powerav Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 (edited) A nice little present from the boss this morning because he had no idea what it was but after I told him what it could do at home he said he had another 3 in the draw and will now use them himself.....dohhh. I should said they were useless and I'll just store them for you. Anyway what to put on it, Kodi or has this Roon Core Kit been released yet? Edited June 16, 2017 by powerav Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jventer Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Roon Rock has been released Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunno77 Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 https://www.computeraudiophile.com/ca/ca-academy/the-definitive-guide-to-roon-optimized-core-kit-rock-r652/Sent from my JAZZ using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Ok got a decision to make stick with Kodi or Rock, probably the best chance I'll have in getter Roon lifetime as I got the Nuc for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cazzesman Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 (edited) Kodi is your friend. KISS principle for best results. Tweek ram for best anti buffering issues. Libreelec os. Kodi 17 and Exodus. Add a Premiemize $10 month package and you are good to go. Regards Cazzesman Edited June 15, 2017 by cazzesman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Yeah I think you are right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 16, 2017 Author Share Posted June 16, 2017 I changed the heading to this topic to "Intel Nuc i3 Bad Audio" as I updated it with latest Bios and installed the latest Libreelec Kodi onto it. My usual HTPC is a self made Pentium 3.2Ghz 4G ram, this Nuc is an I3 1.8Ghz 4G ram. This is where it gets interesting, I replaced my Pentium with the Nuc and restored all my Kodi settings using the Backup addon so all the settings were the same as before, i started playing some Flac and Hi Res music files and it sounded very flat and just bad, really lifeless. I then put a 5.1 music concert on, one that I'm familiar with Peter Gabriel - Growing up Live and that to was very flat and lifeless, "arghh what is going on" I proceeded to check some settings and all seemed right so stuff it I disconnected the I3 and put the Pentium HTPC back in and BAM! great sound again. With the Pentium HTPC I don't feel it even needs an external DAC it's that good but the I3 definatley would need a DAC and then I still wouldn't feel confident. So the question is why would the NUC be that bad? Is it just the fact that the Pentium is 3.2Ghz compared to Nuc's 1.8? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunno77 Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 This video explains a little. The nuc will also add jitter and have a poor psu Sent from my JAZZ using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 16, 2017 Author Share Posted June 16, 2017 17 minutes ago, Bunno77 said: This video explains a little. The nuc will also add jitter and have a poor psu Yes I have seen that before and would explain, that is good as I have never really understood "jitter" before but I have heard it now. The Nuc is on Ebay. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cazzesman Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Power why are you bothering with music. Just use the Nuc for kodi and be done with it. My Nuc does kodi and my CAPS does digital music. Remember the KISS principle. Regards Cazzesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rmpfyf Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Back when that clip had audio there were a few points in it that were incorrect. Your i3 NUC won't be the last word in serving audio but it's possible to get a fairly good result from it. Don't throw it out. You'll need to custom build your OS, tweak your BIOS and ideally run a better PSU than the wall wart they tend to come with. This is not trivial. Libreelec is built on JeOS and isn't what you'd call optimised for audiophile playback. If you're going to use the analogue audio directly out and not go into a DAC, well yeah, what's on the NUC is pretty elementary. If you're running it into a DAC you can get some decent results for not a lot of cash. If you're selling it please PM me, I'd be interested in a second one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 16, 2017 Author Share Posted June 16, 2017 5 hours ago, cazzesman said: Power why are you bothering with music. Just use the Nuc for kodi and be done with it. Because I use Kodi for 2 channel music, surround Music SACD - DVD Audio, Music Concerts. The HTPC sounds great even so much I sold a Aries Mini because I couldn't tell the difference but the NUC no good. Maybe this is why Roon tell you to use a Gen 6 or Gen 7 Nuc for the Roon O.S. This is a Gen 3. Maybe I inadvertently built an audiophile PC without knowing it. 3 hours ago, rmpfyf said: If you're going to use the analogue audio directly out and not go into a DAC, well yeah, what's on the NUC is pretty elementary. If you're running it into a DAC you can get some decent results for not a lot of cash. They are both running into my Integra AVR as the pre which uses my Creek Evo 2 as the poweramp. The DAC inside is the AVR is the AKM which is I find is great, I have owned the Klein DAC before and it is not far from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaynin Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 I have 5 NUC's in the house, three as HTPC's running KODI. Four are i7's and one is an i3. I don't use any of them for two channel, I prefer a better quality source that processes the files to a much better standard for that purpose (namely a Consonance Ref 7 and a Cambridge Audio 851N). As HTPC's I use them, effectively, as a file transport where I get the processor to decode and process the soundtracks. I find that this way, audibly, they sound fantastic in movies and TV shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 5 minutes ago, Kaynin said: I prefer a better quality source that processes the files to a much better standard for that purpose (namely a Consonance Ref 7 and a Cambridge Audio 851N). I have had Pioneer streamers, Aries Mini, PC with roon and Klein dac but I find I loose nothing in terms of audio with Pentium HTPC and Kodi but with Nuc no good. I think also I am like the fella from Audioquest that is in the video where he says that he grew up in the MTV era with music videos and is very visually oriented so Kodi for music with the album and artist artwork on screen aswell as all the info adds to the experience. