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Roon Endpoint - Raspberry Pi or Intel NUC?

stephen_cowslip

pfm Member
Hi all,

I have a Roon server at home and need to set up an endpoint to connect via USB to the internal DAC on my integrated.

I was thinking of a Raspberry Pi running ROPIEEE but then had a quick look on eBay for Intel NUCs and some are coming in at around the same price as a decent Pi with case.

Can I run a NUC as an endpoint with audio out over USB to the DAC? Has anyone had any experiences with this?

Thanks in adavce!
 
Assuming your server is somewhat remote from the DAC/Integrated? If they are close together you can just run USB straight to the DAC.

If it is remote, it should be easy to set up an NUC as endpoint with Windows and Roon Bridge. Roon Bridge is also available for several other platforms if you do not want to go Windows.
 
Assuming your server is somewhat remote from the DAC/Integrated? If they are close together you can just run USB straight to the DAC.

If it is remote, it should be easy to set up an NUC as endpoint with Windows and Roon Bridge. Roon Bridge is also available for several other platforms if you do not want to go Windows.
I believe you can use a NUC as an endpoint but I’ve only seen it done with one running Roon Rock and itself being the server. In that instance it was configured and its System Output enabled. If it is remote it would be simpler to use Ropiee on a Pi, preferably a Pi4 but not necessarily a high memory model.
 
Thanks for the advice.

The server is far away from the DAC, unfortunately.

The last time I tried to do this, I was sure there was an issue with the USB and something else sharing a bus on the Raspberry Pi board but from further investigation, this seems to have been addressed with the 4.

Looks like if you're simply using USB into a DAC then the Pi is the best way to go.

Looks like they are out of stock in the usual places, however...
 
Thanks for the advice.

The server is far away from the DAC, unfortunately.

The last time I tried to do this, I was sure there was an issue with the USB and something else sharing a bus on the Raspberry Pi board but from further investigation, this seems to have been addressed with the 4.

Looks like if you're simply using USB into a DAC then the Pi is the best way to go.

Looks like they are out of stock in the usual places, however...
They're around but you have to be quick. Or post a WTD in the Classifieds.
 
Hi all,

I have a Roon server at home and need to set up an endpoint to connect via USB to the internal DAC on my integrated.

I was thinking of a Raspberry Pi running ROPIEEE but then had a quick look on eBay for Intel NUCs and some are coming in at around the same price as a decent Pi with case.

Can I run a NUC as an endpoint with audio out over USB to the DAC? Has anyone had any experiences with this?

Thanks in adavce!
If you’re not sorted yet and you’re interested in an RPi4 there’s this just appeared on Gumtree at a reasonable price. https://www.gumtree.com/p/desktop-workstation-pcs/raspberry-pi-4-model-b-8gb-/1438887100
 
I’d definitely use a Pi4 with Ropieee over a NUC running anything. Less power consumption, less faff, less electrical noise.

Pi4 USB bus isn’t shared with LAN like previous editions.
 
I’d definitely use a Pi4 with Ropieee over a NUC running anything. Less power consumption, less faff, less electrical noise.

Pi4 USB bus isn’t shared with LAN like previous editions.
+1 for that. Very simple to set up.
 
Cheers all.

I ended up going with the RPi4 / Ropieee.

So far so good. It's a breeze to set up. Just a shame I had to pay over the odds for the Pi4!

Is there a step by step guide somewhere of how to make a Roon endpoint from a raspberry pie? I wonder how people do it. They look a good inexpensive option rather than the ready made network bridge devices out there.
 
Dietpi is similarly easy enough to set up and allows you to also run Roon extensions.

.sjb
Can I ask why you would do that? Is it an alternative to Ropieee or an RPi OS? What would be the benefits? I’ve only ever used a RPi for audio and am only familiar with Pico Replayer, Moode, Volumio, Ropieee or the likes. Always looking to learn.
 
As I understand it, Volumio and Moode are sort of linux distros circulated for the purpose of a particular audio use. Nevertheless you can actually use them for general linux use. Diet pi is more or less the other way round, being a linux distribution with a number of built in options to do particular things (including for example installing LMS, but many other things besides). It's nearer to installing raspbian and then deciding what programs to install, but with a number of options pre-configured.
You could end up with the same thing by either route. Equally you could end up with something completely different.
 
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As I understand it, Volumio and Moode are as sort of linux distros ciruclated for the purpose of a particular audio use. Neverhtless you can acutally use them for general linux use. Diet pi is more or less the other way round, being a linux distribution with a number of built in options to do particular things (including for example installing LMS, but many other things besides). It's nearer to installing raspbian and then deciding what programs to install, but with a number of options pre-configured.
You could end up with the same thing by either route. Eqaully you could end up with somethign completely different.
Thanks. It may well work but it just looks unnecessary to me unless the RPi has more than one use.
 


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