Roon to Yamaha RX-A2010

[Hiker1969]

I currently have a RX-A2010 and have been super happy with it for years. My question is I would like to try ROON preferably or JRiver, has anyone used ROON with this receiver? What did you use to connect with? I was thinking going from desktop PC, Ethernet Cable to Receiver, but unsure if this works. I have never had the Ethernet Cable connected, but thinking I prefer a hard connection and was wondering if it would play this way since there is an onboard Dac. My other options I think would be is to go Bluetooth to a Dac, then to Receiver, but I do not really want to use Bluetooth or a secondary Dac, since there is already Dac inside the unit or can I since I already have iPad connected to Receiver via USB, can I Bluetooth Roon to iPad, then iPad into Receiver via USB. I have read you can do Bluetooth to iPad, then to Dac that Roon can read then into Receiver. Again, I can understand if it was an analog set up and had no onboard Dac but isn't External Dac into the Dac on Receiver just too much? I really think the hard connect with Ethernet would be best and how I would like to connect with, but unsure. If someone knows the way or a better way, please let me know. Thanks to everyone in advance.

 

[lovinthehd]

I'd ask Roon particularly, you might find some direction from something like this

 

[Trebdp83]

Thought this thread and its twin would see more action. Didn't get a response concerning a question I had about the setup. Roon may not be necessary depending on what one is trying to do with it. Get that RX-A2010 connected to the network via ethernet and download the Yamaha AV Controller app to the iPad. I believe the A2010 predates and is not compatible with the MusicCast app. Serve up those music files from the PC using DLNA and use the AV Controller app to select and play them to the Yamaha. The Yamaha will support them up to 48kHz over the network. If wanting to try Roon and hi-res, connect a Chromecast via HDMI connection to the receiver and Roon can serve up hi-res music to the Chromecast over the network, though it will be capped at 24/96. Roon supports Airplay for compatible devices as well but that caps things at 16/44.1. If the PC is close to the receiver, use an available HDMI or digital audio connection from the PC directly to the receiver for 24/192 playback if it is supported in PC output. Experiment and enjoy.

AV Controller App - Features - Yamaha - United States

Easy and convenient operation. This AV receiver lets you use the Yamaha AV Controller App that is downloadable from iTunes®, Google Play or the Amazon Appstore to control the power, volume, input selections, DSP modes and much, much more from an iPhone® or Android™ device. You can also use as...

usa.yamaha.com

 

[Hiker1969]

Thought this thread and its twin would see more action. Didn't get a response concerning a question I had about the setup. Roon may not be necessary depending on what one is trying to do with it. Get that RX-A2010 connected to the network via ethernet and download the Yamaha AV Controller app to the iPad. I believe the A2010 predates and is not compatible with the MusicCast app. Serve up those music files from the PC using DLNA and use the AV Controller app to select and play them to the Yamaha. The Yamaha will support them up to 48kHz over the network. If wanting to try Roon and hi-res, connect a Chromecast via HDMI connection to the receiver and Roon can serve up hi-res music to the Chromecast over the network, though it will be capped at 24/96. Roon supports Airplay for compatible devices as well but that caps things at 16/44.1. If the PC is close to the receiver, use an available HDMI or digital audio connection from the PC directly to the receiver for 24/192 playback if it is supported in PC output. Experiment and enjoy.

AV Controller App - Features - Yamaha - United States

Easy and convenient operation. This AV receiver lets you use the Yamaha AV Controller App that is downloadable from iTunes®, Google Play or the Amazon Appstore to control the power, volume, input selections, DSP modes and much, much more from an iPhone® or Android™ device. You can also use as...

usa.yamaha.com

I do appreciate the link to the remote and I am going to read about it. As far as streaming and such I have no interest in Bluetooth or Wi-Fi or streaming services for connection to this unit, this will all be my personal library. I love the way this unit sounds in 9.2 stereo and love listening to it that way and when I want 2 channel I go to my Rotel set up, but the reason for the post was as I connect my different sources such as my different version iPods, iPhones and iPads I get completely different sounds from each play and I assume that is in part because of the DAC chip used in each co-mingling with the DAC chip in the Yamaha. The older iPods on the iPod dock sounded pretty good, then I connected iPad 5 to USB and seen a big improvement, then I connected the iPhone 11 via USB and hated it, too bright and harsh compared to how much warmer the others sounded even though all settings where the same between them all. So I have stuck with the iPad 5, but in seeing this variation I felt there has to be a better player system out there that I can connect direct from Desktop PC about 50 ft away and I didn't want to use the connection that Yamaha provides via Ethernet because it needs to use windows media player and unless I import the library to it as Windows media player will not keep the library where it is, it wants to import it on to my SSD boot drive instead of just accessing it from my internal storage drive like iTunes does unless there is a work around that I have not found in media player. So, I read that JRiver and ROON will access all music files and not import back to my boot drive and at the same time a much-improved player system than iTunes from one of my storage devices. Sure I could get a Laptop and use that just like all my Apple devices even via HDMI but again it would be using iTunes and there has to be a better player out there that has step up in sound and programming, so that was my interest in JRiver or ROON. I know with ROON all I need is an endpoint such as Raspberry Pi just before receiver and then into the receiver with a multitude of connections.

