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Why would I need Roon?

I have a Blue sound streamer with plenty of files at my fingertips, via a hard drive plugged in the back and multiple streaming services. Can someone help me understand what Roon would add to my set-up? Thanks. 
128x128hilde45
soma70
153 posts
 

i have been using Roon for three years.


The longer you use it and learn how to manipulate and discover your own and the wider music catalogues, the more pleasure it gives.


there are lots of layers and a month might not be enough to really understand what it can do.


Music library’s are getting bigger and harder to manage and organise. Roon sorts this out for you and makes musical discovery and rediscovery an effortless pleasure.


My advice is to forget the trial, rent for a year and then decide if you want to buy.


i suspect any perceived differences in SQ that may exist between Roon and Audiovana are down to the particular hardware implementations in those specific systems with all their variables.


barts's avatar
barts
728 posts
 
Don't mean to hijack this thread as my question is in-line with the original intent.

I have a Bryston BDA-3.14 which is the BDA-3 DAC and the Bryston BDP Pi in one component.  My Bryston is hardwired to the home network. It sounds freakin' awesome. I'm using a Chromebook running "Manic Moose" (Bryston propriety software) to control the  BDA-3.14.  The way it works is I choose any number of tracks from Qobuz and put them in my play list.  The "Manic Moose" simply sends the QOBUZ URL of each track to the BDA-3.14 which then holds the list.  Hit play (either on remote or in "Manic Moose" and it plays. At that point I can turn the Chromebook off and BDA-3.14 will run through the playlist.  The advantage in my mind is that there is a straight shot from Qobuz through wired ethernet to BDA-3.14, no computer interface/interference.  

I'm told the Bryston can be used as a Roon end-point and do all the good cataloging/suggesting stuff that Roon is good at.  But, my limited understanding of Roon is that it will be processing the digital signal prior to getting to the Bryston.  Is that correct? Honestly I believe the direct path described above is about the best SQ possible for the components involved.  Thanks for any input.  Be as techy as you like.

hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
5,043 posts
 
Just confirmed what @jaytor said. I cannot make do with just my Bluesound Node2i. I’d still need a PC server running soon. A Node2i does not run the Roon “Core” application.

"Roon is a server and client based system so always requires the core server part to be running on a pc or Nas type device.”
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/seriously-how-to-use-my-node-2i/97094/11

This means that if one has bought one of the most popular, affordable streamers out there, one still needs more to use Roon. This is something I hadn’t considered.

If I am wrong about this, please tell me.
wsrrsw's avatar
wsrrsw
1,074 posts
 
Roon is an easy trove finder of stuff to get at. It excels at the depth of information. At times I want to know the players and can’t with my Qobuz/Lumin interface. 
I tried Roon but couldn’t find a way to run my online albums and playlists at Qobuz on a Lumin. Did I get this wrong?
oldschool1948's avatar
oldschool1948
503 posts
 
OP.  You need something to run Roon Core.  A decent PC will work and some but not all NAS drives will work.  You can find plenty of suggestions on the Roon website.  

If you intended to use Roon long term, I suggest to invest in a decent NUC - especially, if you intend to use some of Roon’s more resource intensive DSP capabilities like upscaling.  Roon has by far the best music management interface and capabilities of any software that I’ve used to date.  To enjoy it, you’ll need a capable Roon Core host device.  
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