Thinking about switching to Linux...

[AudioDoctor]

and  leaving the Apple world.

 

One of the many considerations for me is how I use my computer when I listen to music. Right now I use ROON and Audirvana 3.5. Audirvana would need to go, which is a shame because it is a great sounding player. IMO it is the best for a Mac that is directly connected to a DAC. ROON is, IMO, meant to be used over a network and that's not how I am using it at the moment. Anyway, I know there is no full ROON system for linux yet, but there is a ROON Server. Would I be able to run that, and control it via either my phone or a web interface at the computer I am sitting at?

 

Thanks.

 

Someone is finally making a good looking desktop PC that's not an Apple.

 

https://system76.com/desktops

[new_media]

You can definitely run ROON server on Linux and control it with an iPhone or Android phone.

 

People have also had success running ROON on Linux via Wine.

[Norton]

Not 100% sure it’s an answer to the exact question you are asking, but I’ve been using Roon Core with Ubuntu Studio on an i7 for the last year, with iPad as control and either a Bryston BDP or a low power fanless Win10 PC in listening room as Roon outputs.  Straightforward to set up and rock solid in use.

 

While I use a network implementation, my understanding is that you can use a single  Linux machine in your listening room as both core and output, but that you can’t control Roon under Linux, you’d need your phone etc for that.

[bluesman]

On 5/26/2019 at 2:08 PM, AudioDoctor said:

ROON is, IMO, meant to be used over a network

 

I run Roon (ROCK) on a NUC to drive my desktop DAC and audio system directly.  It's how I listen to music several hours a day every day of the week with true pleasure. I also listen on other networked devices, but I'd be using Roon even if I didn't have a network.  What Roon won't do is stream outside your LAN, so I use JRMC for that.  But Roon is everything else I want in a computer-based music management system.  Whether you run the server on a Linux box or put ROCK on a dedicated computer, you do have to control it from another device (as has been pointed out already) - but that's no biggie.

 

As for Linux, I can't recommend it highly enough.  We have about a dozen computers of various sizes and capabilities, and all but one are running some Linux variant.  My wife is about as nontechnical as a human can get, and she's been using an Ubuntu laptop for about 5 years now with great joy and no difficulty at all.   She even runs Windows apps like Quicken on Wine without a problem (although it took me the better part of a year to get her to that point).  I now have her using VNC to access our main desktop, and she's actually been able to deal with every glitch without a problem (or a wild phone call)  It may not be quite as easy as Windows or MacOS for novices, but it's almost there now and getting better every year.

 

I'm running Linux Mint (a great, stable, and easy to use distro) on one PC, Ubuntu on a few others, and multiple offshoots on the rest that change with my mood and inquisitive nature.  My Raspberry Pis and Beaglebones run on Debian variants, and I've used most of the other distros out there. If you want a Windows-style black box, just download and install Ubuntu or Mint for a surprisingly great experience. I'd suggest avoiding Ubuntu Studio unless you want the many extra packages it includes.  Studio is designed for making and recording music, not playing it.  If you use Roon, you have no need at all for most of the additional software it includes.

[jabbr]

On 5/26/2019 at 2:08 PM, AudioDoctor said:

and  leaving the Apple world.

 

Recently I have moved my Roon + HQPlayer from OS X to Ubuntu (HQP Embedded) and its more stable than ever.

 

On 5/26/2019 at 2:08 PM, AudioDoctor said:

 

One of the many considerations for me is how I use my computer when I listen to music. Right now I use ROON and Audirvana 3.5. Audirvana would need to go, which is a shame because it is a great sounding player. IMO it is the best for a Mac that is directly connected to a DAC. ROON is, IMO, meant to be used over a network and that's not how I am using it at the moment. Anyway, I know there is no full ROON system for linux yet, but there is a ROON Server. Would I be able to run that, and control it via either my phone or a web interface at the computer I am sitting at?

