Nucleus Manual

Nucleus Manual

Introduction

What is Nucleus?

At the heart of every Roon system is a Roon Server. This is the brain behind the entire Roon experience: it manages your music collection, streams to your audio devices, and stores the Roon database. The Roon team developed Nucleus to provide a silent, high-performance, power-efficient appliance to host the Roon Server. Every aspect of the hardware, operating system, and software is optimized to make Nucleus the very best way to run Roon, by the same team that made Roon.

Roon account

Any Nucleus requires a Roon account with an active subscription, which you can purchase at https://roonlabs.com/

If you're trying Roon for the first time, getting started is a snap. If you already use Roon on another device, you can migrate your Roon database to your Nucleus, or you can start from scratch.

Controlling Nucleus

The Nucleus has no display or interactive components. To experience and navigate around Roon, download the Roon app on a Mac or Windows PC, iPad, iPhone, or Android device.

InfoNote: Only Mac, Windows, and tablets provide access to all of Roon's features. Due to their smaller screens, the Roon mobile app has a limited feature set.

Playback

There are three ways to use Nucleus to play audio, and you can use any or all of these at the same time:

1. Connect an integrated audio component, DAC, or headphone amp via one of the two USB ports
2. Use the HDMI port to connect to an audio/video receiver (AVR) or other multichannel HDMI device
3. Most Popular: Stream over your network. Nucleus supports many networked audio devices like Airplay, Sonos, 100s of Roon Ready products, and devices with legacy streaming protocols from Devialet, Meridian, Squeezebox, and KEF.  See all Roon Ready partners here.

Storing your music files

You can use Nucleus with any or all of these storage strategies:
  1. Connect an external hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) via USB
  2. Install an optional internal HDD or SSD. For Nucleus Rev A, Nucleus Rev B, Nucleus One, use up to 4TB in size, for Nucleus Plus Rev A, Nucleus Plus Rev B, Nucleus Titan, use up to 8TB in size
  3. Store your files on a network-attached storage (NAS) device
  4. Connect your TIDAL, Qobuz, KKBox, or nugs accounts and import your favorites

What's in the box?

Nucleus One
Nucleus Titan
1 Nucleus One
1 Nucleus Titan
1 Power supply (to be connected to Nucleus One)
1 Power supply (to be connected to Nucleus Titan)
1 Power cord (to be connected to the power supply)
1 Power cord (to be connected to the power supply)
Ethernet cable
Screws for the SSD are pre-installed on the SSD tray inside the Nucleus Titan 
Screws for SSD, if you buy the version without the pre-installed drive.
Quick Start Guide is digital and comes as a QR code printed inside the box
Quick Start Guide is digital and comes as a QR code printed inside the box

Nucleus One Device Details & Back Panel Layout

  1. Power button and Power LED
    1. Press the power button once to turn on the unit or initiate a clean shutdown
    2. A dim white LED will be lit when the unit is powered on
    3. Hold the power button for 4 seconds to hard power off
  1. USB 3.0 ports (2)
    1. Can be used for connecting:
      1. USB storage drive
      2. USB audio device
      3. USB network adapter
      4. USB CD ripper
  1. Ethernet port
    1. Connect your Nucleus to your network via an Ethernet cable
    2. Nucleus will only connect to your network over Ethernet
    3. Note: the lights here should be on and blink even when the unit is not turned on
  1. HDMI port 
    1.  This port can be used as a multichannel audio output
    2. This port can be used for diagnostics by the Roon support team
  1. Power connector
    1. Connect the power supply here
For a full list of device details, head over to the Nucleus One product page. 

Nucleus Titan Device Details & Back Panel Layout

  1. Power connector
    1. Connect the power supply here
  1. HDMI port 
    1.  This port can be used as a multichannel audio output
    2. This port can be used for diagnostics by the Roon support team
  1. USB 3.0 ports Type C (2) + Type A (2)
    1. Can be used for connecting:
      1. USB storage drive
      2. USB audio device
      3. USB network adapter
      4. USB CD ripper
  1. Ethernet port
    1. Connect your Nucleus to your network via an Ethernet cable
    2. Nucleus will only connect to your network over Ethernet
    3. Note: the lights here should be on and blink even when the unit is not turned on
Info
For a full list of device details, head over to the Nucleus Titan product page.

Older Nucleus Device Details & Back Panel Layout

Nucleus Rev A


  1. Power button and Power LED
    1. Press the power button once to turn on the unit or initiate a clean shutdown.
    2. A dim white LED will be lit when the unit is powered on.
    3. Hold the power button for 4 seconds to hard power off.
  2. Power connector
    1. Connect the power supply here.
  3. HDMI port 
    1.  This port can be used as a multichannel audio output.
    2. This port can be used for diagnostics by the Roon support team
  4. Ethernet port
    1. Connect your Nucleus to your network via an Ethernet cable.
    2. Nucleus will only connect to your network over Ethernet.
    3. Note: the lights here should be on and blink even when the unit is not turned on.
  5. USB 3.0 ports (2)
    1. Can be used for connecting:
      1. USB storage drive
      2. USB audio device
      3. USB network adapter
      4. USB CD ripper
  6. Internal Storage Size
    1. Supports 2.5" HDD or SSD with a drive height of 7mm or 9mm.
  7. Thunderbolt port
    1. Currently not active. May become active in a future firmware update.

