To Roon or not to Roon?

Like dude, what’s the question?  It sounds like you know the answer.  Roon is just a software application to help you play and categorize your music collection.
It is a tool to increase your enjoyment, but if another tool gets you to the same end point without causing toons of issues, I would use that tool.  I would save money and aggravation and just go with Auralic app.
  Roon users love the product, but it can be a problematic.  There currently is a thread on how the latest update wrecked havoc—maybe that is your issue—but from what I’ve seen of the Auralic app it does a lot of the same stuff.  I think a lot of people have FOMO when it comes to using Roon, but it’s expensive, frequently doesn’t work, may degrade SQ, and has now spawned cheaper imitators that cover a lot of the same territory 

Roon has PEQ filters if needed but I thought I read the Auralic has some in certain devices as well not sure about the G2.1 but if that's something you want or need it might be worth checking. 

Were you using Wifi??

I use my Aries wireless. Yes I use Wifi. I’m hesitant about Roon because of the way it knocked my Auralic and app out of whack.

Stick with the Lightning App. I have the G1 and use it wireless. I tried Roon a few times and could never get it to replicate my library the way I curated it. The Lightning App does this just fine. I don't need all the extra content that Roon provides either. The Lightning App is easy to use and works fine for playing music off my NAS.