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rmpfyf Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 My HTPC is set to boot into a headless audiophile mode, with a few commands taking it to full Kodi. I've setup a few NUCs this way and they sound pretty good. Won't pretend they compete with full HTPC builds but at a fraction of the cost they do more than a fraction of the work. The Kodi player isn't autophile-grade, though with a little hacking you can get Kodi to play whatever as a frontend, with gives a decent result. You can get great sound out of a NUC or similar - it's all in setup and what happens downstream. If your DAC has the gubbins to buffer and reclock appropriately the effect of what delivers the bits upstream is greatly diminished at any rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 I assume this is all HDMI? Could just be that the NUC HDMI is not the best (too noisy) for audio? I assume same HDMI cable used for comparison? Pity it doesn't have an optical out to compare. I would think USB is only way to get the best out of it but that doesn't work for you so no big deal. Just to clarify Roon only suggest Gen6/7 because they are the models they tested on and needs a bit of grunt for the database but they are not promoting the NUC as an end streamer. They are suggesting you use it as a server for the core and use something else as a streamer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 Yes HDMI and same cable used, I am using HDMI as I like the AKM dacs that are in the new Integra models. I am also thinking of an Oppo 205 and running the NUC HDMI to the Oppo 205 hdmi input and utilising the 205 video processing and sabre dacs, what do think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 Yes HDMI and same cable used, I am using HDMI as I like the AKM dacs that are in the new Integra models. I am also thinking of an Oppo 205 and running the NUC HDMI to the Oppo 205 hdmi input and utilising the 205 video processing and sabre dacs, what do think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaynin Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 (edited) 19 minutes ago, powerav said: I am also thinking of an Oppo 205 and running the NUC HDMI to the Oppo 205 hdmi input and utilising the 205 video processing and sabre dacs, what do think? This is exactly what I was getting at, only using the NUC as a transport. Edited June 17, 2017 by Kaynin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 28 minutes ago, Kaynin said: This is exactly what I was getting at, only using the NUC as a transport. Yeah, that's what I will do. Just wouldn't mind if someone has tried this method with the Oppo first. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaynin Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 (edited) 37 minutes ago, powerav said: Yeah, that's what I will do. Just wouldn't mind if someone has tried this method with the Oppo first. Yeah unfortunately I can't advise. I did run a NUC through the Oppo 103 a few years ago and played with the analogue and digital audio outs. When I found I preferred digital audio for movies I then compared this method against NUC pass-through to my AVR. In the end the method I've gone with is direct pass-through from the NUC to the AVR, as well as my Marantz 8801 (two set-ups). As mentioned I don't do two channel with the NUC, but I've certainly found using the NUC as a transport for movies and TV shows is what suits me. EDIT: I'd "expect" better results with what you're suggesting, introducing an Oppo to process for 2 channel. Edited June 17, 2017 by Kaynin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 1 hour ago, powerav said: Yes HDMI and same cable used, I am using HDMI as I like the AKM dacs that are in the new Integra models. I am also thinking of an Oppo 205 and running the NUC HDMI to the Oppo 205 hdmi input and utilising the 205 video processing and sabre dacs, what do think? Ummm, don't you have a Creek integrated? Would a cheaper UHD player for video & multi channel music files and separate DAC for 2ch not be a simpler, and most likely cheaper approach? Then you can "DAC roll" to your hearts content Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satanica Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 13 hours ago, cazzesman said: Power why are you bothering with music. Just use the Nuc for kodi and be done with it. My Nuc does kodi and my CAPS does digital music. Remember the KISS principle. I fail to see how one device for music and another for movies in simpler than one device that does both especially when a media player like KODI does pretty much everything. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 1 minute ago, blybo said: Ummm, don't you have a Creek integrated? Yeah the Creek is still in system and is fine, I will be sticking with PC and Kodi as I just find everything just works. I have discovered over the years with other devices, media players, streamers, bluray players etc. there is always one element that you need missing. The perfect option for me would be the Oppo 205 without the disc player part in it. I was reading on computer audiophile page is the only reason they don't make dacs with HDMI inputs is the huge licensing fees that have to be paid, the smaller companies just can't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerav Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 3 minutes ago, Satanica said: I fail to see how one device for music and another for movies in simpler than one device that does both especially when a media player like KODI does pretty much everything. That's what I was thinking. It still amazes me why there is no respect for Kodi especially for music. It is the only device I have ever had that looks after their users with regular updates and the irony is it's free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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