Nucleus Rev B



  1. Power button and Power LED
    1. Press the power button once to turn on the unit or initiate a clean shutdown.
    2. A dim white LED will be lit when the unit is powered on.
    3. Hold the power button for 4 seconds to hard power off.
  2. Power connector
    1. Connect the power supply here.
  3. HDMI port  (2)
    1.  This port can be used as a multichannel audio output.
    2. This port can be used for diagnostics by the Roon support team
  4. Ethernet port
    1. Connect your Nucleus to your network via an Ethernet cable.
    2. Nucleus will only connect to your network over Ethernet.
    3. Note: the lights here should be on and blink even when the unit is not turned on.
  5. USB 3.0 ports (2)
    1. Can be used for connecting:
      1. USB storage drive
      2. USB audio device
      3. USB network adapter
      4. USB CD ripper
  6. Internal Storage Size
    1. Supports 2.5" HDD or SSD with a drive height of up to 15mm.

Choosing your Nucleus

The two Nucleus models currently available are the Nucleus One and the Nucleus Titan. While they differ in a few ways (see specifications for each at the bottom of this page), for most buyers, the most important difference comes down to library size and how hard your system has to work to manage it. Nucleus One is designed for libraries up to 10,000 albums (approximately 100,000 tracks). Nucleus Titan is built for libraries over 10,000 albums.
Idea
These figures are a useful starting point, but the real picture is more nuanced than a track count alone can capture.

What does the track limit actually mean?

The album and track figures on the Nucleus product pages are a convenient shorthand, not a precise technical ceiling. Roon will not stop working the moment your library crosses 10,000 albums. The numbers exist because track count is the easiest way to communicate library size: it is a number most people already know about their own collection. What the figures are really pointing at is the scale of work your Nucleus has to manage. And that depends far less on how many tracks you have than on how complex your database is.
Quote
As an illustration, think of a notary's archive. The archive has a fixed capacity, but not every file takes up the same amount of space. A one-page document and a multi-volume legal case both count as "one file", but they are very different in terms of what the archive has to store and manage. Your Roon library works in a similar.

What actually makes a library complex?

Roon does not store music as a simple list of tracks; instead, Roon builds a rich, interconnected database: albums, tracks, performers, performances, compositions, works, labels, recording venues, time periods, and the relationships between all of them. How much any given release adds to your database depends entirely on how much information is associated with it:
  1. A single with one credited artist and minimal metadata is a compact entry.
  2. A symphonic work with a composer, conductor, orchestra, multiple soloists, individual movements, and detailed recording information generates a much larger web of linked objects.
  3. A pop or rock album with extensive production credits, featured artists, or multiple disc editions can be equally demanding.
Info
Two libraries with identical track counts can place very different demands on a Nucleus depending on the richness of their metadata.

How your database grows over time

Your database does not just reflect what you imported. It grows with how you use Roon:
  1. Playlists, tags, bookmarks, and metadata edits
  2. Custom artwork and album groupings
  3. Play history and listening statistics
  4. Streaming integrations with TIDAL, Qobuz, KKBox or nugs
A user who has been running Roon for several years with both streaming services connected, extensive tagging, and a heavily curated library will have a significantly larger and more complex database than someone who recently imported the same number of tracks with no customization.
Idea
Tips for keeping your database healthy

To keep performance smooth over time, run Settings > Library > Clean Up Library periodically to remove unused data. For more details on what Clean up Library does, please see here. Maintain regular backups so your database can be restored to a clean state if needed.

The right question is not just "how many tracks do I have?" but "how complex is my library?" Your genres, metadata richness, streaming services, editing history, and how long you have been running Roon all factor in.

Setup

1. Connect and power up the Nucleus

The first step is making power and network connections and starting Nucleus.

2. Update Nucleus firmware

Before using Roon with Nucleus for the first time, it's important to make sure your firmware is up to date.
Warning
Note: Not updating Nucleus firmware could lead to data loss or a failed migration.

3. Prepare your storage and audio devices

Nucleus will discover devices connected via USB, HMDI, and Ethernet at any time, but it's simplest to have these devices connected and powered on before you get started.

4. Start using Nucleus

Now that your equipment is connected, it's time to install the Roon app (for Mac and Windows PC) and/or the Roon app for iPad, iPhone, and Android devices, and connect to Nucleus. From here, you can migrate an older Roon installation to Nucleus as well. 

Info
Note: If you are having any issues with updating Nucleus, you can also use the Operating System "Reinstall" button, which updates the Nucleus to the latest Roon build. To do this, go to Settings ->Setup->Find Roon OS and click on Find, then under Roon OS devices, double-click on the IP address of your Nucleus to open Web UI and hit the "Reinstall" button:

You can find more information on how to connect to Nucleus here.

Maintenance

Nucleus HDMI output displays a status screen that contains diagnostic info with IP address, build information, and server status. 

Nucleus also comes with an administrative interface that can be loaded using any web browser.

Support

If you need help getting started with Nucleus, you can contact our support team by starting a new topic in the Nucleus Support category on our community site.

Where to Buy

To purchase Nucleus, inquire at your local HiFi Dealer (US and International), or visit the Roon Store (US only). Not sure where to find your local dealer? Send us an email!

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