Today Roon have increased the lifetime
subscription to $699, yearly
subscription remains at $119.
So nearly 6 years to break even on lifetime subscription. A lot could happen with streaming development in this time. Is it still worth taking a punt on lifetime subscription or best to continue with yearly option?
Easy:
If you really, really like it, $700 worth of like, then buy the lifetime.
If you sort of like it, but are worried something else might come along better, or are torn between Roon and something else but just edging towards Roon, but at least $120 worth of edge, then take the annual subscription, and convert on the 5th year if still with them.
And if you like it but donāt think it is at least $120 worth of like in the short term or are equally torn between it and something costing a fraction of the amount, then drop it.
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Thats a massive rise. Just glad I went for the lifetime when I did. Maybe the price is indicative of something big coming along or most likely, to provide a regular income through annual subscription.
How quickly is the technology moving?
How long is Roon going to stay in business?
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I guess I donāt understand the mind set. Folks here have Thousands of Dollars in black and shinny boxes, some have tens of thousands of dollars tied up, and they complain about a $200 increase in cost over 5 years. In the US, that will buy you a little over a dozen cups of coffees per year at Dunkin Donuts pricesāor about half that at Starbucks. Even at Cumberland Farms its only coffee for a month. It would not even take you and your better half out for dinner once a year for the $40 at a nice restaurant. Can anyone explain?
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Simple: perceived value for money I guess. You can get a perfectly good bit of software to manage your library and play music for a lot less than Roon (albeit doing differently). And that price difference of $200 is still money, which has to be earned, and is $200 less to have for something else, whether that is a nice meal, or some music, or 200 cups of coffee in a country that makes good coffee like Italy or Spain, so of course people begrudge it - all the more so because a week ago or whatever it would have cost that much less, and a 40% price rise is pretty steep for anything.
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I agree its a big rise, but then I bought my Naim Atom new 2 years ago its was Ā£1750 I now see it going for Ā£2250. I still pay yearly and never went for lifetime even though I am now approaching my 4th year. I will likely stay as I am.
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My thoughts as well. Iāll probably go with yearly subscription as see how it pans out regarding other companies coming on board or major changes to the streaming platform over the next couple of years.
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This isnāt an option just so not as to confuse, Roon isnāt hire purchase, you either rent or buy.
For me, lifetime roon being the same cost as a HiLine, represents good value. Iām in year 3 or 4 now so I think my decision has already been validated.
I expect Lifetime to disappear just before a fully mobile Roon experience is launched.
.sjb
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Oops, my mistake - and glaringly obvious too!
Well the software was upgraded this morning ā¦ so it might be worth it.
Iāve noticed much improvement, save for the internet radio; it might be a tad faster to load, and some options / recommendations have been developed.
Itās definitely faster.
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Hey Baiyhill,
I saw that Roon has a MQA live radio. It may interests you.
Just read a very good post from the COO of Roon
On their forum about the annual price rise and the reasons behind it. Basically they want to get rid off annual sub as itās not good for the business to keep growing and why they relied on it at the start to get a cash injection to build the business. Now they need to maintain and develop the business and a subscription model is the better way to achieve this. Many might not agree but I see validity in his points and itās good to see such transparency when it comes to decisions like this from the executive branch.
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Heres their reasonā¦
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I like the transparencyā¦
We should more of it.
Thanks FR
I have noticed that Roon Radio for the past week or so has been doing a surprisingly good job at picking material to my likingāboth classical and country and all MQA. Today I see a notice that they have verson 1.7 and āValenceā, which is supposed to upgrade the Radio Function, and they have been testing it out. I would say it really is an upgrade for me. Hope others find the same.
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I am a bit more cynical. In the world of M&A not all revenue is equal. Valuations come down to multiples of revenue (or profit) and subscription revenue for a SAAS product (ie what roon is) achieves a much higher valuation multiple than revenue from perpetual license (what the lifetime subscription is) so I would say the COO is being translucent rather than transparent. Yes his reasons are correct but there is more to it and all his customers donāt really want to hear more about the company eventually getting sold ā¦ maybe to spotify or tidal.
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Roon said, āWhat Roon needs now is a regular and dependable revenue stream for business sustainability and ongoing product development; we get that with annual subscriptions, not lifetimes.ā
This totally makes sense. It works this way with gym memberships. A big problem with taking a ālifetime membershipā up front is that the money is all spent up front; it is not spent over the lifetime. Monthly subscriptions are far more sustainable; the money can flow in much more predictably.
This said, Iām glad I bought a lifetime sub. last year. Iām still enjoying Roon and havenāt found anything with which to replace it. Not interested in going back to Naim App / Asset; I prefer Roon.
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As someone who took a yearly subscription 6 months ago to evaluate, and I do like the product, Iām less than impressed with this.
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