system will work after adding the new DAC, or if it will work at all? 

For reference, the DAC is from a company called NJC Audio, and is the NJC Reference DAC. It has no software/drivers, and is plug and play. 

Thanks for reading

128x128painter24
curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim
4,579 posts
 

I don’t have Roon yet, but I thought Roon endpoint was all you had to worry about. My Hegel H390 should be Roon ready soon and then I’ll be more in the know.

All the best.

JD

vanson1
126 posts
 

If you have the Node why buy Roon? 

If you don't like the Node DAC,  use an external DAC. 

painter24's avatar
painter24 OP
279 posts
 

@tk21 thanks for clarifying the conversion aspect; that's exactly what I wanted to know👍😊

painter24's avatar
painter24 OP
279 posts
 

@vanson1 i haven't bought it, I'm using the trial to see if it will benefit me in any way. If not, I'll leave it at that.

Regarding a DAC, as per my OP, I'm waiting for it to be shipped. 

mike_in_nc
1,140 posts
 

Different users will prefer Roon or not. It’s worth a trial IMO. In the trial, try to use it extensively, as there is a learning curve. Roon’s at its best for finding music related to what you already like and for providing tons of metadata for a lot of music (but not all). It’s at its worst for classical music. Since Roon has no conception of what a sonata is, or a string quartet, you might imagine it has trouble finding those things, and you’d be right.

As to connecting the DAC straight to the computer by USB, that’s often possible. However, not if the computer is in the other room, for example. I don’t think it’s a general rule, but I have had better results -- fewer noise problems -- when using a network-attached streamer (such as the Node) and then to a DAC rather than a direct USB connection from computer to DAC.

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