What do you like in Roon?

[TheBatsEar]

In another thread i mentioned that i tested Roon recently, but wasn't impressed.

I installed the server component on a NUC-like Debian server at home. I did install the receiving end on my RaspberryPi with Moode. That went fine, the installer scripts work well. I then installed the Android app on 11" Samsung tablet and pointed the server to my local files, reading in the files into the database took some time, as was expected.

Eventually it was all done and playing local files worked fine. Here is what i liked:

• easy and flexible setup
• the metadata was great

What i don't liked and why i stopped the trial:

• Lifetime subscription costs almost 1000€ in Germany, that is a lot
• Monthly costs 16.50€, more than my streaming service
• Only two streaming services are supported, none of them is market leader
• No webbrowser based control, you have to use apps
• Stops playing local files if you are offline

What are the pros that are worth the money and that i have overlooked?
I feel like i should like the service, but i don't know what for.

 

[Zensō]

I’m pretty much where you’re at. I really enjoyed the links between artists, detailed liner notes, etc. Beyond that, the software was buggy (particularly on mobile) and the technical support was dismal, which together with the high price eventually made the proposition a no-go for me.

 

[Keith_W]

There are more reasons to dislike Roon.

- Support for classical music is atrocious. I raised this issue with them in 2016 when I was on my trial, and their solution was to ask me to edit my metadata. Not going to happen when I have more than 50,000 tracks.
- I already organize my classical music collection in albums by folder. I asked them if there was a way they could allow navigation by folder, or at least recognize that one folder = 1 album? They declined.
- As a result of the above, Roon will play one track of a Beethoven Symphony, and then play a completely unrelated track.
- I do not need the music discovery feature. I know what I want to listen to, and Roon needs to find what I want to play with minimum fuss. It doesn't do that.
- No VST support.
- No ISO226 volume control.

And as you mentioned, the price. It is truly eye watering.

 

[ahofer]

- I already organize my classical music collection in albums by folder. I asked them if there was a way they could allow navigation by folder, or at least recognize that one folder = 1 album? They declined.
- As a result of the above, Roon will play one track of a Beethoven Symphony, and then play a completely unrelated track.

Weird, that’s how mine is arranged (genre-artist-album folder structure). But everything plays together fine. But all the album metadata is there (since ripping), maybe that’s the difference.

BTW, I think there is already a “what do you hate/love about Roon” thread.

 

[Purité Audio]

It’s by far the best playback software I have used, absolutely stable here, multi room is really useful and peq can be invaluable,
Keith

 

[Snoopy]

In another thread i mentioned that i tested Roon recently, but wasn't impressed.

I installed the server component on a NUC-like Debian server at home. I did install the receiving end on my RaspberryPi with Moode. That went fine, the installer scripts work well. I then installed the Android app on 11" Samsung tablet and pointed the server to my local files, reading in the files into the database took some time, as was expected.

Eventually it was all done and playing local files worked fine. Here is what i liked:

• easy and flexible setup
• the metadata was great

What i don't liked and why i stopped the trial:

• Lifetime subscription costs almost 1000€ in Germany, that is a lot
• Monthly costs 16.50€, more than my streaming service
• Only two streaming services are supported, none of them is market leader
• No webbrowser based control, you have to use apps
• Stops playing local files if you are offline

What are the pros that are worth the money and that i have overlooked?
I feel like i should like the service, but i don't know what for.

1000€ ? It's currently 829 USD.
I purchased mine before the price increase.
I can't remember if there is TAX but you could just avoid that with a VPN.
(Works for other stuff like HQPlayer or Bandcamp as well).

 

[chips666]

What do you like in Roon?
Everything:
Catalog...with some flaws being worked on by Roon
Roon Player
Live radio
Upsampling
Equalizer
I also use Hqplayer - differences are very small - maybe impossible to hear with a double blind test...
Enjoy...

 

[computer-audiophile]

In another thread i mentioned that i tested Roon recently, but wasn't impressed.

I installed the server component on a NUC-like Debian server at home. I did install the receiving end on my RaspberryPi with Moode. That went fine, the installer scripts work well. I then installed the Android app on 11" Samsung tablet and pointed the server to my local files, reading in the files into the database took some time, as was expected.

Eventually it was all done and playing local files worked fine. Here is what i liked:

• easy and flexible setup
• the metadata was great

What i don't liked and why i stopped the trial:

• Lifetime subscription costs almost 1000€ in Germany, that is a lot
• Monthly costs 16.50€, more than my streaming service
• Only two streaming services are supported, none of them is market leader
• No webbrowser based control, you have to use apps
• Stops playing local files if you are offline

What are the pros that are worth the money and that i have overlooked?
I feel like i should like the service, but i don't know what for.

I think it's good that you've listed a few negative points. I am anyway someone who does not like to buy things off the shelf, I prefer to fumble myself something together according to my taste. That's why ROON doesn't come into my bag. In fact, I also save money in this case.

