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Basic Digital Audio Setup Advice

Greetings! Looking for some feedback on a wired digital audio setup. My primary goal is to play hi-res (up to 24/192) lossless files bit perfectly in a plug and play fashion.

Here's my current (modest) arrangement, my iMac is too far from the DAC to hard wire, forcing use of Airplay and downsampling to 16-44.1...

2014 iMac w/ external HDD (~4TB of FLAC/ALAC files) > Audirvana 3.5/Roon (both on trial currently, migrating from iTunes/Music) > Airplay (via Airport Express) optical > Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus > Rega Brio > Q Acoustics 3050i
I'd like to add a server/streamer next to the DAC that I can access remotely to take the iMac out of the chain. Initially was looking at a headless 2012 MacMini >  DAC using Audirvana/Roon but I know not truly dedicated to audio.

When going down the Roon rabbit hole I was intrigued by the Nucleus in place of the Mini. I would likely look to move the file storage to a 2-4 bay NAS accessed by either the Mini or Nucleus.

It feels a bit askew to spend more money on the server/storage than I'm into for the DAC/Receiver/Speakers but the ease and cleanliness of the Nucleus has a lot of appeal.

Are there any simpler/less expensive options I'm overlooking that might help me accomplish my playback goals, keeping in mind my audio component level? I'm not very keen on having to assemble so the NUC/ROCK option isn't something I've considered. I also looked at the Bluesound Node2i but feedback on the OS is poor and sounds like some challenges with being actually Roon Ready.

Thanks much!
travisnordgren
verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,499 posts
 
I signed up for Roon software and moved from a PC based system to the Nucleus+.  It made a HUGE difference.  There is so much else going on in a PC.  System monitoring and all sorts of stuff that you don't realize. Having a simple, dedicated devicce can make an enormous difference. 

I became a dealer for Roon I liked everything so much.  The wonderful part about the Nucleus is you don't need to think about it.  It is just on all the time. 

You need to have the Nucleus on your network via Ethernet.  That can be plugged into your Airport Express and then USB to your DAC.  You can plug an external drive into the Nucleus or there are internal ports to mount a drive.  A separate NAS is not necessary unless you really want it.  That is one of the things I like most about it.  

I ordered a Nucleus for a customer about a week ago and Roon is backed up a little.  That one is set to ship June 1st.  I would guess if you order one today it will ship somewhere around the 8th of June.  

Surprisingly, I have been talking to two people lately, and both had the exact same experience that I had.  Upgrading their server did more to improve sound than upgrading their DAC.  


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dbphd
1,628 posts
 
You might use a Google MESH system to generate an Ethernet network, run Roon core on your iMac and use a Senore microRendu or ultraRendu as the Roon endpoint with USB to a DAC of your choice.  It's simple to setup, the iMac doesn't need to be near the end point or DAC, and it's flexible for changes you might want to make in the future.  The sound can be superb.  You likely can find a microRendu or ultraRendu in the used market at a very reasonable price.

I'm leery about expensive special-purpose devices.
gelle
80 posts
 
@verdantaudio. +1. Did the same. 
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