Is anyone using Roon

[Mulasttocs]

sorry if this is a daft question but I'm not clear from what i've read about Roon whether I can expect my Mac to see the CP800 as an endpoint over an ethernet connection. I can do a free trial and see for myself but would be interested to hear from anyone who has tried already. Currently using JRiver with no problems and i do like it but Roon does look interesting (and expensive).

Calum

[Audio_ElF]

Roon won't connect to the CP800 via Ethernet. You would have to connect your Mac via USB.

Actually having wrote that I'm not entirely right as (I think) the CP800 supports AirPlay and Roon can use that, but I think you would find it lower quality and AirPlay won't support higher than CD resolution if that's important to you.

[wkhanna]

i vaguely remember the details from the article i read in Stereophile about Roon.
TTBOMR it was V nice, with great usability features, that will support upgrades & is V pricey.

the more things change the more they stay the same...you get what you pay for.....nearly always.

still, i liked the product based on it's review.

[Mulasttocs]

many thanks for the replies. I think i will still go ahead and have the free trial but at least I won't be wasting my time now trying to figure out the ethernet connection : ) I also have aMacbook so should be able to use that with USB. As you say Airplay won't handled the Hires files.

Cheers,

Calum

[Busker]

I' ve been using roon for a while now with my CP-800, using the usb input, and roon core on a imac, with my music on a synology nas. I'm happy, but would prefer to have the imac out of the system, so I was considering to go the Sonic Transporter/Sonore Microrendu route. Until I read on another forum that sonore is beta testing a upnp bridge, that would enable to run roon through the upnp/dlna ethernet input of compatible devices.
Hence my question: has anybody who ownes a sonic orbiter or microrendu or sonic transporter tried this upnp bridge app on their CP-800 mkII?
Any compatibility problems?
Thanks for sharing your findings.
Greetings,
Philip.

[Busker]

I 'll just answer my own question, in case somebody is interested.
So I bought the Sonic Transporter+Microrendu, and love it. Very convenient, stable and better sounding then when I had Roon core on a Imac, connected directly to the USB input of my CP800.
I tried the UPNP bridge as well, and it works, but I find the sound quality slightly lower, and when switching inputs, the software gets quirky and unstable. So still a work in progress I suppose.
I find it a shame Classe does not want to implement Roon. It's so much more convenient than any upnp/dlna control software out there, and integrating it in it's processors would allow Classe to finally offer it's customers, through a relatively easy and cheap software upgrade, the control software they never provided.
Same with the new TIDAL MQA streaming possibility. If it can be implemented with a software update, what's Classe Audio waiting for?
When the CP-800 came out it was ahead of it's time, and in many ways it is still an excellent product, but digital is evolving rapidly, and I have the feeling Classe is now lagging behind. I wonder why, considering the resources they must have, being part of such a large group.
Anyone from Classe Audio would like to comment?
Thanks,
Philip.

[wkhanna]

V inforative, Philip.
thank you for sharing your experience. :T

[Patrick Butler]

Hi Philip,

Roon support for the CP-800 (beyond existing Airplay support) is something we'd certainly like to have. However, Classé is in the middle of updating the entire Delta range of products as well as completing the Mk2 version of the Sigma SSP. Delaying any of those to add Roon support for the CP-800 (which requires new software at the least, and possibly hardware changes as well) is just not realistic at this time. That's me writing as a sales guy for Bowers & Wilkins, Classé and Rotel.

