Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Guides, Testimonials, News



The Sigma Streamer is a Roon Ready network player for exaSound DACs. It allows you to connect your exaSound DAC to the home network. It receives digital audio via Gigabit Ethernet or Wi-Fi 802.11ac and it outputs digital audio via USB. This configuration opens the possibilities for various improvements to your audio system:

  • The distance between your computer server and the exaSound DAC is no longer limited by the length of a USB cable. The server can be located in another room.
  • If you prefer to eliminate the computer from your audio system, you can use a Roon Core server like the exaSound Gamma Server or Roon Nucleus.
  • You can have several audio zones, each Sigma Streamer appears as a separate audio zone for Roon.
  • The Sigma Streamer is a RoonReady-certified audio player. This means that it transparently connects to Roon with no network configuration and delivers bitperfect audio to your exaSound DAC.
  • Your exaSound DAC will be available for use with other audio-streaming sources like Airplay, UPnP and Signalyst NAA.
The following diagram illustrates how to connect the exaSound Sigma streamer to your home network for use with Roon.

  • Roon is a subscription service. For more information on subscribing to Roon visit roonlabs.com.
  • Roon Core - the engine that orchestrates music library management and access to online streaming services - must be running on a server connected to your home network. This can be a Mac, PC computer, or a dedicated Roon Core Server like the exaSound Gamma server or Roon Nucleus.
  • Your Roon server must be connected to the Internet.
  • Your music files can be located on the Roon Core server internal drives, on USB drives connected to your Roon Core or on NAS (Network Attached Storage). You can find more information about Roon here: roonlabs.com/howroonworks.html
  • Music playback is controlled by the Roon Remote App. Roon Remote is available for Apple iPhones, iPads and Android devices. You need to install it on your device from the Apple App Store or from Google Play. Playback can also be controlled from Roon running on PC or Mac.
  • Roon connects to the Roon Service to retrieve rich and well organized information about your music files.
  • Roon provides access to the Tidal and Qobuz online streaming services.
Step-by-step guide for configuring Roon for use with the exaSound Sigma Streamer

  1. Connect your exaSound DAC to the Sigma Streamer with a USB cable.
  2. Connect the exaSound Sigma streamer to the home network with an Ethernet cable. Once wired operation is established, you will have the option to configure a wireless network connection. The wireless setup instructions are available in the Owner's manual.
  3. Make sure that all your audio devices are connected to the same network segment. For example, if you have several wireless routers or several Wi-Fi networks from the same router, you need to use the Wired/Wi-Fi network segment for all audio devices: the Roon Core Server, the mobile device with Roon Remote and the Sigma Streamer.  
  4. Power on the Sigma Streamer. You will see the blue LED light and after about 60 seconds the Sigma Streamer will be available for use on your home network. The default host name for the Sigma Streamer is sigma.
  5. Start the Roon Remote app on your tablet or phone. Connect to the Roon Core.
    (You can click on the screenshots bellow to see them enlarged.)



  6. Roon Core can be hosted on Mac or PC computer or on audio server like the exaSound Gamma or the Roon Nucleus.



  7. Enter your Roon login credentials or start a free trial.



  8. Next you will be prompted to enter the locations where your music files are stored. 



  9. You can use internal disk or SSD storage, USB drives attached to the Roon Core server and NAS (Network Attached Storage).



  10. Enter one by one your music file locations and when you are done tap on Continue.



  11. To configure the Internet streaming services Tidal and Qobuz for use with Roon tap Get Started.



  12. Next Roon will prompt you to setup your audio devices. When you configure an audio device for use with Roon it becomes a Zone. Scroll down the audio devices screen until you get to the list of Roon Ready devices.



  13. From the list of Roon Ready devices select the exaSound Sigma Streamer. Tap Enable. Note that the Sigma Streamer will also be listed as an Airplay device. It is important to configure the Sigma Streamer as a Roon Ready zone. Using the Sigma as an Airplay zone may cause loss of sonic fidelity.



  14. Tap Finish. You will see the Roon Home Screen. At the bottom of the screen tap Select an Audio Zone.



  15. The exaSound Sigma Streamer will be listed as available audio zone.



  16. Give it a name, for example My Sigma.



  17. Tap on the Sigma zone to select it. Roon will highlight it.



  18. Tap on the left side of the screen to close the audio zones list.



  19. Tap on the volume icon and make sure the volume level is safe. You are ready to play music with Roon and the exaSound Sigma Streamer. Enjoy!
     
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