What do you like in Roon?

[Purité Audio]

When Roon was introduced, I looked at it but couldn’t see any real advantages but once you have lived with it … I wouldn’t want to be without it now, easily the most complete software I have used.
Keith

 

[Moonbase]

Indeed wiim ultra is now Roon ready

 

[Zgrado1970]

I gave myself Roon for Christmas, and have been having a blast, the headphone eq is a revelation (it was my first experience eq’ing headphones). Another feature I like is zone transfer. I can be listening on my phone while doing housework, then transfer whatever is playing to my living room Wiim Ultra, or MacBook or other endpoint.

 

[Madlop26]

itching to try Roon for a while, but I am all Apple ecosystem at home, and seems unlikely to ever be an integration with Roon.

 

[Chubbs McCallister]

I like how it crashes every day.

It's buggy as fuck.

Surpassed only by Dirac.

 

[Zgrado1970]

itching to try Roon for a while, but I am all Apple ecosystem at home, and seems unlikely to ever be an integration with Roon.

I have been an Apple guy for years, and a heavy user of Apple Music and Apple Music before making the switch. I did not like how Apple Music worked differently on iOS and MacOS. Also integrating my CD collection with my Apple Music library was wonky. I have an iPhone, iPad, and a MacBook. All of those devices are a Roon endpoint and work great. The friend who introduced me to Roon (definitely not an Apple guy) purchased an iPad specifically because it is a great Roon remote.

 

[Madlop26]

I have been an Apple guy for years, and a heavy user of Apple Music and Apple Music before making the switch. I did not like how Apple Music worked differently on iOS and MacOS. Also integrating my CD collection with my Apple Music library was wonky. I have an iPhone, iPad, and a MacBook. All of those devices are a Roon endpoint and work great. The friend who introduced me to Roon (definitely not an Apple guy) purchased an iPad specifically because it is a great Roon remote.

I have also a good CD collection, but vast majority of my music is also available in Apple music and the little that is missing is ripped and available in the apple music library, nowadays my playlists are more relevant than my CD collection in my enjoyment of music, I like the option to listen to a song in stereo, and if I want in Atmos if available (I have a 7.2.4 system with Revel speakers). I know is heresy, but in most cases I prefer Atmos, creating personal radios is straightforward and expose you to lots of new music. But you know, why not, i will subscribe for 1 month and see.

 

[Miguelón]

I have also a good CD collection, but vast majority of my music is also available in Apple music and the little that is missing is ripped and available in the apple music library, nowadays my playlists are more relevant than my CD collection in my enjoyment of music, I like the option to listen to a song in stereo, and if I want in Atmos if available (I have a 7.2.4 system with Revel speakers). I know is heresy, but in most cases I prefer Atmos, creating personal radios is straightforward and expose you to lots of new music. But you know, why not, i will subscribe for 1 month and see.

I will do so, using Tidal after some months (I had also Qobuz and Apple Music but I changed to Tidal when they abandoned MQA).
I have Spotify also in parallel with Tidal, their collaborative playlists are quite useful and lots of local groups that are not present in other services.

I know the Spotify nasty treatments to composers, and AI tracks, but maybe the fact that is easier to broadcast has more tracks. In classical music and Jazz, Qobuz is unbeatable though

 

[Tell]

I've looked at Roon a few times but as soon as I see that totally insane price I just walk away. I've barely payed that much for my entire audio setup so there's no way I'd ever pay that much for some random software. Instead I can just use Foobar2000 that can probably do the same with a bit of fiddle and not pay a single cent.

 

[Audionaut]

Indeed wiim ultra is now Roon ready

Yes, although I don't see any advantage in this for me at all, because the WiiM software offers more usability in combination with streaming services than Roon does.
Am I missing something?

 

[Moonbase]

Well I guess the folk at wiim don’t agree as the have put the effort into get room certified with is a painful process based on how long it
took NAD. The Roon protocol is used in many high end units and offers a solid multi Roon protocol that’s not limited like AirPlay.

 

[Audionaut]

I guess the folk at wiim don’t agree as the have put the effort into get room certified with is a painful process based on how long it
took NAD

I use two WiiM Mini and the Ultra with the WiiM app. Mainly with Amazon Music unlimited.
I don't see any advantages with Roon because, if I understood correctly, you can't even integrate Amazon music.
Conversely, I can use pretty much all popular streaming services with WiiM.
The fact that Roon has been integrated into the WiiM app is probably because Roon users don't want to get used to WiiM and it would be stupid not to be able to use a product for which, relatively speaking, they have paid a lot of money.
For me personally, Roon would have no added value and it's expensive.

 

[ahofer]

I like how it crashes every day.

It's buggy as fuck.

Surpassed only by Dirac.

Never had this problem. Stability and durability of connection and control has been a hallmark of my Roon experience relative to streaming app connections.

 

[Chr1]

I've looked at Roon a few times but as soon as I see that totally insane price I just walk away. I've barely payed that much for my entire audio setup so there's no way I'd ever pay that much for some random software. Instead I can just use Foobar2000 that can probably do the same with a bit of fiddle and not pay a single cent.

Slightly OT heads up: My primary reason not to move from Foobar is that you can use MathAudio RoomEQ free too. Something Roon doesn't offer (even at it's premium price.)
I have endpoints EQd for each individual room. For free.

 

[Purité Audio]

Roon has exhaustive PEQ.
Keith

 

[Chr1]

Not quite sure what qualifies as "exhaustive" PEQ. However, from what I can make out it has no means of doing simple, yet highly effective automated room correction as with MathAudio RoomEQ. With Foobar2000 you also have the ability to use numerous VSTs, of which there are several PEQ options. Again, all for free. Big plus IMHO.

Horses for courses, I suppose. I will admit that there's definitely a bit of a learning curve with Foobar.

Other than the cost, one thing that always bothered me about Roon was the need for an Internet connection to browse and play local files. Anyone who has suffered a long Internet outage will attest to this being a big fail. Is this still the case?

 

[Purité Audio]

I am not convinced by automated room correction, REW and a microphone.
Keith

 

[Chr1]

Fair enough, but I see it as a great and simplified starting point. You can then remeasure and tweek with whatever additional EQ to preference if you wish.

As previously mentioned, the main positive for me over Roon is it is all free of charge.

 

[ahofer]

Slightly OT heads up: My primary reason not to move from Foobar is that you can use MathAudio RoomEQ free too. Something Roon doesn't offer (even at it's premium price.)
I have endpoints EQd for each individual room. For free.

No, that’s not true (unless you mean a particular software package). I have convolution filters for each of my listening rooms in Roon. Measured and created in REW.

 

[ahofer]

Is this still the case?

No. They removed it.