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Thread: Any Roon users?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Mar 2009

    Location: Hemel Hempstead

    Posts: 1,074
    I'm Steve.

    Default Any Roon users?

    I know it’s relatively expensive (certainly to buy outright), but I’m very impressed with Roon as a media player.

    I couldn’t stand iTunes and did use Audivana for a while, but after a trial of Roon I was hooked.

    The sound quality is excellent and the user interface and device management is really slick, as is the seamless integration of Tidal music into the library.

    It’s so good in fact that I’m seriously considering a lifetime membership this year if finances are healthy at the time.
    Steve aka 'Twelvebears' (it's a long story)
    System: Technics 1210 Mk5, Jelco 750 arm, AT33EV via MF X-LP2 Phono Stage, Oyaide mat and record clamp. SB Touch via Marantz PM-11S1 amp and Wilson Benesch A.C.T. speakers. Mark Grant cables and PS Audio Power Plant Premier mains regenerator.
    (\__/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

  2. #2
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Essex-Herts border

    Posts: 141
    I'm Matt.

    Default

    Not tried it myself, but all the reports I’ve heard are very positive. The main downside seems to be having to pay for it annually rather than on a monthly basis? Like any emerging tech, however good it may be, longevity may be an issue.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: West Sūþsēaxe

    Posts: 2,015
    I'm Edward.

    Default

    Been using Roon for awhile now - with Tidal as a service within Roon.

    Effortless, easy to understand, just works. Love the deep metadata and discovery process.

    Recent version updates very good. 1st MQA unfold done within Roon. The DSP engine worth exploring.

    I was going to go for a lifetime but the possible Tidal collapse has held me back.

    Was a longtime JRiver user.
    Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)


  4. #4
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

    Posts: 2,146
    I'm Adam.

    Default

    +1 for Roon.. no downsides I can think of.. at £90 a year..
    "lack of passion is fatal"


    Vinyl: Thorens TD-124mk2 / SME-312 Aluminium 'special' / SME M2-9R / STEREO: Etsuro Urushi Cobalt / Shure M3D / Ortofon SPU A95 / Cartridge Man Music Master / Shure - SC35C (US) / SAEC C3 MC MONO: Miyajima Zero B 0.7mil mono / Miyajima Premium 1.0 / Amps & SUTs: Radford STA25 mk3 / AD Audio 'Satchmo2' pre & LCR phono / Hashimoto HM-7 SUT / ETR-MONO SUT Digital: Audio Note 4.1 (with DAC5 upgrades) DAC / Roon / Tidal Speakers: Tannoy 12" MGs' in RFC custom 'Rutland' Cabinets with RFC crossovers / Tannoy ST-100 Super Tweeters Cables: LFD Grainless phono / RFC Mercury / Duelund DCA16GA tinned copper / Kimber 12TC / SW1X Audio Design USB-SPdif / Duelund DCA20GA interconnects / SW1X Audio SPDIF Aero 6 / Mains Power Conditioner / Box Furniture rack / Audiodesk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner / a very beautiful & understanding Wife!

  5. #5
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    I'm planning a play with it at some stage when I have two reasonably clear weeks so that I get the benefit of the trial.

    It does appear from descriptions to address some of my misgivings about digital.

    I'm sure it will never be a substitute for physically flicking through the album covers though in the expectation that exactly the right album to match the mood will suddenly surface. A search box can never compete.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Oakengates, Shropshire

    Posts: 654
    I'm Richard.

