Server, streamer & DAC · Small Green Computer
The whole music system. One rack unit.
The sonicTransporter WhirlWind is three components in a single fanless 1U chassis: a music server, a four-zone network streamer, and four built-in DACs. Run it as a server alone, or let it drive four rooms of analog audio on its own — no endpoints, no outboard converters, nothing else in the rack.
Two ways to use it
A server when you want one. A complete system when you need one.
Most servers force the question early: how many endpoints, how many DACs, how much rack space. The WhirlWind lets you answer it later, or not at all.
As a music server
Use it exactly like any other sonicTransporter — storing your library and running Roon, HQPlayer, or Audirvāna for the rest of your system.
- Streams over the network to any Roon Ready or DLNA player
- Feed a Rendu, or any third-party endpoint, anywhere in the house
- Per-zone S/PDIF outputs let you use your own DACs where you want them
As a complete solution
Or skip the extra boxes entirely. Four internal DACs mean four rooms of analog audio come straight out of the back of the server.
- Connect four zones directly to amplifiers or in-wall systems
- No endpoints, no outboard DACs, no additional power supplies
- Built for distributed audio and whole-home installations
Why it matters
Four rooms without four racks of equipment.
A conventional four-zone system needs a server, four endpoints, four DACs, and the power supplies and cabling to match. The WhirlWind collapses all of that into one component that draws a single power connection and occupies a single rack space.
Four DACs, four zones.
Each zone has its own digital-to-analog conversion and its own RCA analog output, running on a custom-designed four-zone audio board — not repurposed PC motherboard outputs. The DACs, power supply, and chassis are designed and manufactured in the UK.
Or bring your own DAC.
Every zone also carries optical and coaxial S/PDIF outputs, so you can bypass the internal conversion in any room where you already have a DAC you like.
Fanless, noiseless operation.
No fans. No moving parts. A rack component that runs silently around the clock — unusual in a 1U chassis, and the reason it can live in a listening room.
Specifications
What is in the chassis.
A 1U rackmount chassis that fits a standard equipment rack or sits comfortably on a shelf — with the conversion, outputs, storage, and software to run an entire music system.
One per zone, on a custom-designed four-zone audio output board rather than PC motherboard outputs. DACs, power supply, and chassis designed and manufactured in the UK.
One stereo pair per zone, fed by the internal DACs. Connect directly to amplifiers or a distributed audio system.
Up to 24/192 kHz PCM or DoP. Use these to feed your own DAC in any zone.
Roughly 100,000 tracks. All Roon DSP combinations available.
1U rackmount. Removable 19″ rack ears; rubber feet included for shelf use.
Fanless by design. Exceeds Roon Labs hardware specifications for a Roon Core.
Fits standard equipment racks or displays on a shelf. Versatile placement.
Front-panel accessible, tool-less 2.5″ drive bay. ~30,000 tracks per 1 TB of storage.
Roon Ready across all four zones. Exceeds Roon Labs hardware specifications.
Browser-based control, plug-and-play on any home network, and the reason the WhirlWind runs every major music app rather than just one.
Streams to virtually any network player or audio system in addition to its own four zones.
30-day return policy, 1-year warranty, lifetime free technical support.
Software support
Ready for the apps audiophiles actually use.
Choose your platform and run it without compromise. Everything is managed from a browser — no keyboard, monitor, or IT skills needed.
Roon Server
Pre-installed and ready, with all four zones appearing as Roon Ready outputs. Group them, or play something different in every room.
HQPlayer
Run HQPlayer on the WhirlWind and stream to an HQPlayer NAA endpoint for high-quality upsampling and format conversion.
Audirvāna, DLNA & more
Also supports MinimServer, Squeezebox, Plex, and DLNA — all from a browser, with no keyboard or monitor required.
In the box & pairs well with
Everything to get started.
sonicTransporter WhirlWind, 19V 5A power supply, 1 m Ethernet LAN cable, removable 19″ rack mounting ears, two drive-bay keys, four screws for mounting an internal SSD, and four rubber feet for shelf use. 30-day returns, 1-year warranty, lifetime free tech support.
Add an ultraRendu Plus or opticalRendu Deluxe to extend the system to a fifth room, or to a reference listening room with its own DAC.
Tool-less 2.5″ drive bay. Add up to 8 TB at checkout or install your own drive anytime.
Rip CDs directly to the internal SSD in FLAC. Attach via USB — no computer involved.
Server, streamer, and DAC — in a single rack space.
The sonicTransporter WhirlWind runs your entire music system silently, without a separate box in every room. Start with it as a server and grow into the zones, or wire all four rooms on day one.
Compare
Not sure which server — or which brand?
See how the three sonicTransporter servers differ in our selection guide, or see how we compare with Roon Nucleus, Aurender, and Innuos in our music server comparison guide.