I wrestled with the terminology at first as well. AIR is just a Devialet piece of software that you will install and run on your Mac that will allow you to stream music to your Devialet. Both your Mac and your Devialet need to be on your home local area network to do so. Simplest configuration:
-- Roon installed on your Mac (I would recommend Roon over Roon Server to start with since you'll want the control aspect to set it up)
-- AIR installed on the same Mac (download from Devialet website for v2.1.3 or via the dropbox link for AIR 3 beta)
-- Your Mac connected to your LAN (ideally via ethernet cable to your router, but wifi may work fine)
-- Your Devialet connected to your LAN (ideally via ethernet cable to your router, but wifi may work fine)
You can control playback for your Mac Roon UI or via any iPad, iPhone or Android with the Roon Remote software installed (or for that matter, from any other computer on your LAN).
You CAN make it a lot more complicated but may never need to. As @
baddog suggested, start with a simple setup and expand only if you need to.
If the above works well, then you don't really need to worry about a 2nd Mac running Roon Bridge or a Sonore uRendu.
If you run into problems (e.g. no music, or stuttering music, or white noise), touch base back here - plenty of experience and advice to go around.
(30-May-2016, 16:05)tategoi Wrote: [ -> ]I read that there are three main components in the Roon architecture: control, core, and output.
Control - iPad (I already own one)
Core - iMac (I am going to buy one to replace my dead MBA)
Output - Mac Mini (I am going to buy one if it helps to optimize Roon+Air setup, but I am open to any other equipment)
I don't understand this part " ... outputs connected to devices running Roon, Roon Server, or Roon Bridge" in here: https://kb.roonlabs.com/Architecture
@HK, in your earlier email post are you suggesting I buy another iMac to run it as a RoonServer and connect it to the Mac Mini? As in iMac>MacMini>iMac? That is 2 iMacs in the setup?
I still get confused on Roon as I read 
No, I was saying that you can just use RoonServer on iMac instead of your initial idea of using Roon Core for iMac. With a Control on iPad/iPhone/Android devices, you can easily configure your RoonServer. Of course, others have given you pretty good advices, too. You can start with @baddog's suggestion by just using one Mac to start with; i.e. having Roon Core and AIR3.0b to get a feel on Roon. Once you are familiarized, you can start to explore with other add-ons.
BTW, I will be in Singapore around mid-June and/or end-June. Maybe we can meet up for a drink.
Great advice from all above.
The one thing I'd suggest - if you think you'll ultimately use the headless server version and control mainly via iPad - is install the RoonServer version straight away. You can also install the normal version of Roon on the same machine, and you can use this in control mode for the gui. The advantage of this is you can close the normal Roon or even uninstall it later if you don't need a local gui, but RoonServer will always be running in the background from day 1.
If you start with full Roon, and later want to go to RoonServer, it's not actually that difficult to swap over, but doing it up front saves you the effort.
My experience. I m not expert on these things and had lot of confusing queries around Roon, RoonServer, Roon remote etc. To keep it simple ... Folks here and Gary (kh) in particular helped on offline messaging to give me enough confidence. It was easier than a cake walk and easier than it sounded.
1) I installed Roon on MacBook so i can control playing albums directly from MacBook to Dev over USB. I went through the inconvinience of getting up from my couch to MacBook to change album etc. Did not create any playlist as i wanted to do it once i install RoonServer.
-- Once I got familiar wiith it ... few days later
2) I installed RoonRemote on my iPad Mini 4 (newly bought) and started controlling it and it was fun for a week.
-- then i got daring (
)
3) I installed RoonServer - Simple steps are published on Roon website. or simple remove the Roon*.* folders etc and simply install RoonServer
4) RoonRemote - No change it will still identify the Roon running on my MacBook
5) Then came Roon 1.2 a fantastic upgrade with RoonBridge - I m not using that option yet.
-- few more days went past while using USB (upgraded USB cables etc) ... thats when AIR3 was available on drop box
6) Installed AIR3 on MacBook - Roon identified it as one of the "Zone" - first time did not work but eventually worked out.
For me it was very expensive to invest in Roon, however I have to say that I'm Very Happy and proud owner of "Roon".
My suggestion to get PM with someone and go through the processs it should work out eventually and you will figure its easier than it all sounds.
I agree with @
mdconnelly, ETH wiring will be helpful. @hifi_swlon/hk and few others here are among those "experts" who keep trying different options
(30-May-2016, 18:04)baddog Wrote: [ -> ]If it were me I would recommend starting with one Mac only. Perhaps a Mac Mini with at least 8GB of memory, at least a Core i5 processor, and a SSD boot drive. Not sure where you have your music stored?
Oh and I see you want the Mac to be used for other purposes and are going to start with an iMac, that will work great too.