    Default

    I love Roon and I've been running it for a couple of years now since they did a special offer on a lifetime subscription. The amount of development that is still going into it makes me confident that it will be the best way of organising and playing music for some time to come yet. It's slick, it's responsive and very nice to use. If you have quite a large digital music collection, there's nothing like it - Being able to view what you have in the collection by single year, or span of a number of years, record label, genre, tags including tags that you add yourself (I have added a 'vinyl' tag to the music i have on vinyl which is a nice touch when i get visitors who want to have a browse through my record collection without actually having to stand in front of the racks), band member, producer, the list goes on, can have you taking yourself on a musical journey that can last all night.
    The synopses of the bands and the albums are comprehensive (for the music I have anyway) and the links you get to other artists by reading about the one you're playing is much like going back to being sat with sleeve notes and again, you will keep linking from one to the next and it quickly becomes highly addictive. You can also call up the lyrics of what you're listening to.
    If you're still stuck for something to listen to, then the Discover feature will help you there. This is not just some random page being pulled up with a load of artists or albums to listen to. It's all very clever stuff and might suggest music based on 'this album was released 20 years ago today' or 'today is this artists birthday' or 'you should have a listen to some (insert genre here) which you haven't done in a while.
    As I say, if you have your own (especially a large) collection of digital music, no matter what format it is all in, there is NOTHING to touch Roon. It's also extremely good at automatically sorting out all of your tags and cover art etc. even when your own tagging has been a bit lacking, and stuff that it cannot find on its own (which is rare) can be quickly edited by hand.
    Tidal integration is great too. If you have an MQA DAC then you can output to it directly for the DAC to do the full unfold, and if you don't have an MQA DAC then you can have Roon do the first unfold and then pass that to its output. It also allows you to add Tidal albums to your own collection so when you come to browse they appear there as if they are part of your own library which is a nice touch.
    Device support continues to improve. My endpoint has always been a Raspberry Pi with HAT DAC which works great, but there's quite a collection which is growing steadily of other streaming devices that can be used as Roon endpoints now. The Chromecast was one of the most recent additions, but everything from mobile phones, Apple TV to Bluesound Nodes etc. work. There are also some pretty snazzy DSP plugins for Audeze headphones.
    It's not (yet) perfect. Internet radio functionality is there and it's fine and will work with BBC stations, but it feels a little tagged onto the end, so some polish would be good there, and what would really top things off for me would be the original sleeve notes from albums etc. but I don't think such a library exists online at present.
    I've also had some concerns about sound quality. I've been running the server on a dedicated PC running headless with Ubuntu server (which I found to sound better than the same PC running Windows) and that was sending audio over wi-fi/Ethernet to my Pi. It was all a bit dull and flat when compared with my CD player, so I'm currently trying to work through this to resolve it. Running the server as both Roon server and player directly into my DAC over USB seems a lot better, but there's much more playing around to be done here. But that's all part of the fun isn't it...
    Rich

  7. #7
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: West Sūþsēaxe

    Posts: 2,015
    I'm Edward.

    Default

    Nice review Rich and pretty much is my experience with Roon as well.

    It is strange that you find the SQ somewhat dull playing from your server (Ubuntu based) to your pi. I don't have the exactly the same but it is similar (windows 10 server playing via ethernet to a windows fanless machine and then USB to a DAC). Sound is as good (or better) than CDs (and I have tried several CD players). Definitely worth experimenting as you suggest.

    (you may wish to insert paragraphs in your review to make it easier to read).
    Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)


  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Oakengates, Shropshire

    Posts: 654
    I'm Richard.

    Default

    Yes, I suspect that Roon is not to blame here. The server is one of these micro ITX boards with a pico power supply and my suspicion is that its the power supply that might be the problem. The case has space for a full size PSU though so getting one of those is next on the list to try. I could just run the server connected to the DAC permanently but I'd rather have it in another room than sat next to the hi-fi and I know that the RPi with the KALI/Piano DAC on the end of it is capable of excellent sound even just using it as a Spotify connected device as I am currently.. Finding why all this happens is what keeps me fascinated in digital playback though..
    Rich

  9. #9
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: West Sūþsēaxe

    Posts: 2,015
    I'm Edward.

    Default

    Can you play anything from the RPi without involving the ITX machine? Obviously not Roon but anything else? If SQ improves a lot than yes the PSU on the ITX may well need looking at. My fanless machine is an ITX concoction. I found the Leicke PSU works very well in terms of lack of noise. It is not a linear PSU mind you, but still.
    Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)


  10. #10
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Seaton, Devon, UK

    Posts: 13,240
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lovejoy View Post
    I've also had some concerns about sound quality. I've been running the server on a dedicated PC running headless with Ubuntu server (which I found to sound better than the same PC running Windows) and that was sending audio over wi-fi/Ethernet to my Pi. It was all a bit dull and flat when compared with my CD player, so I'm currently trying to work through this to resolve it. Running the server as both Roon server and player directly into my DAC over USB seems a lot better, but there's much more playing around to be done here. But that's all part of the fun isn't it...
    Great review as, I might take a look for ease of use for my digital catalogue.

    What are the files on your server and the resolution? Maybe I missed something but if they are MP3 or AAC then this is probably the issue, as the quality will be less than CD which is effectively wav or AIF equivalent. The compression of wav/aif compared to the aforementioned in lossless is about 5 times less.
    Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.

    Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner

    Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive

    Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp

    Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones

    Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links


    I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.

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