Why I Stopped Using Roon

[Greenman]

I’m not a Roon user, I couldn’t get my head around paying a monthly fee for what it provides, I can see no additional value other than some convenience, everything it does seems easily accessible via other (free) means.

 

[TheKoC]

- Frequent software updates became a chore. Too often, when I just wanted to listen to music, I’d end up downloading updates and restarting my computer instead.

I get some of the other points of ciritcism, but not the update one. In my experience the last 2 years they are few and far enough between so that I don't even remember the last update.
Is other users experience so different?

 

[BDWoody]

I get some of the other points of ciritcism, but not the update one. In my experience the last 2 years they are few and far enough between so that I don't even remember the last update.
Is other users experience so different?

I remember seeing the little update buttons come up once in a while, but don't remember it being a particular nuisance. I have Roon on my NAS and it just updates and reloads in about 20 seconds so not a big hassle.

I'm a happy user. Bought the lifetime long ago.

 

[Joachim Herbert]

Perfect and effortless Integration of streaming and local files
Great Metadata readily available when listening
Multi vendor support, unifying interface for different hardware and services
Supports multiple concurrent streams to different devices and groups of devices
Top notch sound
Top notch dsp
Perfect digital volume control
Almost any handheld device can control the system
Cheap, compared to cables, high end audio network routers and all that other fancy stuff
Frequent feature updates

All in one place and perfectly integrated

(Just deleted the post announcing I would not comment on roon bashing. It get's so boring.)

 

[Homard]

I am only in the first few weeks of using Roon. It is expensive but it seems to be the only software that gives me easy multi-room control over diverse devices including Bluesound and Wiim.

 

[Fahzz]

LMS for me, mostly with local files and Qobuz.

I just saw up thread that you need a computer running to use Roon, and I never knew that. LMS (now Lyrion Music Server) is free and pretty much does what Roon does. Recent development has made Windows installation a lot less challenging. So if you're running Roon on a PC anyway, give it a try. Very dedicated and helpful members on their forum: https://forums.lyrion.org/

 

[obsessive9119]

I never stream at all
I only play my own files
I like the metadata sometimes

If not Roon, what?

For me, minimserver and WiiM.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

Roon doesn't offer me anything I'm not getting. I understand that it is very useful for a lot of people. I have CamillaDSP on my Raspberry Pis and a parametric equalizer on my WIIM Mini. I could get the DSP plugin for LMS. I like metadata but most of the music I own or stream I picked because I knew the artist, composer, and other things that are part of the metadata. Again, my requirements aren't everyone's. Like any tool Roon is better suited for some applications than others. From what I've read Roon does the things it's designed to do very well.

 

[kyuu]

Tried Roon out on a trial. It's definitely a pretty neat piece of software and I wouldn't have minded continuing to use it. No way could I justify yet another subscription for it, however, unless it was a lot cheaper.

 

[Sernyl]

I hesitated for years and just recently got a trial membership . I’ve been aware of the service for a long time .

I do like it but it has many idiosyncratic things that’s mainly the roon team itself and thier way of making stuff that made me hesitate.

The Spotify support is actually entirely on roon , they could not compromise with thier UI a bit and makes something that works , but choosing the roon way or nothing.

Same with the truly inexcusably and insane idea that the server stops working without internet connection, their coveted search would be compromised?
Same attitude? Just make a local search that s not as good is way way better than nothing at all ?
I think it’s actually about selling our data …..

And thier own hardware where they refuse to give proper specs ?

Or that you can have only one server at the time ? To move between them requires login and online connection.

There are countless weird bussiness and software decisions.

And not to speak of it’s that it’s an enormous resource hog ?

But again Roon has some features that I really like especially the integration with my hardware and PEQ software
And many more features that I like .

You take the good with the bad so I’ll think a run it for some more time and decide later .

Due to it’s nature of online only service I need to run my LMS server on the side anyways ,should Internet go down .
So it really can’t replace anything else you have as a music server , you need to keep that too .