Regards,

Patrick Butler
B&W Group North America

I 'll just answer my own question, in case somebody is interested.
So I bought the Sonic Transporter+Microrendu, and love it. Very convenient, stable and better sounding then when I had Roon core on a Imac, connected directly to the USB input of my CP800.
I tried the UPNP bridge as well, and it works, but I find the sound quality slightly lower, and when switching inputs, the software gets quirky and unstable. So still a work in progress I suppose.
I find it a shame Classe does not want to implement Roon. It's so much more convenient than any upnp/dlna control software out there, and integrating it in it's processors would allow Classe to finally offer it's customers, through a relatively easy and cheap software upgrade, the control software they never provided.
Same with the new TIDAL MQA streaming possibility. If it can be implemented with a software update, what's Classe Audio waiting for?
When the CP-800 came out it was ahead of it's time, and in many ways it is still an excellent product, but digital is evolving rapidly, and I have the feeling Classe is now lagging behind. I wonder why, considering the resources they must have, being part of such a large group.
Anyone from Classe Audio would like to comment?
Thanks,
Philip.

[Busker]

Thanks for your prompt reply, mr. Butler.

Nice to know somebody in Classe finally starts to show some interest in Roon.
For me it was a real game changer. I tried several dlna/upnp players, but none of them had the convenience of Roon. The seamless Tidal integration an now High Res MQA steaming is just the cherry on the cake.
Can't wait for Roon software 1.3 to be released.

I hope your engineers will eventually get it implemented not only in the new Delta range, but also through a soft and/or hardware update for existing cp-800 users.

I can understand Classe would not want to delay this project just to provide Roon support to existing customers, but what timeframe are we talking about, for the new Delta range upgrade to be completed?
Also, would the new Delta range be a completely new range, or would it consist of an upgrade program like it was the case with the digital input and phono board?
Are there already more details available on the specs of this new delta range?

Sorry for the tsunami of questions, but I was a bit disappointed by the lack of technical follow up of Classe Audio, and your announcement of the new delta range really triggered my curiosity, and I'm sure I'm not the only one...

Regards,

Philip.

[Patrick Butler]

Hi Philip,

I'm a Roon user, so I appreciate your interest!

This year we will see three products from the new Delta range. A stereo amplifier, a monaural amplifier and stereo preamplifier. All are completely new designs. The Delta Pre is intended an a replacement for the CP-800, and will not be backwards compatible. Also in development is a new 5 channel amplifier (which we might see this year) and a replacement for the SSP-800 which won't be released this year. Specific technical details are not available at this point, but will be in due course.

Regards,

Patrick
B&W Group North America

Thanks for your prompt reply, mr. Butler.

Nice to know somebody in Classe finally starts to show some interest in Roon.
For me it was a real game changer. I tried several dlna/upnp players, but none of them had the convenience of Roon. The seamless Tidal integration an now High Res MQA steaming is just the cherry on the cake.
Can't wait for Roon software 1.3 to be released.

I hope your engineers will eventually get it implemented not only in the new Delta range, but also through a soft and/or hardware update for existing cp-800 users.

I can understand Classe would not want to delay this project just to provide Roon support to existing customers, but what timeframe are we talking about, for the new Delta range upgrade to be completed?
Also, would the new Delta range be a completely new range, or would it consist of an upgrade program like it was the case with the digital input and phono board?
Are there already more details available on the specs of this new delta range?

Sorry for the tsunami of questions, but I was a bit disappointed by the lack of technical follow up of Classe Audio, and your announcement of the new delta range really triggered my curiosity, and I'm sure I'm not the only one...

Regards,

Philip.

[Busker]

Thanks, Patrick.

Much appreciate this information.

Considering the new preamp will not be backwards compatible, I would think it is unlikely the current CP-800 will receive any more updates.
I'm a bit saddened by this news, but on the other hand curious to see what Classe will be coming up with.
If the new delta preamp will be just as innovative as the cp-800 was when it just came out, and carries a just as competitive pricetag, I might consider it.
Before I had bought the Microrendu, I was thinking of getting an all new SOTA ROON ready DAC, to replace or connect to my aging CP-800. With the Microrendu in place, that urgency to change suddenly greatly diminished.
With the news you gave me today, I think I 'll just wait and see, and in the mean time simply enjoy the music.

Greetings, and thanks for your time,
Philip.