 

[Hiker1969]

Thought this thread and its twin would see more action. Didn't get a response concerning a question I had about the setup. Roon may not be necessary depending on what one is trying to do with it. Get that RX-A2010 connected to the network via ethernet and download the Yamaha AV Controller app to the iPad. I believe the A2010 predates and is not compatible with the MusicCast app. Serve up those music files from the PC using DLNA and use the AV Controller app to select and play them to the Yamaha. The Yamaha will support them up to 48kHz over the network. If wanting to try Roon and hi-res, connect a Chromecast via HDMI connection to the receiver and Roon can serve up hi-res music to the Chromecast over the network, though it will be capped at 24/96. Roon supports Airplay for compatible devices as well but that caps things at 16/44.1. If the PC is close to the receiver, use an available HDMI or digital audio connection from the PC directly to the receiver for 24/192 playback if it is supported in PC output. Experiment and enjoy.

AV Controller App - Features - Yamaha - United States

Easy and convenient operation. This AV receiver lets you use the Yamaha AV Controller App that is downloadable from iTunes®, Google Play or the Amazon Appstore to control the power, volume, input selections, DSP modes and much, much more from an iPhone® or Android™ device. You can also use as...

usa.yamaha.com

So I did check out the remote app, I can't believe I never seen that before, pretty cool. I was incorrect earlier, it does not import to my SSD boot drive like I thought it was, it syncs to the storage correctly but it does not recognize my internal storage drive only my external storage which is a duplicate but traveling via USB versus internally with a SATA connection. SO maybe the Laptop is the way to go and connect right next to it, but again is the windows media player the best possible player I can use in this situation? I do love how how the JRiver and Roon apps work and love the extra content on ROON as I love reading about what I am listening to. At this point I am thinking a Raspberry Pi is cheaper than Laptop even if I added a lifetime of Roon, is Roon here to stay not sure. So that is a gamble. If I decide to stay with iTunes, then maybe a laptop is the way to go like you said and use HDMI or DIg Coax and just use the iTunes remote control which I use on another set up.

 

[Trebdp83]

Cool, so you kinda’ know what you want it to do. Have you tried Audirvana Studio? You can try it out for free and they’ll give you 30 days. The iOS app has come a long way since I used it last. Played with it and Roon this weekend.

Audirvana and Roon are fun but I’ll stick with the iTunes Remote app in my iOS devices for the albums stored in my Mac mini and WD HD that is used in iTunes server mode when the trials are done. I can use the Onkyo DTS Play-Fi app in my iOS devices and Mac mini M1 for the Qobuz and Tidal services.

Audirvana works over the network without any extra hardware needed for one reason or another and will send 24/192 tracks to receivers that can handle them. For my setup, it works using the Music Server app in the NET source input of my receiver and I use the iOS app as the remote control if I’m not sitting in front of the TV using the Mac mini to go online. Then, I just use the Mac’s interface.

Audirvāna - Music Player⎢HD Digital Audio Player

With Audirvāna, enjoy all your streaming and local music with the best playback sound quality from a computer.

audirvana.com

 

[Hiker1969]

Cool, so you kinda’ know what you want it to do. Have you tried Audirvana Studio? You can try it out for free and they’ll give you 30 days. The iOS app has come a long way since I used it last. Played with it and Roon this weekend.

Audirvana and Roon are fun but I’ll stick with the iTunes Remote app in my iOS devices for the albums stored in my Mac mini and WD HD that is used in iTunes server mode when the trials are done. I can use the Onkyo DTS Play-Fi app in my iOS devices and Mac mini M1 for the Qobuz and Tidal services.

Audirvana works over the network without any extra hardware needed for one reason or another and will send 24/192 tracks to receivers that can handle them. For my setup, it works using the Music Server app in the NET source input of my receiver and I use the iOS app as the remote control if I’m not sitting in front of the TV using the Mac mini to go online. Then, I just use the Mac’s interface.

Audirvāna - Music Player⎢HD Digital Audio Player

With Audirvāna, enjoy all your streaming and local music with the best playback sound quality from a computer.

audirvana.com

I have not tried Audirvana, but since you suggested I looked it up and read a lot about it and from what I read it looks good. So thanks for that! Aside from the issues I stated about running my ios devices, iTunes wont play any of my flac files and I am sick of plugging in a thumb drive to the front of my avr for that. I assume you do not purchase that type of music since you are going back to iTunes? Did you notice any difference in quality of sound using the Audirvana? I am going to purchase a Mac Mini after a little research as those seem to be the best method of connection to my library vs. my pc. Let me know what you though of the app and did you have it on your Mac Mini directly connected to avr via usb?

 

[Trebdp83]

Audirvana sounds as good as anything. Though my Mac mini is connected to the receiver via HDMI, Audirvana sends the audio out over the network connection. I can use the app in the Mac or in my iPhone to change the output of audio to any of the other network connected receivers for listening to music in other rooms.

All of my ripped music is ALAC or AIFF. Started with ALAC years ago with Windows iTunes. Another option if going with a Mac that will be connected via HDMI cable to a receiver is VOX. It doesn’t yet support DLNA but makes FLAC playback possible on Mac.

VOX Mac Music Player: Best FLAC Player for Mac. iTunes Alternative.

VOX Music Player for Mac — Absolute best sound quality and minimalist design are the perfect way to manage music on your Mac. Built-in Internet Radio app, Soundcloud player and streaming music included.

vox.rocks