OK. So if I understand everybody correctly, all I need to do is pop a Sonore UPnP bridge (or micro rondu, or optical rendu, or other variant including the Sonore UPnP functionality) somewhere on my network, change a few settings on the Roon app, setup the web interface for the Sonore, and maybe change some settings on the NDS, and I’m fully Rooned?
Of course, the other thing you will have to do (as I am sure you are aware) is install Roon Rock (or Roon Core) on an appropriate device, and then you will be up and running.
One question: I see one can achieve the same ability to get Roon into the NDS with the quite inexpensive Sonore UPnP Bridge, or one can use the Ultra Rendu, Micro Rendu, Optical Rendu, etc, and a linear power supply can be added as well. Not really wanting to add another not inexpensive set of boxes to achieve Roon if I don’t have to, has anyone any first hand experience with any differences in sound quality between the basic bridge vs. the Rendu products?
I’ve been using this method for 4 months now and it has been faultless with my NDS. No going back to the Naim application.
I was initially using my QNAP as the Roon Core but have just moved over to using ROCK on an NUC with an improvement in performance and possibly sound quality but I may be kidding myself on the latter! My setup certainly gives the same sound quality as UPNP voa Asset and the Naim application.
I am also using lms-to-upnp software. This software, the roon core and my storage of music are all running on a small fanless windows pc. It is working.
The ultraRendu or microRendu give you the ability to use a USB driven DAC or bridge the output to a S/PDIF signal, if required. However if you just going to use the SonoreUPnP Bridge then the dedicated product will be just fine.
That option wasn’t available when I started down this path - I tried using the SonicOrbiterSE (SOSE) product at first, but there was issues with it and the earlier version of SonicOribiterOS (2.3), so this was traded up to the UltraRendu, and I picked up a 2nd hand UltraCap LPS power supply.
The present version of SonicOrbiterOS (2.6 & 2.7) and the SonoreUPnP bridge are rock stable.
In-fact the only times there are problems, is when the NDS has ‘lost’ the network and needs to be rebooted.
Also the DIY implementation of the lms-to-upnp bridge wasn’t available either - but here you get a web interface for the configuration and any updates.
I have tried the USB output of the UltraRendu into a XMOS USB->S/PDIF convertor but the SQ via the UPnP route is better. It is also better than Asset UPnP server running on a RPi2, which doesn’t offer the MQA support.
I suspect the UPnP Bridge from Small Green Computer is a SBC, similar to a RPi and the embedded SBC in the Rendu products, they just offer improved power regulation and clocking.
Small Green Computer also offer some Grade-B microRendus at a price in-between the Bridge and a regular microRendu, plus I am sure they offer a Money-back policy.
@Laertes I’m currently using a Sonore uPnP Bridge. I’m interested if you go this way what, if any, sound quality differences you hear playing local files via Roon/Bridge vs the Naim App.
Looks like my options are now limited to SGC. Here’s the advice I had from Innuos (I hope that it’s ok to quote this):
“ It would assume that the NDS is the newer version released by Naim in the last couple years. If of a similar vintage as the Qutes then this will not be the case.
The newer Naim products received updates so that they could appear as Roon device endpoints across the network. This is a unique/specific thing, many streamers on the market do not have this feature yet and are more traditional UPnP streamers, such as your current Naim gear.
There might be some confusion in that any DAC connected to a Roon Core (in this case ZENmini) does indeed become a Roon endpoint - no special license or technology needed there. However, it is probably going to be impossible to connect all your Naim gear by USB/digital coaxial rather than network, so this is basically off the table.
Unfortuantely it is going to be quite difficult to turn all your HiFi in to a full Roon network, it would require Naim to update their older streamers with this feature and i’ve no reason or cause to anticipate that they will do this, but it could be worth asking them.
As it stands, you could get one of our servers and still use it to distribute sound via UPnP to all your Naim devices using the Naim app.”
