ssd for roon rock nuc

[parnass]

hi...may i ask

would you suggest internal or external ssd /im asking because the sata cable in nuc10 gen looks really strange - data+power together in thin plastic cable/

(for system i have SSD M.2 250GB Samsung 980 PRO, for music data i will need about 4T, so far im using external samsung 2T, and its almost full/

[davide256]

I highly recommend  you switch to NAS for media storage, it will sound better than direct connected drives, including M.2 SSD

    two Ethernet ports on the NAS which can be bridged  for greater throughput speed is a nice to have feature.

 

There will be some low level NAS fan noise with regular HD's, SSD will run cooler/quieter but costs more with no significant

SQ improvement but a definite improvement in library scan speed.

 

 

 

[parnass]

thank you for advice, but i don't  think it would be possible, because the nuc will be connected to switch (from switch to streamer), so there isn't  another ethernet port in nuc

 

[Foggie]

34 minutes ago, davide256 said:

I highly recommend  you switch to NAS for media storage, it will sound better than direct connected drives, including M.2 SSD

    two Ethernet ports on the NAS which can be bridged  for greater throughput speed is a nice to have feature.

 

There will be some low level NAS fan noise with regular HD's, SSD will run cooler/quieter but costs more with no significant

SQ improvement but a definite improvement in library scan speed.

 

 

 

 

Can you elaborate on the "sounding better" comment?  Roon server with local storage vs NAS - is this just your experience or some universally agreed upon method?  Also curious - if one is using a nuc or whatever core server is direct to DAC or separated?

 

Multiple options here:

- NAS (music) > core server > endpoint > DAC

- NAS (music) > core server > DAC

- core server w/ internal storage for library > endpoint > DAC

- core server w/ internal storage for library > DAC

 

 

 

[Foggie]

9 minutes ago, parnass said:

thank you for advice, but i don't  think it would be possible, because the nuc will be connected to switch (from switch to streamer), so there isn't  another ethernet port in nuc

 

I think he meant the NAS is connected to switch as well and the nuc/roon settings are set to pull from NAS (library settings)

[parnass]

thank you..there is topic on roon forum about nas vs internal disc with rock os nucs - as i see, there are not good experience with nas solution. even roon coo doesn't recommend nas (i don't understand exactly why… im little bit older guy and im not familiar with IT) //if i would have opportunity to use sata on nuc like in older generations of nucs i would go to internal ssd… but unfortunately the 10th generation of nuc has only small connector sata+power together)

[davide256]

Feel free to wade through this thread, its observed by many here experimenting with NUC and streaming. Since its 713 pages long, you will want to search on NAS

 

 

Direct connected media drives IME  have digital irritants and unnaturally emphasize treble, no joy from HD, SSD,SDXC or M.2 NVMe.

NAS's don't do this, excel in mid range and tone color.

 

Worry about power supply in your USB out device, a stock SMPS masks a lot of whats in the source recording, somehow contaminates

the USB output.

 

These are both valid configurations but its more expensive/complex to fashion a 1 box USB out server because of the cost

of higher amperage LPS power supplies. You can buy a microRendu roon endpoint + LPS for what a server LPS alone would cost

 

- NAS (music) > core server > endpoint > DAC

- NAS (music) > core server > DAC

 

 

 

[parnass]

thank you, i will read the thread you suggest…but im not looking for roon core (i have roon rock on nuc) and im not looking for endpoint (i have emm ns1  streamer as endpoint) im only asking if there is a better solution internal ssd in nuc10 or external ssd (and if it will be externnal ssd - if its better to connect it via usb2, usb-c (usb3) or usb-c thunderbolt3)

 

my system is: roon rock  nuc - ethernet - switch1 - optical - switch2 - ethernet - streamer - optilink - dac

 

[davide256]

1 hour ago, Foggie said:

I think he meant the NAS is connected to switch as well and the nuc/roon settings are set to pull from NAS (library settings)

Yup. Its easy to add network drives in Roon core.  Also a good idea to hang a switch off your wifi router for core, NAS and endpoint connections, that way

server traffic stays on the switch, doesn't compete with household  video streaming going through the router.

[davide256]

16 minutes ago, parnass said:

thank you, i will read the thread you suggest…but im not looking for roon core (i have roon rock on nuc) and im not looking for endpoint (i have emm ns1  streamer as endpoint) im only asking if there is a better solution internal ssd in nuc10 or external ssd (and if it will be externnal ssd - if its better to connect it via usb2, usb-c (usb3) or usb-c thunderbolt3)

 

my system is: roon rock  nuc - ethernet - switch1 - optical - switch2 - ethernet - streamer - optilink - dac

 

USB3 and SATA connected storage were fails for me. Apple engineering always seems to do better for audio, perhaps try the Thunderbolt option?

USB2 is glacially slow for media access, cup of coffee time for library scans.

[Foggie]

I think many good points here and will be situation specific.  I would sort of summarize my understanding with this. 

• If you are attaching the server, whether it be an audio PC, roon core (rock same/similar thing) direct to DAC, much work is needed to make sure all bases are covered with regard to noise +power with whatever interface you are attaching to DAC et al.  The well built DIY fanless servers or the Innuos types going direct to DAC use internal storage in many cases I have seen.
• If you are using server in a 2 pc setup or a server to endpoint, I think using a NAS or direct storage in the server (secondary internal HD) both are valid solutions - I don't recall anyone stating either one is better in this scenario.  If that's not the case I sure would be interested to reading about that.  I will say as @parnass pointed out, the roon team has indicated a NAS in certain situations are not to their liking.  However, many have used them (myself included) without out any issues - again some of the NAS situations that roon referred to are specific. 

I recently moved to a new server with one large HD internally which sits next to network rack in util room as I use fiber to listening room to an endpoint (HQP NAA).