Better Roon Endpoints?

[davide256]

Chromecast devices now supported as Roon endpoints, wonder how they stack up...

 

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2018/07/06/roon-expands-its-connected-devices-to-include-chromecast/

 

Also this article on DarKo's website on how to get higher performance out of Chromecast audio

 

https://darko.audio/2018/07/letters-to-the-editor-3-ways-to-juice-your-chromecast-audio/

[eintom]

i tested the chromecast support with my nvidia shield box at TV, works good and displays the album cover and sometimes an Interpret picture in the background. looks very nice.

Have a seperate roon streamer (Ambre), but this funktion is good for "party modus", so noboby asks "what is playing now?" ?

 

@George

 

i would test the connection with a simple I2S Ethernetcable, in my case it was a big improvement over the AES before (with a 400$ AES cable i used)

think I2S can beat your coaxial connection in sound.

 

regards

tom

[jerico]

On 7/4/2018 at 9:48 PM, Lukasluis said:

Just curious, have you compared it to iPhone or other more specialized Endpoints such as Rendu or SMS-200? Some people swear by its great sound if it is powered by LPS-1. 

I haven't performed such comparisons. I did use a linear power supply at one point with the Pi but didn't notice any significant difference. It sounds great to me as it is.

[Lukasluis]

4 hours ago, jerico said:

I haven't performed such comparisons. I did use a linear power supply at one point with the Pi but didn't notice any significant difference. It sounds great to me as it is.

Thanks. 

[Lukasluis]

On 1/12/2018 at 5:39 AM, Miska said:

 

I honestly think a "NAA DAC" using RaspberryPi3 + HifiBerry DAC+ Pro (RCA or XLR model) powered from something like iFi iPower is both cheaper and better...  And since software is available as SDcard image it is very easy to setup. Need to add one line to config.txt and that's it.

 

For some reason Roon doesn't provide ARM versions of Roon Bridge.

 

Hi Miska,

 

Do you use this setup instead? Have you compared it to the IPhone endpoint?

 

May be it's time for me to resurrect my RPI running Dietpi, install NAA then test it with HQP and upsample everything to DSD 256. I'm using Iphone endpoint currently (sold the Sms-200) ?

[rhale64l7]

On 1/11/2018 at 1:25 AM, R1200CL said:

 

Wadia had /has a transport (i70?j. I think they was ahead of their time. 

 

I believe Cary Audio had one also.

[sahmen]

Hello:

 

Has anyone had the opportunity to compare the SQs of Ultrarendu/good power supply and the Metrum Ambre?  I already have an ultrarendu, but I may need another roon endpoint for a different setup which is based on a Metrum Hex Dac.  I might consider the Ambre for that second system, and connect it with the Hex via AES for reasons of aesthetic compatibility if that setup will not result in a compromise in sound quality as compared to using another Ultrarendu + LPS-1.2 instead with the HEX.

 

Any helpful thoughts would be welcome.

 

Thanks.

[gordec]

After hearing good outcomes with iDevices as Roon endpoints, I bought a CCK adapter for iPad Pro. Installed Roon Core on desktop and endpoint on iPad. I connected CCK to iDSD Pro. Roon/iPad wouldn’t detect iDSD. Then I plugged the charging cable into the CCK adapter, then iPad picked up iDSD, but songs would play for 2 seconds and drop off. Am I missing some step in setting this up? I’m new to Roon just using a trial.

[davide256]

40 minutes ago, gordec said:

After hearing good outcomes with iDevices as Roon endpoints, I bought a CCK adapter for iPad Pro. Installed Roon Core on desktop and endpoint on iPad. I connected CCK to iDSD Pro. Roon/iPad wouldn’t detect iDSD. Then I plugged the charging cable into the CCK adapter, then iPad picked up iDSD, but songs would play for 2 seconds and drop off. Am I missing some step in setting this up? I’m new to Roon just using a trial.

