I’m in a dilemma. I like the Roon interface quite a bit more than the Naim app, though the Naim app is perfectly adequate for the main objective of playing music. I do think, though, that Roon is very expensive for what it is, and it will on the list of budget cut backs, if needed, with the cost of living crisis.
I wish I had a quid for every time I hear something from Apple doesn’t work. I could have a 555PS.
No crashes on a old Lenovo tablet that cost under £100. 
This is a good survey and discussion on the communities views on Roon. Very interesting.
I find Roon very convenient for all the reasons given above. But the one thing that is stopping it to be my main music catalogue software and control point is it does not support Apple Music. Or rather Apple will not allow access to it.
Tidal and Qubuz simply do not have the full colllection of the type of music I listen to and the latest releases take forever, if ever, to be available. I have a collection of ripped CD that I occasionally listen to but I stopped buying music and switched to streaming subscription model years back and have Tidal and Apple Music which is increasingly my preferred source now that is is lossless.
If only Apple will allow 3rd party integrators access to Apple Music.
Thanks,
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To be fair I can’t remember Roon ever crashing on my iPad or Mac OSX computers… sure due to nature of multi application software environments, somebody somewhere statistically will have an issue sooner or later… but it’s hardly endemic.
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What exactly is it that your listening to that’s not available or takes forever?
One thing that potentially could attract me to Roon, where its features don’t, is its inclusion of DSP capability. However my interest would be only on a one-off payment basis not subscription (I guess that is covered by the “life” option), also only if not requiring internet to work, and, crucially, if it were better at handling limited metadata files than it was on my two trials in the past. I used to use spare DSP capacity of an active crossover, but things have changed and I’m toying with other ideas - more info in this thread:
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Yes agree here.
Using REW then being able to apply convolution filter in Roon is a differentiator.
In all honesty when I paid lifetime sub this was not an option but highlights the ongoing development of Roon.
Interesting thread - thanks.
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Having access to the customer is part of the valuation of Spotify or Apple Music. Not much money in just passively supplying the files - especially with the risk of taxes and/or restrictions to cover the co2 cost of streaming.
Mainly Indian music - Bollywood, Sufi & Ghazal genres. Roon’s is also poor at making suggestions on New Releases for You section for these genres.
Jan,
I appreciate that the Apple value proposition is to focus on their wider closed ecosystem. That is why I am not expecting them to cater for the need of a very small minority who will benefit for this use case. Its is disappointing.
Yeah, this is another chapter in the audiophile tweaker chronicles. Roon’s sub model doesn’t work for me and I don’t want another software program b/w me and my music. There’s already too much complication afaic. And if that software is impacting the SQ I definitely don’t want it.
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Don’t get me wrong it seems lots of people love it, I just don’t need or want the complication.
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The only complicated bit is you need summat to run the core server on and then just point to your Music library and wait while it scans your library. If you have internet streaming services then login to Tidal/Qobuz and you are good to go.
There’s a few personal settings you can tweak to suit presentation and whether you’d prefer Qobuz over Tidal.
I run mine on an oldish Windows i5 laptop. It was already running Windows so I just installed Roon, if I could be bothered I’d swap to Linux but I have no issues so I’ll leave it be.
I just use an old Windows laptop (as a remote - my server is Linux based), as I like a full screen, but there are 3 android phones also remote controlling it within my home. Works fine until there is a disagreement about what to listen to. I use Roon as Server (with Tidal - because it’s nice to use and makes life easy) and Squeeze as player (because it sounds better to my ears). I’m new to streaming and haven’t experimented with other options.
PS. I’ll be getting lifetime subscription soon as price will go up early next year.
Please note Phil @ #Cymbiosis
That’s other problem their pricing seems to keep changing and increasing as they keep changing their minds and business model.
The only time I use my macbook for music is when I’m loading music files on my server. I have no interest in using a computer for playback.
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Me too or downloading a hi res file I’ve bought.
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I was an early lifetime subscriber, it is now almost twice as much as I paid for it. If the business model was no good, then Roon would no longer be in business. My CD rips, and downloads are stored on a SSD drive. I am more than happy with my purchase, as for price increases, everything is going up in cost these days, from bread to Naim HiFi.
Again that’s not a problem I’m only giving my opinion and as I’ve said before it’s about choice. If you’re happy that’s all that counts.
Incidentally I can faguely remember reading about how the people that bought early lifetime membership are costing them plenty. Think that’s why they started to discourage it favour to yearly/monthly.