If you have the ability to use ethernet in your house/home/apartment, then I would have the Devialet wired via ethernet. The Mac Mini wired via ethernet.
Playback can be on your iPad/iPhone/Android device.
As noted you can run RoonServer on the Mac Mini. This is the same as what is referenced to as Roon or Roon (Core) but with out the user interface meaning you have to configure it on a device other than the Mac Mini.
FWIW, I am running mine on a Mac Mini using AIR3 and am very pleased with the sound and do not feel the need to add a second system running RoonBridge.
Hi baddog, you read my mind. iMac will be my everyday Mac, I'll use it to do my work, surf the net, etc. And being the more powerful Mac compared with a Mac Mini, I should use it as the Core as recommended. My whole flat is wired, so ethernet connection it will be for the Mac and Devialet. And I'll use my iPad as the Controller.
I also read that for stability, and I supposed for sound quality too, it is recommended to have the Output on a separate machine. That's why I thought of buying another Mac Mini as the Output running AIR. Or this Mac Mini should be termed as a RoonBridge in this configuration?
And if running RoonServer on the Mac Mini is equivalent to running the Core, wouldn't that go against the recommendation of running Core on the most powerful machine? Since the iMac is more powerful.
I have almost zero digital file now. I'm still playing CDs on a transport feeding to the Devialet via AES/EBU. I am looking to buy a Synology NAS to store my futures rips and hires purchase.
What I have now is an iPad and my Devialet sound system. I need to buy an iMac, and possibly a Mac Mini and a NAS.
(30-May-2016, 20:34)mdconnelly Wrote: [ -> ]I wrestled with the terminology at first as well. AIR is just a Devialet piece of software that you will install and run on your Mac that will allow you to stream music to your Devialet. Both your Mac and your Devialet need to be on your home local area network to do so. Simplest configuration:
-- Roon installed on your Mac (I would recommend Roon over Roon Server to start with since you'll want the control aspect to set it up)
-- AIR installed on the same Mac (download from Devialet website for v2.1.3 or via the dropbox link for AIR 3 beta)
-- Your Mac connected to your LAN (ideally via ethernet cable to your router, but wifi may work fine)
-- Your Devialet connected to your LAN (ideally via ethernet cable to your router, but wifi may work fine)
You can control playback for your Mac Roon UI or via any iPad, iPhone or Android with the Roon Remote software installed (or for that matter, from any other computer on your LAN).
You CAN make it a lot more complicated but may never need to. As @baddog suggested, start with a simple setup and expand only if you need to.
If the above works well, then you don't really need to worry about a 2nd Mac running Roon Bridge or a Sonore uRendu.
If you run into problems (e.g. no music, or stuttering music, or white noise), touch base back here - plenty of experience and advice to go around.
Yes this is very clear and sound. The reason I am looking to use a 2nd Mac as the RoonBridge is for stability and SQ. Perhaps I should just stop being greedy and start as what you have suggested above since I am getting an iMac anyway.
(30-May-2016, 22:32)hk6230 Wrote: [ -> ]No, I was saying that you can just use RoonServer on iMac instead of your initial idea of using Roon Core for iMac. With a Control on iPad/iPhone/Android devices, you can easily configure your RoonServer. Of course, others have given you pretty good advices, too. You can start with @baddog's suggestion by just using one Mac to start with; i.e. having Roon Core and AIR3.0b to get a feel on Roon. Once you are familiarized, you can start to explore with other add-ons.
BTW, I will be in Singapore around mid-June and/or end-June. Maybe we can meet up for a drink.
PM me when you are here. I just went to the dealership during lunch today, the number 8 is still waiting for you
tategoi, I would try AIR and Core (RoonServer) on the iMac and see if it's stable.
If not, and you were inclined to add a mini, this would run RoonBridge and AIR and there would still only be a single Core (RoonServer) running on the iMac.
But I'd start with the iMac and see what works. If AIR wasn't stable there, you have other options at that point
(30-May-2016, 23:08)Hifi_swlon Wrote: [ -> ]Great advice from all above.
The one thing I'd suggest - if you think you'll ultimately use the headless server version and control mainly via iPad - is install the RoonServer version straight away. You can also install the normal version of Roon on the same machine, and you can use this in control mode for the gui. The advantage of this is you can close the normal Roon or even uninstall it later if you don't need a local gui, but RoonServer will always be running in the background from day 1.
If you start with full Roon, and later want to go to RoonServer, it's not actually that difficult to swap over, but doing it up front saves you the effort.
Oh I thought I have understood it all. OK, once I have my iMac, I should install both Roon and RoonServer on the machine. With Roon, my iMac is the Control. With RoonServer, the iPad is the Control. I'll play around with both and see which I like better.