 

[computer-audiophile]

Lifetime licence? I think it is completely crazy to assume that you will use ROON for many years. I've seen so many operating systems, software platforms, data formats etc. come and go in my lifetime. LOL

 

[Soniclife]

Lifetime licence? I think it is completely crazy to assume that you will use ROON for many years. I've seen so many operating systems, software platforms, data formats etc. come and go in my lifetime. LOL

I've been using it for 6 years, if I'd bought a hardware streamer then it would be likely be unsupported junk now. Room should continue to work on cheap hardware for quite some time yet.

 

[PaulZH]

I have a lifetime and have been a great supporter. But during the years I encountered some instabilities with decent support lacking. The big value of having all those links is for the genres I follow only true for older work. Most of the recent albums do not have sufficient metadata to put Roon to shine. This combined with Arc Carplay most of the time having connection problems while the same albums play without any issue from Qobuz Carplay makes me use Roon lesser and lesser. I surely would not pay the lifetime again.

 

[CapMan]

Roon has added an another level of richness in the way I consume music. I wouldn’t be without it. I listen to far more music and with more diversity than I ever have before. Love the information that it wraps around artists and albums, and the journey it takes you on.

I’ve listened alot and learned alot because of Roon.

It’s like the difference between arriving in a new continent for a long road trip with a road atlas when you could have bought a lonely planet guide .

 

[CapMan]

It’s by far the best playback software I have used, absolutely stable here, multi room is really useful and peq can be invaluable,
Keith

I love that it can control / group my Sonos -
Sometimes does a more stable job than the Sonos App itself

 

[Snoopy]

Roon is like a essential piece of hardware that you add To your set-up. Local files + qobuz+ tidal + HQPlayer+ the apple like user interface.. DSP features and roon arc.. the lifetime license is a no brainer really.

The roon forum and the mods are a bunch of A-holes though.

 

[Multicore]

There are more reasons to dislike Roon.

- Support for classical music is atrocious. I raised this issue with them in 2016 when I was on my trial, and their solution was to ask me to edit my metadata. Not going to happen when I have more than 50,000 tracks.
- I already organize my classical music collection in albums by folder. I asked them if there was a way they could allow navigation by folder, or at least recognize that one folder = 1 album? They declined.
- As a result of the above, Roon will play one track of a Beethoven Symphony, and then play a completely unrelated track.

What? That's absurd.

Of course my rips are organized as one release per directory.

Maybe this should be another thread but I want to ask you in particular: What software do you use? I have a number of imperfect solutions all mashed together. I have Minim (DLNA), Plex and Samba (SMB/CISF) server all running on the same Raspberry Pi NAS. Clients are WiiM, BubbleUpnp, moOde, Roku, and the legacy Windows Media Player.

- I do not need the music discovery feature. I know what I want to listen to, and Roon needs to find what I want to play with minimum fuss. It doesn't do that.

I only every met one person ever that unreservedly said that the music discovery/recommendation algorithm they use was good. I know a lot of people really into music and they know the algorithms are just awful. It's not a belief or an opinion, it's knowledge. People who are really good radio or live DJs and programmers actually know it.

 

[Multicore]

Lifetime licence? I think it is completely crazy to assume that you will use ROON for many years. I've seen so many operating systems, software platforms, data formats etc. come and go in my lifetime. LOL

Maybe so but I have the impression Roon is aiming at the audiophile market, and we know what a lot of audiophiles like doing with their disposable cash.

 

[Keith_W]

What? That's absurd.

Yup. Just imagine you are in the mood for some Chopin Nocturnes. Relax back and hear the soothing melancholy wash over you. Then the track ends and suddenly you are in the middle of an angry Shostakovich symphony.

Maybe this should be another thread but I want to ask you in particular: What software do you use? I have a number of imperfect solutions all mashed together. I have Minim (DLNA), Plex and Samba (SMB/CISF) server all running on the same Raspberry Pi NAS. Clients are WiiM, BubbleUpnp, moOde, Roku, and the legacy Windows Media Player.

I use JRiver for everything. It runs on my PC and plays files stored on the local HDD. I stream Tidal to JRiver using it as a DLNA endpoint using BubbleUPNP on my Android tablet and phone.

 

[CapMan]

Maybe so but I have the impression Roon is aiming at the audiophile market, and we know what a lot of audiophiles like doing with their disposable cash.

I use Roon and you know nothing about how I chose to spend my cash, my priorities, requirements or anything else about my life.

Perhaps some less sweeping generalisations are in order, or if you’ve used Roon - even some objective comments.

Thanks.

 

[CapMan]

know a lot of people really into music and they know the algorithms are just awful. It's not a belief or an opinion, it's knowledge. People who are really good radio or live DJs and programmers actually know it.

I’m also ‘really into music’, but I guess ‘the people you know’ know much better than me? I must look up a course on that stuff and get better informed

 

[Multicore]

I stream Tidal to JRiver using it as a DLNA endpoint using BubbleUPNP on my Android tablet and phone.

I don't want a PC/Mac except on my work desk so JRiver may not suit.

BubbleUPNP has the best UX of any of the mobile/touch apps that I have tried.