 

I am using small low powered Linux boxes as NAA. HQPE allows switching devices with a web interface, and I control Roon with the iPhone app. Works great.

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

How do I interact with the server and all the Roon settings? Would I do that from a phone or iPad? Is there some other way to adjust all the different settings in ROON?

[Norton]

5 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

How do I interact with the server and all the Roon settings? Would I do that from a phone or iPad? Is there some other way to adjust all the different settings in ROON?

 

Yes you can manage everything via the iPad.

7 hours ago, bluesman said:

I'd suggest avoiding Ubuntu Studio

 

I use as it’s Miska’s recommended distribution for running HQP, which also resides on same machine (predating Roon) and is now an optional Roon output via NAA.  I imagine this recommendation is for the low latency kernel included in Studio rather than the (optional) creative  packages.

 

Whether or not it offers any advantage for Roon per se I couldn't say, but then again it’s just as no cost and easy to install/use  (for audio playback purposes at least) as anything else Ubuntu. Mine is a dedicated audio PC, Studio may well though not be the best distro choice for a general purpose “office” machine also used for audio.

[bluesman]

3 hours ago, Norton said:

I imagine this recommendation is for the low latency kernel included in Studio rather than the (optional) creative  packages.

 

I also think that’s the reason. But Studio installs several “creative” packages by default, none of which is needed just for dedicated audio playback. It includes programs for audio, video, photography, graphics and publishing.  You can just ignore them or remove them, but it’s a large pile o’software. The only Linux installations with which I’ve ever had a problem have been Studio - from 16 through the current release, it has some bugs and unmet dependencies that crop up with more intense use like video production and live audio recording.

 

On a powerful machine, it’s fine for Roon etc. It’s not a good choice for smaller boxes with limited speed, processing power and memory.

[AudioDoctor]

I will be using the Pop!_OS that comes on the System76 Machine, and it will be my general purpose desktop as well, which is how I listen to music most. I am getting rid of my main system. It is a flavor of Ubuntu.

 

My preferred method of control would be a ROON core someplace with a web GUI that I could control from my computer and get ROON completely off it. That doesn't seem possible right now no matter what OS I would be using.

 

I am also not in a rush, I am trying to consider how embedded the Apple ecosystem is in my life and if there are alternatives that are as user friendly in the linux world. I am looking at Apples future of merging iOS and MacOS and am not amused.

[jabbr]

18 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

How do I interact with the server and all the Roon settings? Would I do that from a phone or iPad? Is there some other way to adjust all the different settings in ROON?

 

You can run Roon on a laptop and point it at the Roon server (core). That requires either Mac OS X or Windows ...

[AudioDoctor]

1 hour ago, jabbr said:

 

You can run Roon on a laptop and point it at the Roon server (core). That requires either Mac OS X or Windows ...

 

I am aware.

 

Perhaps I am not clear. I will be sitting at a linux computer. Not a laptop, doing my normal computer stuff. At the same time I will be listening to music, like I am now using my MacBook Pro which is running ROON and pulling the music off an external drive.

 

This will be replaced by a Linux desktop because I am not a fan of Apples rumored, and likely, future path with ARM processors and merging of iOS and MacOS. I also refuse to use windows.

[jabbr]

2 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

I am aware.

 

Perhaps I am not clear. I will be sitting at a linux computer. Not a laptop, doing my normal computer stuff. At the same time I will be listening to music, like I am now using my MacBook Pro which is running ROON and pulling the music off an external drive.

 

I use my (Apple) laptop to remote into machines in my network including Ubuntu, OS X and Windows machines, many of them are themselves VMs ... That said I use my iPhone to select music ... 

 

Your don’t need the Roon app (controller) often 

2 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

This will be replaced by a Linux desktop because I am not a fan of Apples rumored, and likely, future path with ARM processors and merging of iOS and MacOS. I also refuse to use windows.

