Just a very quick test… Plexamp on a MS-Surface playing DSD source files to a MK2 over USB… MK2 says it is receiving 24-48 PCM. I posted a query to the Plex forum yesterday… before making this test. If do not hear back, will ask again including this.
Just to confirm, are you running Roon on a Nucleus or on a PC that would have other things going on?
I normally power down my computer when it is not in use. As a result running backups of the computer needs to be done while im using the computer. Every time the backup runs, i have dropouts. The backup normally tskes 20 t0 40 minutes. The cpmputer is usable during the backup except. For usb based audio. That struggles until the backup completes.
No im running roon on a 4 year old i7 intel nuc running windows 11. My roon database is on a windows server 2019, server class system.
When the backup kicks in on the computer, usb audio suffers dropouts until the backup completes.
Streaming from the server to the bridge on the mk1 never had this problem while backups were running because the system driving the audio was not the system being backed up.
Love the discussion here… Cumputer running backups in the background makes complete sense. That would not be the case with Nucleus. This is exactly the reason I am going to move away from my computer based core and on to a Nucleus.
Had the same issue when we used an i7 MacBook pro, so we disabled the auto backup and ran it manually.
Now with a dedicated M2 Mac Mini we no longer have that problem.
Yeah when I used an i7 MacBook Pro for a core I left it on all the time and it was dedicated for the core.
That’s the only way to do it if you’re rubbing on a general purpose machine.
Now I use a NUC.
How about running the backup when you’re surely sleeping?
Just checking: did you install the PSA windows driver for MK2?
USB out of Innuos Zen and Zenith is excellent, because the usb output has a dedicated linear power supply. Hence is it well protected from the vagaries of the incoming power supply and the other main components.
The Marantz SA-10 has a galvanically isolated USB input, that’s been around since 2016.
Roon on a Nucleus or ROCK on NUC has to stop playback to backup. I schedule my backups for 3 AM.
We are still using our ISO Regen w/ LPS, and with it in our chain the music sounds better. Maybe, because we are using a Mac Mini.
Sure, there’s lots of devices that due that. The USB output on our Signature Rendu SE is galvanically isolated. I frequently used the Rendu directly connected to the MKI USB and thought it sounded as good as the I²S.
USB just got a bad name because it was first used as a noisy output from consumer computers. When done properly, many manufacturers do make the effort and it’s not rocket science, there is nothing wrong with it at all and from what I understand it will do any data rate you throw at it.
The Roon Nucleus does not have a separate power supply for the usb output, one reason I didn’t get it.
… which takes us back to why they suggest users use an endpoint.
Which makes it a single purpose server, so might as well get a proper server. Personally I have an Innuos, but Roon is on a QNAP.
The Nucleus is an appliance not a traditional Server, it’s not a reasonable comparison in my mind.
Also, the reason you and many others didn’t direct connect a server to your DAC was your DAC input wasn’t galvanically isolated.
I used to use an Auralic Aries Mini (a networked server) direct into a PWD Mk2 DAC via USB for 2 or 3 years, and I used the Innuos Zen Mk3 running Roon Core via USB into Devialet since I stopped using a standalone DAC.
Can also do Innuos to Devialet via CAT, which is galvanically isolated, only works with Roon, not with Innuos Sense. It uses CAT for data output, not as an internet connection.
There are lots of options.
The Roon Nucleus costs £1,700, but the QNAP TS-473 (recommended by Roon, the one I use) with the recommended discs is about £1,300. It runs Roon core and you get a proper server thrown in!
What does CAT stand for?