One-box mod for combining rooExtend-box and WiiM Pro (cosmetic enhancement)

[mags65]

Having had some time on my hands lately, I decided to remove some clutter in my rack by "cleaning up" my streaming and volume control tools. Being a Roon and RME ADI-2 user, I have really benefited from the excellent Roon-extensions provided by @DrCWO. It allows me extensive volume control of the RME through Roon, retaining great features such as Loudness and AutoRef that work well with my Hypex NCx500 power amp (at 12,4 db gain). I have also retained my Wiim Pro, as I hear occasional small pops when using the rooExtender as Roon bridge via USB into the RME. In order to use both rooPlay (for BT streaming, for now) and rooADI for volume control, I have added a USB-extender. Furthermore, I will be adding a QuickKeys as an additional rotary volume control. This means I will need at least 3 USB-A outlets, potentially more as I may want to add a CD-drive (which will then feed into Roon and benefit from the DSP I am applying there). As a result, the area next to my power amp has become a little cramped and not great looking.

More to come...

 

[mags65]

Initially I contemplated having a bespoke wooden box in walnut made (have family member who is a carpenter), but decided not to go down that route as I was eager to get going and also discovered that reasonably priced aluminum enclosures could be sourced from Ebay. After quite a bit of searching, I landed at the below alternative from Nobsound/Douk Audio. All aluminum, in black, with a decent fit and finish that could match the other components and the rack itself. The internal measurements are WxD 23,2x 30,8 cm, so I would have a good amount of space to fiddle around. Importantly, it also had ventilation slits on top, as I want to avoid any heating issues from putting the rooExtend (which can hit as much as 48-49C in my use) and Wiim in a small enclosure. As I discovered, Douk do not do any adjustments to their empty cases (unlike other vendors), so I would have to find a compromise that suited my purposes.

 

[mags65]

With this under order from China, I made an initial sketch in Powerpoint, which was surprisingly easy as I could draw boxes to scale based on the measurements of the various components and play around with placement. The below was a rough draft based on an idea to use narrow aluminum plates (in grey below) as "placeholders" glued to the bottom of the chassis in order to hinder lateral movement of the WiiM and rooExtend once placed inside the box. It would give easy access to remove, but also keep them in place. This idea was developed over the course of some hours of Temu-shopping, where I ended up with slightly different ideas/solutions. The draft also highlighted cable routing, and was based on adding a different, smaller USB-hub from KiwiBird than the one I had on hand from UGreen.

 

[DrCWO]

I have also retained my Wiim Pro, as I hear occasional small pops when using the rooExtender as Roon bridge via USB into the RME.

Strange, I stream via a USB Hub all eight Audio channels from rooExtend-Box to ADI-12/4 Pro (I have a 2x2 system and use all for analog outputs). Also in parallel I use the Phono Pre of the ADI streaming turntable rtrough Roon and until now never got a pop

This is my signal path. As you see I use a convolution filter in Roon to split up stereo to the eight channels.
B.T.W I have a drawer below my ADI, rooExtend and NCx500 Amp (11dB) where all the power supplies and the hub reside.

 

[mags65]

Strange,

Agree, very strange. I started with rooExtend-box as Roon Bridge, but noticed this issue intermittently and randomly. Probably occurred in 10-20% of the songs, and usually in the first half of the song. It never occurs from the Wiim with optical into the RME. It got to the point where I did some testing of the situation, by grouping the rooBox/USB and the Wiim/optical in Roon, and listening for a pop/crackle to occur over the USB. I would then "rewind" to 5 seconds before the pop, confirm that it occurred, re-rewind and change to the Wiim. The pop would be absent. Skimming the net had some old references to people having same issue, and some attributed it to changes in bit-depth/frequency when the source material was changed. Don't think this was the issue here, as would e.g. occur on song 3 of listening to the same album (i.e. no format change). Strange indeed.

 

[mags65]

Chassis assembly! The package arrived safely from China. No tariff-issues as such, other than the usual Norwegian VAT-challenges.

(Sidenote and for Norwegian readers only: beware that while ebay collects VAT as per VOEC-rules (Norwegian VAT on ecommerce), the seller is responsible for correctly filling out the electronic form of the shipper with ebays VOEC number, amount of VAT collected etc. Nobsound managed to get this wrong, and I will need to pay VAT again to DHL as the collecting agent for Norwegian tax authority/customs as well as their handling fee. ebay is providing less than stellar customer service in my attempts to have this reimbursed due to incorrect package marking.)

All parts are present and look very nice - some marks/scratches, but these are all on inside surfaces. Yay!