 

In a perfect world, software would run on all desktops and you could choose which desktop you like ... in reality different software works in different OS versions, which is where VMs come in handy ... in any case in 2019, Roon doesn’t run on ARM rather OSX (x86) and Windows so make your choice or use something else 

[AudioDoctor]

Maybe I can do this.

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

29 minutes ago, jabbr said:

 

I use my (Apple) laptop to remote into machines in my network including Ubuntu, OS X and Windows machines, many of them are themselves VMs ... That said I use my iPhone to select music ... 

 

Your don’t need the Roon app (controller) often 

 

In a perfect world, software would run on all desktops and you could choose which desktop you like ... in reality different software works in different OS versions, which is where VMs come in handy ... in any case in 2019, Roon doesn’t run on ARM rather OSX (x86) and Windows so make your choice or use something else 

 

Are you reading what I am writing or are you here to argue?

[jabbr]

8 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

Are you reading what I am writing or are you here to argue?

 

Lets be very clear then: You can’t currently use Roon desktop controller on Linux. It requires either OS X or Windows.

 

[asdf1000]

13 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

Perhaps I am not clear. I will be sitting at a linux computer. Not a laptop, doing my normal computer stuff. At the same time I will be listening to music, like I am now using my MacBook Pro which is running ROON and pulling the music off an external drive.

 

 

13 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

This will be replaced by a Linux desktop

 

Not possible....

 

 

[asdf1000]

10 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

Maybe I can do this.

 

You can but any OS update by Apple can break things at any time.

 

You can choose to never run OS updates but probably not good for OS security.

 

Why not just get one of the newest Mac's (or upcoming Mac Pro) that should get you 3+ years of OS updates. And maybe by then Roon will have a Linux Desktop app?

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

Really???

 

[AudioDoctor]

double post

 

[AudioDoctor]

Nevermind, double post.

[AudioDoctor]

1 hour ago, jabbr said:

 

Lets be very clear then: You can’t currently use Roon desktop controller on Linux. It requires either OS X or Windows.

 

 

I am still not sure you actually read my posts.

[asdf1000]

4 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Really???

 

You said: "Perhaps I am not clear. I will be sitting at a linux computer. Not a laptop, doing my normal computer stuff. At the same time I will be listening to music, like I am now using my MacBook Pro which is running ROON and pulling the music off an external drive."

"This will be replaced by a Linux desktop"

 

You never mentioned you want to control Roon with an iOS app....

 

I know about Roon Server on Linux because I use it everyday.... 

 

[AudioDoctor]

Just now, Em2016 said:

 

You said: "Perhaps I am not clear. I will be sitting at a linux computer. Not a laptop, doing my normal computer stuff. At the same time I will be listening to music, like I am now using my MacBook Pro which is running ROON and pulling the music off an external drive."

"This will be replaced by a Linux desktop"

 

You never mentioned you want to control Roon with an iOS app....

 

 

 

post #1

[asdf1000]

7 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

post #1

 

Please accept my apologies. I committed the cardinal sin of joining a discussion without starting from post #1.

 

That screenshot answers your question then.

 

Roon Server on Linux is no problem. Use iOS for Roon Remote. Happy days.

[jabbr]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

Really???

 

 

 

You got it. Now why don't you go and do it. You can configure Roon Server from the command line if you don't want to use the Roon app. ... since you stated you want to leave the Apple world, you should also use the Android app to control the server rather than the iOS app. All set.

 

You've answered your own question. Is there a remaining issue?

 

Just so you know, I don't reply simply to the OP,  rather answer questions that other folks who ... in this case want to use Roon on Linux ... might be interested in. Once you or someone else has installed RoonServer on linux, you can then decide if you still care to use the Roon GUI app for configuration, or else if you prefer to get into the linux command line, and edit config files etc... My suspicion is that since you are asking this question in the first place, you might prefer the GUI, but learning Linux command line, and text editing apps, is an excellent learning experience.