Roon RAAT and "An audio file is loading slowly"

[wiresandmore]

@wiresandmore - I've got the same setup as you.  As you'll likely see earlier in this thread, I had dropout issues when running RoonServer on a Win10 PC, but pretty much only with hi-res (24bit) music. It was all ethernet wired.  No wifi.  I inserted a cheap 100MBPS switch that eliminated the dropouts.  But when I switched to running ROCK on a NUC connected directly to my router, it worked perfectly at gigabit speed.  Go figure.  My NUC is an 8i7 if that makes any difference.  I do have all my local music on a USB drive connected to the NUC.  But no stuttering or dropouts on local or Qobuz streamed music.  I have had times when a Qobuz song just get's skipped and it goes to the next.  I just chalk that up to internet/Qobuz vagaries.

The Devialet Expert Pro has always been a bit dodgy using Roon RAAT to stream hi-res on gigabit ethernet.  The update they released in the fall of 2020 did improve things but not completely.  Many have no issues, but many still do.  Do you have dropouts using Roon AIR as well?  I suspect that there are a myriad of possible reasons for dropouts and your local home network is only one.  You can try posting in the Roon community but I suspect it'll take another OS/firmware update from Devialet to fully resolve it.  Not holding my breath on that.

If it happens often and/or just annoys you, try inserting the 100MBPS switch in front of your Expert Pro.  I found no impact on sound quality and the dropouts disappeared.

Thanks! I’ll try that. I have a load of switches but they are all Gigabit, I’ll source a 100MB one. I’ll also see  if I can change the speed on the port on the Unifi switch too.