AudioLinux NUC

[Axel]

Is there a reason why you prefer Audiolinux over Roon Rock? As I think I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I’m considering building the server side of the two box solution and am trying to glean as much information as possible.

Well I first have to say first I have never used Rock. Like AudioLinux it's a purpose built Linux distribution. The focus for both is being 'lightweight', lean and mean so to speak. Rock is solely targeted at Roon. AudioLinux is solely targeted at getting the best sound quality but supports not just Roon but most of the popular (in audiophile circles) music playback software. It's a 'for audiophiles, by audiophiles' product. Roon targets Rock to a very wide audience so it has to be 'turn key'.

Audiolinux runs a real time Linux kernel (lowering latency),it can run 100% from RAM and allows one to prioritise IRQ's ('hardware') and processes ('software') so one can tune it further for ones own purposes.

Others, including people I trust, who did use or compare say Audio Linux sounds way better. I myself come from a Windows Server 2012R2/Audiophile Optimizer setup. As always there's people who like the Windows setup better than the AudioLinux setup and vice versa.


No one has asked yet but I don't go to the 'why does it matter' questions for something like running your OS from memory as I believe it's not yet fully understood. You can imagine the heated discussions that spark elsewhere and rarely go anywhere so I rarely join (or start them )

It's a really terrible website but I'm linking to it anyway as it is the 'home page' of one of the products being discussed: https://www.audio-linux.com/

All the information one needs on AL, the hows and why's are here (do notice the index in the first post of the first link below for easier navigating):

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic...streaming/
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic...nd-tuning/
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic...pressions/
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic...n-2-hours/

So with the 2-box solution you neither deliver it via Devialet Air nor RAAT?

Correct. Dan is connecting his NUC endpoint to his Devialet using USB.

I still have my Mutec MC3+USB in the chain which uses AES/EBU to connect to the Devialet. My NUC endpoint is connected to the Mutec using USB.

In both of our cases communications between Roon Server and Roon Bridge are RAAT though.

Thanks for the explanation and the links @Antoine. Looks like I’ve got a lot of reading to do. SQ is all important to me, so it’ll be Audiolinux.