 

Some thoughts

 

1) if you are trying to control iPad playback from the desktop, you need to go into Roon audio device setup on the iPad and make the iDSD not a private zone,

default is yes

2) headphone amps do require too much power through the USB port to power them off a tablet or phone, you need to power up the iDSD first so it runs off its battery

   instead of drawing power from the tablet. I suspect that's what happening and that the iPad's protection circuitry is stopping output to the iDSD

[gordec]

1 minute ago, davide256 said:

 

Some thoughts

 

1) if you are trying to control iPad playback from the desktop, you need to go into Roon device setup on the iPad and make the iDSD not a private zone, default is yes

2) headphone amps do require too much power through the USB port to power them off a tablet or phone, you need to power up the iDSD first so it runs off its battery

   instead of drawing power from the tablet. I suspect that's what happening and that the iPad's protection circuitry is stopping output to the iDSD

 

Pro iDSD has no battery power, it's plugged into a Furman reconditioner through it's power brick. You think ipad may be trying to send power to it? I'll try your 1st method. The problem is that I don't even see iDSD show up as a Roon endpoint reliably. I'll play around with it more tonight. I don't use my iPad enough, this would give me a good reason to. 

[davide256]

22 minutes ago, gordec said:

 

Pro iDSD has no battery power, it's plugged into a Furman reconditioner through it's power brick. You think ipad may be trying to send power to it? I'll try your 1st method. The problem is that I don't even see iDSD show up as a Roon endpoint reliably. I'll play around with it more tonight. I don't use my iPad enough, this would give me a good reason to. 

If the iDSD is on its own power supply then its current draw will be the trivial draw of USB audio, so that shouldn't be the issue.

 

You will definitely have problems trying to see/control playback at the iPad from the PC if iPad is defaulted to private zone, but should work fine in that case

controlling directly from the iPad.

 

Start with CD (44.1/16) quality music to test, as you don't want to muddy the water with network bandwidth questions. Also be sure that your server/iPad is  on same network router so that there is no questionable routing/network discovery

[gordec]

8 hours ago, davide256 said:

If the iDSD is on its own power supply then its current draw will be the trivial draw of USB audio, so that shouldn't be the issue.

 

You will definitely have problems trying to see/control playback at the iPad from the PC if iPad is defaulted to private zone, but should work fine in that case

controlling directly from the iPad.

 

Start with CD (44.1/16) quality music to test, as you don't want to muddy the water with network bandwidth questions. Also be sure that your server/iPad is  on same network router so that there is no questionable routing/network discovery

Ok. It's working now. The DAC is suppose to show up as Airplay device right when it's connected to iPad via CCK adapter.

[gordec]

Sorry, still doesn't work. Pro iDSD has Airplay built in, so I wasn't running it off CCK adapter from the iPad. Once I set the input to USB, Roon could only play like 2 sec clip then lose connection. When I stream standalone Tidal on iPad to Pro iDSD via CCK adapter, it's perfect with no dropouts, so it's not a hardware problem. I also turned off private zone still no go. 

[ggetzoff]

Just bought  the CCK and getting fabulous results with my Ipad Pro as endpoint in comparison to my dedicated server. 

 

It's a top-to-bottom improvement.

1. Darker backround

2. Greater sustain and speed

3. More realistic sounding

 

Overall, it was a jaw-drop moment and I thought my server sounded good.

 

My core server is a completely fanless setup with a Renesas-chip USB card, with Fidelizer. 

 

Now, if there was a way to use the CCK, a USB Ethernet adapter with a USB hub that would be something! 

 

gordec,

 

Not sure why your setup isn't working. Can you post a screenshot of audio setup in Roon  (your Ipad as a device) so we can see. Have you posted on the Roon forum?

 

Cheers,

 

Greg

 

[AudiophileWanabe]

Anyone here tried the new 2018 iPad Pro with a USB-C to USB (A) adapter?

 

I wonder if the iPhoneX (old and new) with their theoretically less noisy OLED screens will be better endpoints than the LCD screens of iPads and IPhones?

 

[One and a half]

15 minutes ago, AudiophileWanabe said:

Anyone here tried the new 2018 iPad Pro with a USB-C to USB (A) adapter?

 

I wonder if the iPhoneX (old and new) with their theoretically less noisy OLED screens will be better endpoints than the LCD screens of iPads and IPhones?

 

The iPad camera connection kit works very well as an endpoint. Thing is unless you have two iPads, the attached cable was is a nuisance since the iPad is a control device, transportable anywhere.

[Uni]

On 11/15/2018 at 7:38 AM, AudiophileWanabe said:

Anyone here tried the new 2018 iPad Pro with a USB-C to USB (A) adapter?