Of course no instruction manual, but how hard can this be? Turns out to be quite easy after a little bit of thinking. Front plate must be attached first to "corner posts" due to no visible screws in front (on of the things that make this, in my opinion, a good looking chassis).

Reasonably flush front plate - left side is perfect, while right side is off by less than half a millimetre. Not really visible here, but confirmed by touch when running a finger down the seam.

 

[mags65]

Side plate assembly. Testing that screws fit nicely and that correct screwdriver is used.

Both sides attached nicely, now for the bottom section.

At this stage came a bit of a critical moment. As Nobsound declined to do any additional cutting/finishing - I was hoping to have a significant opening made in the back plate for easy cable routing, and got quotes from other suppliers to do so for their products - I decided to leave the back plate off in its entirety. This would both make routing a dream, and allow for great convective airflow. However, as there were no drawings available I was not certain how the back plate was fastened. Turns out that the back "cornerposts" are attached both to the bottom/top plates and to the respective side plates (how could it be otherwise?!), making the entire chassis quite rigid once the top plate is attached.

Final product with top plate loosely placed - quite happy with the looks of this!! Fit will be quite snug once screws are in place...

 

[DrCWO]

Agree, very strange. I started with rooExtend-box as Roon Bridge, but noticed this issue intermittently and randomly. Probably occurred in 10-20% of the songs, and usually in the first half of the song. It never occurs from the Wiim with optical into the RME. It got to the point where I did some testing of the situation, by grouping the rooBox/USB and the Wiim/optical in Roon, and listening for a pop/crackle to occur over the USB. I would then "rewind" to 5 seconds before the pop, confirm that it occurred, re-rewind and change to the Wiim. The pop would be absent. Skimming the net had some old references to people having same issue, and some attributed it to changes in bit-depth/frequency when the source material was changed. Don't think this was the issue here, as would e.g. occur on song 3 of listening to the same album (i.e. no format change). Strange indeed.

Have you ever tried to turn on the re-sampler in Roon. I resample all to 96kHz. Would be great if you might be able to test this one day ans report if the pop remains.
Best DrCWO

 

[mags65]

Have you ever tried to turn on the re-sampler in Roon. I resample all to 96kHz. Would be great if you might be able to test this one day ans report if the pop remains.
Best DrCWO

No, I've not tried that. May give it a go if the schedule allows it next week!

 

[mags65]

On to filling up the now built chassis. As you can see from the "workbench" I have moved away from the aluminum bar idea - lots of stuff available cheap on Temu that could potentially do the trick. Angled brackets, corner protectors, ready-cut aluminum pins etc. were purchased. One key criteria is that the anchoring, obviously, could not interfere with the various input/outputs.

When starting up I quickly realised that using the chassis edges as part of the "anchoring system" really was the only way to go. It would ensure absolute non-movement on 1 to 2 sides, and minimize the need for gluing parts to the bottom. Here I am trying to see how things work with the UGreen USB-hub with four outputs. It does take quite some space and interferes with the back plate opening where I intend the cable organiser to be fastened.

Adding the smaller Kiwi-hub instead of the UGreen, as well as the ethernet cable from the rooExtend to the Wiim, and the cable organiser. Still playing around with how/where. Adding cables as I go.

With the below positioning I figured that I could move forward swiftly - first, place Wiim in front right corner and anchor with one angled bracket. Then use the next bracket adjacent to the first, and hold the rooExtend against the left side. Then the final bracket to hold the rooExtend in place. Three gluings, and no need to make any markings as the brackets can be glued in place with the respective items in the box.

Finally get the idea to actually test that the Kiwi-hub works. It does!

 

[DrCWO]

Finally get the idea to actually test that the Kiwi-hub works. It does!

You have to take care about power consumption with passive HUBs. Maybe the connected devices (like Apple Super Drive for example) draw too much for the rooExtend Box. It delivers USB 2.0 only.

 

[mags65]

Commence glue!! Cheap and cheerful superglue and contact glue from local hobbystore will do the honours.

Note that the first angled bracket to keep the WiiM in place had to be doubled up by glueing two together to create some height, as the edge of the WiiM is ever so slightly rounded. No such problem with the rooExtend, which is completely flush.

Rubber feet mounted to finish off the exterior.

The electronics are placed and not moving about, and cable organiser also glued in place. Ready for final assembly!

 

[mags65]

"In situ" in the Pylon rack. All cabled up and almost ready to go.

First test shows that we indeed have music!

Lid is on...

The modbox and RME in happy coexistence.

Now also with the Samsung tablet as local screen/interface. Success!

 

[DrCWO]

Very nice