Sandyb wrote:

So, will I be able to do multi-room Roon music - presumably using the Roon iOS app - either starting music as a multi-room group / experience, or adding the A9 (for example) in to ongoing music in the lounge.

 

Apologies again for the dumb question

Not sure that is a dumb question - I guess it is just a question 😉

Don’t forget, that you can only play to multiple chromecast devices, when they are set up as groups (using rhe Google Home app).

These devices/group of devices will then show up under the audio tab in Roon.

Ouuups - Ulrike beats me on this.

MM

Why do I need Roon Labs another streaming / multiroom provider besides Airplay or Chromecast?

You don't need it - though you may prefer it.

Watch some YT videos on Roon - the main advantage seems to be probably the best user experience with respect to (a) discovery (b) integrating content from local storage with streaming services, and (c) the highest res music formats.

I don't need it, but am seriously considering it - the individual apps I use, be it Tidal, Deezer, B&O app aren't very satisfying to me. Fine for playing something I know in advance, but beyond that Roon seems very very good for discovery.

But it requires a bit of investment, so I can see why. its not for many.

mm08642 wrote:

Why do I need Roon Labs another streaming / multiroom provider besides Airplay or Chromecast?

For multiroom streaming of Hi Res files, from your NAS and/or from Qobuz (I'm a Qobuz Sublime+ subscriber).

Airplay does NOT support playing Hi Res files.

Chromecast ...

theoretically it should support playing Hi Res files up to 24 Bit/96 kHz.

But in fact it doesn't. 

Since july 2018 everything above 24Bit/48kHz playback via Chromecast produces stuttering and dropouts.

Both, from CCA devices and Chromecast-built-in devices.

mm08642 wrote:

Why do I need Roon Labs another streaming / multiroom provider besides Airplay or Chromecast?

linkIn my eyes the main strength of Roon Labs is not to have another multiroom system / protocol. Yes, it offers this feature, but it can work with streaming protocols of Chromecast, Airplay, Squeezebox / Logitech Media Server, Sonos, etc.. 

The main strength of Roon Labs is the unique accessibility and visibility of a huge music library. So, it tackles the same challenge as B&O tried to solve with MOTS or Moodwheel – how to access a large music library easily? I personally think, that Roon Labs found the better solution - at least for music lovers / not for radio listeners necessarily. Not focusing on a machine DJ who tries to find the best program, instead focusing on how to present a music library, that you as user are enjoying being your own DJ - discovering your music selection. And certainly, Roon Labs offers “radio” and you get what everybody else offers (e.g. B&O, Deezer, Spotify) the automated DJ / playlist. 

So Roon Labs is not in competition to Chromecast or Airplay etc. it is a meaningful addition.

agreed - that plus the integration of your own music with streaming providers' library.

The Moment tried to solve that, but in a much less successful way.

And the B&O app doesn't even do that part - in fact it's almost unusable with NAS libraries.

Hi all and happy 2020! Living in Singapore and having a ‘circuit breaker’ I decided to discover my old music collection on my NAS instead of just enjoying and loving Spotify. 

just a few days of Roon but great to rediscover my old music collection.

questions for the community;

on a beosound core - should you use the chromecast or airplay protocol? On Chromecast should you set-up MQA decoder/render or beosound Core not capable?

for BL5; trying to figure out how to get the best sound quality all the way through (all files on NAS are lossless CD rips from my own CD collection)  is it best to go through Avant and PL or should I try to drive speakers directly and just let the TV play by it’s built in speaker when watching TV?

appreciate any thoughts or experiences! Be well and stay safe

Set-up:
Storage - QNap 

Roon Core: MAC Mini (HDMI to BeoVision Avant)

Speakers;

BL5 (PowerLink) connected to the Avant

BeoSound Core (WiFi)  - BL 7.1