 

I wonder if the iPhoneX (old and new) with their theoretically less noisy OLED screens will be better endpoints than the LCD screens of iPads and IPhones?

 

 

I tried iphone 6s and ipad Air 2 and I will try iphone Xs and iPad Pro 2018 (12.9 inch) tonight.

 

I was using Audirvana plus 3.5.  The GREAT SQ improvement of using iDevice as roon endpoint to USB DAC shocked me.

 

In terms of my testing so far, ipad Air 2 > iphone 6s.  Iphone 6s sound more thin and less power.

[RiseFall123]

Good to know that the iDevices are considered great roon endpoints.

 

I also confirm that the iPad Pro sounds stronger than iPhone 8 Plus in volume (I use it with Chord Mojo).

[Uni]

8 hours ago, Uni said:

 

I tried iphone 6s and ipad Air 2 and I will try iphone Xs and iPad Pro 2018 (12.9 inch) tonight.

 

I was using Audirvana plus 3.5.  The GREAT SQ improvement of using iDevice as roon endpoint to USB DAC shocked me.

 

In terms of my testing so far, ipad Air 2 > iphone 6s.  Iphone 6s sound more thin and less power.

 

What I can say, i tried two more iDevices, and this is the SQ in order

 

iPad Air 2  > iPhone 6S  > iPhone Xs = iPad Pro 2018

 

iPad Air 2 provides the cleanliness, balanced sound.  iPhone 6s is similar to iPad Air 2 but more thin.  iPhone Xs and iPad Pro 2018 are muddy.  The differences are not very huge but sufficient for me to notice.  I like iPad Air 2 result only.

 

 

[AudiophileWanabe]

9 hours ago, Uni said:

 

What I can say, i tried two more iDevices, and this is the SQ in order

 

iPad Air 2  > iPhone 6S  > iPhone Xs = iPad Pro 2018

 

iPad Air 2 provides the cleanliness, balanced sound.  iPhone 6s is similar to iPad Air 2 but more thin.  iPhone Xs and iPad Pro 2018 are muddy.  The differences are not very huge but sufficient for me to notice.  I like iPad Air 2 result only.

 

 

Are all of these devices with the same version of iOS?

[Uni]

1 hour ago, AudiophileWanabe said:

Are all of these devices with the same version of iOS?

Yes all the same 

in fact I don’t know why the difference. Hope someone can explain to me

[Uni]

On 1/4/2019 at 8:56 AM, Uni said:

Yes all the same 

in fact I don’t know why the difference. Hope someone can explain to me

 

Last night I tried to switch back iMac but using digital output.

 

I was astonished.  Significant SQ improvement over iphone -> usb -> dac OR iMac -> usb-> dac.  High is more clean.  Bass is much more tight.  Very obvious.

 

But it's problematic to use iMac on this as the digital cable would disable internal speaker.  I must plug and unplug again for different usage.

 

It makes me wonder if I should swtich to raspberry pi + HAT.  Any idea?

[bobfa]

You can adjust the audio output of the Mac in system preferences so it does not route output to the DAC you are using for Roon.  The Mac will play though the speakers just fine for system sounds, etc..

 

 

I assume by digital cable you mean USB?  

 

Wait until you start filtering that USB to stop some of the noise from the iMAC from getting to the DAC..    There is a lot you can do to improve sound quality.  Don’t rush it.  Have fun listening!

 

Bob

[Uni]

13 minutes ago, bobfa said:

You can adjust the audio output of the Mac in system preferences so it does not route output to the DAC you are using for Roon.  The Mac will play though the speakers just fine for system sounds, etc..

 

 

I assume by digital cable you mean USB?  

 

Wait until you start filtering that USB to stop some of the noise from the iMAC from getting to the DAC..    There is a lot you can do to improve sound quality.  Don’t rush it.  Have fun listening!

 

Bob

 

 

@bobfa

Thanks for you answer

Sorry for confusing you.  My "digital cable" is actually a toslink, not USB.

 

There's a hidden switch in iMac.  Once the toslink cable plugged in, it switches off the internal speaker.  It's in the hardware so there's no way to work around.

[lateboomer]

With iPhone is the rave now as Roon endpoint, how is it compared with AL/NUC endpoint that anyone thinks very highly of?