Sorry if the info is already somewhere :
LMS web server is down, yes, but your boxes will work with the Open Source successor :

Home - Lyrion Music Server

lyrion.org

(I recovered all my setup, including my favorites (radio URLs)
Regards,

 

[Zgrado1970]

I started with Roon at the end of last year after several years of using Apple Music. I made the switch because I found the experience of integrating my CD collection into my Apple Music library cumbersome and wonky. I have zero interest in, or aptitude for, doing nerd sh*t like building my own server, so a plug and play solution like the Roon Nucleus One was ideal. I am fortunate in that the cost was not an obstacle. The day I received that I was up and running in about 20 minutes. The headphone EQ has been a revelation, and the music discovery and exploration have been (for me) phenomenal. So, I am a very happy Roon user. I should add that I have had none of the problems that other Roon users have described, but maybe I’m lucky.

 

[Mnyb]

Sorry if the info is already somewhere :
LMS web server is down, yes, but your boxes will work with the Open Source successor :

Home - Lyrion Music Server

lyrion.org

(I recovered all my setup, including my favorites (radio URLs)
Regards,

Yes I use lyrion too it’s better in some instances

 

[Hear Here]

I LOVE Roon! Best audio software investment I've made. Purchased the lifetime when it first came out for $400....it has paid for itself. Although I do keep waiting for Samsung to change the rules and decide to charge another fee. Updates are nearly automatic and flawless every time. Just can't recommend it enough!

I had Roon for a month trial but found absolutely nothing it offered over what BluOS does, apart from its useful "radio" function of offering an extended playlist based on your listening history. Now that I liked, but otherwise, I've saved a subscription and a hardware purchase.

 

[Mnyb]

I had Roon for a month trial but found absolutely nothing it offered over what BluOS does, apart from its useful "radio" function of offering an extended playlist based on your listening history. Now that I liked, but otherwise, I've saved a subscription and a hardware purchase.

Lyrion has a don’t stop the music plugin that’s quite configurable, it can use your own collection or fetch tracks from Spotify.
Actually better than roon radio as you see some tracks in advance what’s coming up and skip forward

 

[shuppatsu]

Frequent software updates became a chore. Too often, when I just wanted to listen to music, I’d end up downloading updates and restarting my computer instead.

I honestly thought this couldn’t be true. But I looked it up in the Roon community threads, and yes, people are rebooting all the time.

This should not be happening in 2025. Either terrible design or some fishy kernel-level stuff going on. Heck, I can even update my GPU driver without rebooting!

 

[Hear Here]

Lyrion has a don’t stop the music plugin that’s quite configurable, it can use your own collection or fetch tracks from Spotify.
Actually better than roon radio as you see some tracks in advance what’s coming up and skip forward

What platforms can Lyron be loaded onto, and what brands of streamer can it be used with?

I don't use Spotify as it isn't good enough quality. Does Lyron work with Qobuz and Tidal and one's own music Library?

Can it access the world's radio stations and Radio Paradise?

I ask because I've never heard of Lyron and, if it can challenge BluOS, then perhaps I could try it, if only for its "don't stop the music" feature. Thanks

 

[jtwrace]

I had Roon for a month trial but found absolutely nothing it offered over what BluOS does, apart from its useful "radio" function of offering an extended playlist based on your listening history. Now that I liked, but otherwise, I've saved a subscription and a hardware purchase.

Great! I also use it for my FIR

 

[Martin]

Wait a minute... Roon costs money? I was thinking of trying it on my NAS server, not anymore. I'll stick with piCorePlayer.

Martin

 

[kyuu]

Wait a minute... Roon costs money?

 

[Sernyl]

What platforms can Lyron be loaded onto, and what brands of streamer can it be used with?

I don't use Spotify as it isn't good enough quality. Does Lyron work with Qobuz and Tidal and one's own music Library?

Can it access the world's radio stations and Radio Paradise?

I ask because I've never heard of Lyron and, if it can challenge BluOS, then perhaps I could try it, if only for its "don't stop the music" feature. Thanks

- Lyrion LMS works (at least) on the so many Squeezeboxes made by Slim Devices (Sean Adams) and later by Logitech.

Squeezebox (network music player) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

One can find them easily on second-hand market, as many former users still don't know they can work on a local server(PC) in the absence of the Logitech web server (which was closed ~1 or 2 years ago).
These "boxes" can also work as UPNP/DLNA peripherals (in Foobar, just an example).

- Platforms : some, but I don't use any and can't tell : first look at the Lyrion MS web pages and forum.

- Radios : yes, and you can copy more specific URLs in your favorites or in the Squeezeplay app for PC
IMHO, and as it has already been written here, no need to buy a superlative and expensive streamer : find a discarded Squeezebox (>SB3) or any Rasberry Pi.
Hope this helps,