So are you planning on Roon for more than one endpoint? You can get USB to SPDIF converters to get it to feed your NDS. I am sure @Filipe does this although not sure he uses Roon. But it should work. If you want a one box solution then yes SGC Sonic Transporter with SPDIF out would work. Although I think the new mini uses SPDIF to so surely that would work as Roon server and endpoint feedind DAC from the SPDIF.
I was hoping to find an Ethernet solution and had thought the Zenmini mk3 would be it, hence SGC’s transports. There is space on my Fraim for something but somewhere in the back of mind I had heard that the sound quality of SPDIF was not great. Could be wrong?
I can’t recall whether Phil has Roon (@Filipe), but what I saw of his interface looked good (ipeng?).
I guess you can run the sonore upnp bridge on the Sonic Transporter so if you are after a Roon core and the ability to send it via upnp to the NDS then it makes sense to have one over the Innuous. They do supply an LPS as well that could perhaps bring it up closer to the Innous in SQ.
I am very very pleased with the Innuos Zenith Mk 2 into nDAC/555DR. I don’t use Roon although I liked it a lot.
The two are connected by Audiophilleo plus PurePower USB to spdif using computer USB cable. The PurePower charges from the nDAC rear USB port when there is no music playing if it needs charging at all. The Audiophilleo connects direct via BNC to BNC connector to the nDAC. Audiophilleo reckon this to be the best solution and it saves on having to find a suitable cable with all the inherent issues that has.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Spdif as a transport as long as it is free of jitter. The Audiophilleo is down to picoseconds of jitter, and the PurePower is not connected to anything when playing so there are no sources of noise/modulation there.
The Innuos Zenith has galvanic isolation as does the Audiophilleo and I believe the nDAC.
So I am spared having to buy a streamer, but nDAC + 555DR is no cheap solution. I’m glad not to suffer the Naim App although maybe it is now stable.
Whilst the Audiophilleo is a viable solution the options with an NDS compared to an NDAC are slightly different and I think the Sonore bridge (or lms-to-upnp) is potentially a better solution for the NDS.
When I did this my aim was to have exactly the same sound quality through Roon as I do via UPNP using Asset and the Naim application. Nothing else would have been acceptable. The Roon > Bridge > Streamer route does this for me and makes the best use of the NDS.
I would be concerned that using the NDS just as a DAC could compromise things, with the variables of the transport and the USB to SPDIF solution coming into play.
@Camphuw if you are close to Dorset you are welcome to pop in and have a look at my setup same for @Laertes
@trickydickie I also use lms-to-upnp running on an IMac with the Roon core running on Synology NAS (718+) with database on SSD. I was considering getting a NUC to improve performance but at a bit lost as to what is required i3,i5 or i7 to make significant improvement. Can you advise what inc memory, m2? and SSD you used?
This is to run Roon into a 272. I would connect the NUC to Cisco 2960 at 100 mb to see if any improvement can be obtained from Cisco switch. I don’t want to connect NAS to network at that speed.
Even Phil I’m not familiar with the audiophillio. But I recall the Zenith and it was impressive, which was why the Zenmini with LPS is an attractive proposition if I can find a way to connect it to the NDS without it being on the same stack.
I don’t know why you are all making this so hard for yourselves.
Get a NUC to run Roon Core and install ROCK
Get a SonoreUPnP Bridge, and configure so it presents a RoonEndpoint and then directs the stream as UPnP to the NDS, using the existing Ethernet input.
SQ is excellent, usability is way better than the Naim App, plus you have MQA playback, better Tidal integration, Qobuz integration.
Plus I run 2 other Roon zones, using non-Naim devices as Endpoints, so you can have a complete system running Roon.
Alternatively SGC i5 Transporter - this runs the Roon Core and runs the SonoreUPnP Bridge as a single box.
Anyway you can ‘Roonify’ your NDS, leverage the excellent product it is without considering the huge amount required for an upgrade to the ND555