Best Setup to replace a MacMini Digital Source

Volumio Community Forums Vox Populi
1

Hi All,

I am looking for suggestions on how to approach the replacement of a mac mini + Roon digital source. In addition, I am looking also for a DAC with volume control, and certain inputs as this DAC must convert a 1TB Aiff library stored on a HDD with USB standard connector (non-C), and must convert audio content arriving from a TosLink cable.

At first I thought Volumio Preciso matches my case, but that implies I have to continue using the mac mini and Roon as music server.

what are your suggestions?
ps I also have a Qobuz subscription license for music streaming.
pps not that I am tired of Roon. Actually Iā€™m very happy with it and one of the lucky guys having a perpetual license of Roon since their startup. But Iā€™m tired with the mac mini as a source as itā€™s always a computer with all mixups and glitches that come along with it

thanks in advance to all constructive contributors :slight_smile:
VS

2

To get some clarity on your ask:

  • You canā€™t use Roon without a PC serving the data
  • The Primo Plus is build around the Precisio + Volumio
  • A DAC canā€™t convert AIFF stored on a HDD

Primo Plus:

  • So you can use the Primo Plus for your setup.
  • It acts as streamer and DAC.
  • Itā€™s Roon certified
  • It has native Qobuz and Tidal integration.
  • You can connect an external HDD

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3

thank you.

so how do I solve the problem of the AIFF files? does the volumio DAC not support the .aiff format? what alternatives would I have?
and second question: do I interact with my music library with Roon or with the Volumio app?
(select album, import music, playback/pause etc)

4

A DAC does nothing more then converting a digital stream to an analog signal.
Volumio (the OS/Application) takes care of you AIFF files, so that solves your ā€œproblemā€

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The 2nd question, with regards to Roon I canā€™t answer, I am an Audrivana user.

5

ok thank you.

So Volumio users, how do you manage / interact with your music library? which app do you use in case you have also Roon? Or if you prefer in other words: can Volumio App replace completely Roon?

6

You ask very wide open questions which will probably become very hard to answer.

  • Roon is a media server, where Volumio is a Player.
  • Roon overwelmes you with metadata, Volumio keeps it simple
  • All music handling done by Roon can be done with Volumio,
  • Database management is not possible with Volumio. Volumio scan your music library as is and you can select/play it within Volumio.
1 Like
7

If you were using MinimServer, you could convert your aiff files on-the-fly to whatever format you like, say wav. I think, Volumio can include MinimServer as your remote library, if Iā€˜m not mistsken.

8

Or you could convert your aiff files offline to the format you wish with dBpoweramp.

9

All, an update on my departure from MacMini as Music Server. So I got my PrimoPlus with its LPS, setup was smooth but still have to connect it to Qobuz.
While my intention was to just unplug the HDD will all my ripped music, and ā€œjustā€ plug it to the Volumio, I realized that is not directly possible. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:
Why?
Because my MacMini Setup is quite old and the HDD was formatted in APFS at the time, and Volumio doesnā€™t support it.
So what I will do is purchase another HDD, format it in NTFS, which Volumio supports, and transfer there all my music.
hope it helps

1 Like
10

Or format it as exfat. Then the disk can be read by both Volumio as your minimac/