Roon Server for Lumin X1

[wklie]

My standard recommendation for Roon Core is an NUC8i7BEH with a fanless chassis, m.2 SSD for OS, 8GB RAM if you run ROCK without a huge library, 16GB RAM or more if you run Windows.  If you can wait till next month, see if ROCK support for NUC10 will be available by then or not.

 

As for whether closer is good or not, the Roon Labs recommendation is: as far away from your audio equipment as possible.

 

There is an alternative setup you can try.  This is not the Lumin standard recommendation, and this defeats the optical isolation, but apparently a lot of people in this forum like this kind of bridged setup, where the Roon Core (or MinimServer) with LPS is directly connected to the RJ45 port of the X1 without going through any network switch.  The X1 SFP remains connected to the network as in your diagram.  This is possible because the RJ45 and SFP ports inside the X1 are internally bridged.  (Take care not to create a network loop such as switch - computer - X1 - switch, this will be really bad.)

[wklie]

20 minutes ago, kzs70 said:

Thanks Peter, I might try this too. I assume I would need a Jcat Femto Net card or something similar in the server. I will investigate whether if that is possible with a NUC/ROCK or not...

 

No, you don't need that unless you want femto clock in the network.

Since X1 already has two network ports, you don't need to have two network ports in the Roon Core for a bridged setup, i.e.

 

SFP switch or EtherRegen SFP - SFP port of X1 - RJ45 port of X1 - Roon Core

[wklie]

Duplicate post deleted.

[wklie]

11 hours ago, wklie said:

If you can wait till next month, see if ROCK support for NUC10 will be available by then or not.

 

I'll retract this statement.  I did more reading of NUC10 vs NUC8, and my preliminary analysis that NUC8 is better than NUC10 for Roon.  Get the NUC8i7BEH while you still can.

[wklie]

Do not use 12V LPS for any NUC, because you have no margin for common voltage drop.  Use 19V only. 

[wklie]

On 8/6/2020 at 10:00 AM, wklie said:

My standard recommendation for Roon Core is an NUC8i7BEH with a fanless chassis, m.2 SSD for OS, 8GB RAM if you run ROCK without a huge library, 16GB RAM or more if you run Windows.  If you can wait till next month, see if ROCK support for NUC10 will be available by then or not.

 

Update: The latest ROCK supports NUC10 on-board Ethernet driver.

 

However, NUC8i7BEH is still preferred to NUC10i7FNH.

[wklie]

For those using ROCK or Nucleus, I suggest holding off update to Roon OS Build 221. Wait for a few days.

[wklie]

18 hours ago, wklie said:

For those using ROCK or Nucleus, I suggest holding off update to Roon OS Build 221. Wait for a few days.

 

The problem has been found and affects only some users with Transcend SSD drives. If you're not using this brand of SSD to host the Roon OS, it'd be safe to upgrade.

[wklie]

20 minutes ago, Bazinga said:

I’m also looking for a good switch with (2) SFP

 

As a baseline, take a look at one of those Cisco unmanaged switches members here use.

[wklie]

1 hour ago, further said:

I am awaiting an Antipodes K40 to audition.  It would be my Roon Core server.  It has RJ45 input port and has a direct RJ45 output port to end point player.  I currently am using fiber to SFP on the Lumin X1 from EtherRegen from switch for this.

 

The key point is that you must not form a network loop, this may bring down the whole network.

 

Without considering your next upgrade for the switch, I think you can try these two connections and see which sounds better to you.

 

1. Main switch or router - (network cable) - K40 RJ45 input - K40 RJ45 output - (network cable) - EtherREGEN B side - EtherREGEN SFP - (fiber) - X1 SFP

 

2. Main switch or router - (network cable) - K40 RJ45 input - K40 RJ45 output - (unshielded CAT 6) - X1 RJ45

[wklie]

9 minutes ago, Bazinga said:

Is there a easy wireless option for the X1 ? 

 

No, other than using a WiFi to Ethernet adapter or a WiFi router operating in WiFi client bridge mode like this: (only some routers have this mode)

 

Wireless is not recommended, especially in case of Roon.

[wklie]

If you only need to play local music files instead of Tidal / Qobuz / Spotify Connect / internet radio, you just need a WiFi router at the basement to set up a private network, and preferably a NAS or computer running MInimServer to host the music library.

 

You do not have to have internet access to use Lumin, but Roon does require internet access.

[wklie]

Duplicate post deleted.

[wklie]

21 minutes ago, Bazinga said:

I don’t know if 1-2 mb would be worth trying for Qobuz 

 

That sounds low.  Perhaps Spotify.

[wklie]

@further If you are still interested in a Roon server with a second network output to Lumin X1, perhaps you may take a look at SonicTransporter i9 Optical (a FYI only, not an endorsement).  I think the optical output port will allow a direct connection to X1 SFP, with your EtherREGEN feeding the SonicTransporter. 

 

See this diagram (but with Lumin X1 instead of opticalRendu + DAC):

 

 

(Alternatively, you may have the EtherREGEN in between the SonicTransporter and the X1.)

[wklie]

On 1/28/2021 at 9:27 AM, navrsale said:

How can one have both Tidal and K40 at the same time if the router is Hub3000 that have both SFP and ethernet ports? The NAS is MybookLive connected via ethernet to Hub3000 router.

 

If you're referring to a router that is supplied by an ISP, its fiber port (if it has one) is not meant for customer use.  You can use its Ethernet LAN ports only.

 

[wklie]

I mentioned it only because it seems that you were looking for another Roon Core server.  If your current setup works fine, there is no need for a replacement then.  You may consider looking at other options such as power supply upgrade for the SonicTransporter if you are not already using it.

[wklie]

What's the PF Buffalo switch?  What's so special about it?  How do you plan to use it with the EtherREGEN?  (We used to have a Buffalo BS-GS2016/A switch.)

[wklie]

Merely want to emphasize that part of the connection has to be unshielded.