I am thinking to add a Roon Nucleus to my ER Regen/Lumin U1 Mini /Matrix I2S/DirectStream DAC setup. The Roon Nucleus will replace my Roon Core sitting in a Window PC in another room. Can the Roon Nucleus interface directly to the Matrix for USB/I2S conversion? Is there any benefit to keeping the Lumin U1 Mini in the chain? Thanks for any suggestions.
Yes, you can run a usb cable from the Nucleus to the Matrix. That’s what I am doing. As for the Lumin U1, while I haven’t used one, I did have a Auralic Aries 2.1 and found the Nucleus > USB > Matrix sounded just as good as the Aries > USB > Nucleus and so I sold the Aries. When I added a better linear supply to the Nucleus (went from an Sbooster to a Farad), the sound improved.
I would keep the Nucleus complete separated from the streamer. Connect the Nucleus to the network and connect the Lumin to the network, basically using the Nucleus as a core only.
It will minimize and noise and keep the signal as pure as possible
My advice would be to try running Roon via the USB connection then try via Ethernet to the network like @audiojan suggest. If one sounds better go with it. When I had a Roon Nucleus I ran it via the USB to my DAC. I personally didn’t hear much of a difference.
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