AudioLinux NUC

[Dan]

Apologies - I have been away, but @Antoine and others have provided great info/answers in my absence. 

I have a NUC Server that runs ROON Server and has HQPlayer Embedded on it. This is stored on the NUC (not on a USB stick). No mess no fuss.
I then have a NUC Endpoint that can play HQPE or ROON (Bridge). I select which I want to listen to, insert the appropriate USB stick (say HQP Embedded), wait a couple minutes, pull the USB stick (when it stops blinking) then play music until I want to switch to the other option. At that point, I turn off the Endpoint, install the other USB stick (say ROON Bridge), turn it on and wait till it stops blinking, pull it, and play away. I tend to play one or the other for weeks (months) at a time before going back to the other.

My music comes thru ROON - either TIDAL or a NAS.

Dan

[Bartype]

Apologies - I have been away, but @Antoine and others have provided great info/answers in my absence. 

I have a NUC Server that runs ROON Server and has HQPlayer Embedded on it. This is stored on the NUC (not on a USB stick). No mess no fuss.
I then have a NUC Endpoint that can play HQPE or ROON (Bridge). I select which I want to listen to, insert the appropriate USB stick (say HQP Embedded), wait a couple minutes, pull the USB stick (when it stops blinking) then play music until I want to switch to the other option. At that point, I turn off the Endpoint, install the other USB stick (say ROON Bridge), turn it on and wait till it stops blinking, pull it, and play away. I tend to play one or the other for weeks (months) at a time before going back to the other.

My music comes thru ROON - either TIDAL or a NAS.

Dan

Hi Dan,

thank you for the additional info! Considering the endpoint, do you hear difference between HQPE and Roon? If i want to choose one, say Roon, is it an option to boot it from a small SSD instead of USB stick, or this make an audible difference?

Kind regards,
Mart

[Dan]

@Bartype - For several years I have used both HQP and ROON (up-sampling in ROON to 24/192) - generally preferring HQP. Once I switched to the NUCKLEHEAD NUC Server and Endpoint, I have to say that ROON (up-sampling in ROON to 24/192) sounds really good. I still think HQP is slightly better - but, it is very close. Also, I am still feeling my way with HQP Embedded and the new interface that comes with it. It seems that when I want to listen to music I have to call up the HQP web page with all the settings, and even if I don't change anything I have to hit 'apply'. Not the end of the world but a little more effort than when I used HQP Desktop. However, I still do like listening to the different options in HQP.

In terms of the SSD versus the USB booting, I am not able to answer that - above my pay grade! I suspect others here could answer that though.

Dan

[Antoine]

At this moment people report that there's no sound quality reduction when a small Intel Optane drive (with 3D X-Point memory) is used like in Dan's server. SSD's do seem to hurt SQ.

Not all NUC's can use these M.2 Optane modules BTW, the NUC7DN'xx' machines can but the Pentium and Celeron version can't.

I myself haven't experimented yet with an Optane or SSD drive inside the NUC and still use the USB thumb drive.

[Bartype]

At this moment people report that there's no sound quality reduction when a small Intel Optane drive (with 3D X-Point memory) is used like in Dan's server. SSD's do seem to hurt SQ.

Not all NUC's can use these M.2 Optane modules BTW, the NUC7DN'xx' machines can but the Pentium and Celeron version can't.

I myself haven't experimented yet with an Optane or SSD drive inside the NUC and still use the USB thumb drive.

ok, something like this: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B06XSMTN31/ref=...uage=nl_NL

Are the NUC8 series also good?

[Antoine]

@Bartype, yes exactly. These modules range from 16-158GB I believe. This is the smallest one.

Have not tried the 8 series myself, did read one or two reports that those did not sound as well but don’t take my word for it. All I’m mentioning I read on audiophilestyle.com so it’s ‘second hand information’/hearsay.

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

Does anyone manage to set two wired network connection for an AudioLinux NUC (a regular one to the router, and a direct connection to Devialet)?

[Antoine]

Does anyone manage to set two wired network connection for an AudioLinux NUC (a regular one to the router, and a direct connection to Devialet)?

I have his working in AudioLinux. In one of the menu’s there’s the ‘bridge’ option that makes the changes for you automatically. In early versions when this option was introduced I had to make manual changes but in later versions it was ‘set and go’.

If it doesn’t work for you it’s best to contact Pierro (the maker) as troubleshooting the issue without direct access to a system is very hard. Pierro can login remotely if you allow him. Good luck!

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

Does anyone manage to set two wired network connection for an AudioLinux NUC (a regular one to the router, and a direct connection to Devialet)?

I have his working in AudioLinux. In one of the menu’s there’s the ‘bridge’ option that makes the changes for you automatically. In early versions when this option was introduced I had to make manual changes but in later versions it was ‘set and go’.

If it doesn’t work for you it’s best to contact Pierro (the maker) as troubleshooting the issue without direct access to a system is very hard. Pierro can login remotely if you allow him. Good luck!

I talked a lot with Pierro, I documented myself a lot, but I still couldn't make the direct connection so Audiolinux would be stable when connected to two devices (router and Devialet).
Neither the setting for two networks, nor the standard one in Audiolinux where a single network is used (bridge)...
This setting I made it very easy both in Windows and in Roon ROCK. In both it worked perfectly, but that doesn't happen in Audiolinux...

[Antoine]

Does anyone manage to set two wired network connection for an AudioLinux NUC (a regular one to the router, and a direct connection to Devialet)?

I have his working in AudioLinux. In one of the menu’s there’s the ‘bridge’ option that makes the changes for you automatically. In early versions when this option was introduced I had to make manual changes but in later versions it was ‘set and go’.

If it doesn’t work for you it’s best to contact Pierro (the maker) as troubleshooting the issue without direct access to a system is very hard. Pierro can login remotely if you allow him. Good luck!

I talked a lot with Pierro, I documented myself a lot, but I still couldn't make the direct connection so Audiolinux would be stable when connected to two devices (router and Devialet).
Neither the setting for two networks, nor the standard one in Audiolinux where a single network is used (bridge)...
This setting I made it very easy both in Windows and in Roon ROCK. In both it worked perfectly, but that doesn't happen in Audiolinux...

Sorry to hear that Daniel. I forgot to say that I don’t bridge to my Devialet but to my NUC endpoint (running Roon RAAT. So the bridge is configured on my server (running Roon server).

It may be the Devialet is at fault here considering the number of issues reported with it. On the other hand if Rock and Windows do work all bets are off. If Pierro couldn’t figure it out this might be a hard nut to crack. Pierro did release a new version with a 5.2 RT kernel maybe this’ll give you more luck.