Author Topic: Roon 1.7  (Read 6632 times)

Offline Nick B

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Roon 1.7
« on: November 25, 2019, 04:04:25 PM »
Roon now has version 1.7 which has some nice, new features. They have a feature called
“Radio” which searches out similar music to what you’re playing. Per customer suggestions...and complaints..they’ve improved the search accuracy. Then there is the “Live Radio” feature which shows radio station screen icons. Very nice as I’ve not wanted to enter URL’s. I’ve tried a few stations and the sound quality is good. The Roon staff did the work to find the stations and I believe the customer base also made suggestions.
The Roon core...the Roon OS...runs nicely on my 10 year old Mac desktop and I can use my iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air as endpoints. Very convenient for me.
On another note, the fee for. Roon lifetime license has jumped from $499 to $699. The yearly subscription remains the same. I subscribed a few years ago for the $499.
I love using Roon as it’s so comprehensive and user friendly.
I’ve recapped this from memory and if I‘ve made any errors, including terminology, do let me know.
Nick .
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Offline tmazz

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2019, 05:06:15 PM »
Wow, that's a big price jump percentage wise. I only hope that this is not a sign of financial trouble. Roon is a great product and I know there are a lot of people that would be very unhappy if they lost access to it.

In general I get very nervous about products that offer lifetime subscriptions. A product like Roon requires a lot of ongoing maintenance as the underlying database needs to be constantly updated. If they are selling mostly lifetime subscriptions, then they are relying on the cashflow from new customers to fund the maintenance needed to keep the service running for the existing base. This works fine as long as they are in a growth mode, but what happens when the market starts to get saturated? I just hope their business plan has some kind of provisions for generating the cash flow required to keep the service running once sales start to flatten.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2019, 05:08:18 PM by tmazz »
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Offline Nick B

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2019, 06:05:00 PM »
Wow, that's a big price jump percentage wise. I only hope that this is not a sign of financial trouble. Roon is a great product and I know there are a lot of people that would be very unhappy if they lost access to it.

In general I get very nervous about products that offer lifetime subscriptions. A product like Roon requires a lot of ongoing maintenance as the underlying database needs to be constantly updated. If they are selling mostly lifetime subscriptions, then they are relying on the cashflow from new customers to fund the maintenance needed to keep the service running for the existing base. This works fine as long as they are in a growth mode, but what happens when the market starts to get saturated? I just hope their business plan has some kind of provisions for generating the cash flow required to keep the service running once sales start to flatten.

Yes, Tom, I have the same concern. But I’ve had Roon over 3 years and don’t regret the purchase....yet. Years ago I bought a scanner...probably Panasonic in order to go paperless. The software was ok and they don’t support the current Mac OS, just a few generations back. Needless to say, my filing system is, and always will be, paper.
Nick
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline jimbones

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2019, 04:36:56 AM »
By dramatically raising the lifetime fee, they are trying to drive customers to the yearly fee. Better for long term cash flow
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Offline mdconnelly

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2019, 07:24:01 AM »
Roon has been openly stating their plan to eliminate lifetime subscriptions completely for a couple years now.   There's a very interesting and articulate post by Roon's COO, Danny Dulai, here

(https://community.roonlabs.com/t/lifetime-price-increase-499-699/84339)

as to why they increased the lifetime fee.   As @jimbones stated, it is actually to discourage lifetime subscriptions and encourage annual subscriptions to better ensure their longterm viability.   It's turned into a long discussion thread with a few folks quite disgruntled that they missed out on the lower lifetime subscription price. Interestingly, the COO later posted that there has still been quite a few that have since signed up for lifetime at the now $699 fee.

I've had a lifetime subscription for 4 years now.   Roon has continued to truly impress me with the strength and frequency of improvements and their excellent forum of communication.  And it has changed how (and how much) I listen to music.   I think they're in very solid standing... my biggest fear is that someone will buy them out at some point.  Sometimes that works out fine, but I remember what happened to SlimDevices after Logitech bought them out.   It was fine for about a year and then just withered away until Logitech dumped it.   

Offline jimbones

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2019, 07:42:51 AM »
Roon has been openly stating their plan to eliminate lifetime subscriptions completely for a couple years now.   There's a very interesting and articulate post by Roon's COO, Danny Dulai, here

(https://community.roonlabs.com/t/lifetime-price-increase-499-699/84339)

as to why they increased the lifetime fee.   As @jimbones stated, it is actually to discourage lifetime subscriptions and encourage annual subscriptions to better ensure their longterm viability.   It's turned into a long discussion thread with a few folks quite disgruntled that they missed out on the lower lifetime subscription price. Interestingly, the COO later posted that there has still been quite a few that have since signed up for lifetime at the now $699 fee.

I've had a lifetime subscription for 4 years now.   Roon has continued to truly impress me with the strength and frequency of improvements and their excellent forum of communication.  And it has changed how (and how much) I listen to music.   I think they're in very solid standing... my biggest fear is that someone will buy them out at some point.  Sometimes that works out fine, but I remember what happened to SlimDevices after Logitech bought them out.   It was fine for about a year and then just withered away until Logitech dumped it.   
I purchased mine for $499 a year and a half ago that was one of the best things i did.
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Offline mdconnelly

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2019, 08:10:13 AM »
If you want to stream music - either from your own music collection or from Tidal or Qobuz - to virtually any place in your home that has speakers, there is nothing that comes close to Roon.   Of course, if you mostly still spin vinyl, Roon isn't going to help much  :duh

Offline Nick B

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2019, 02:14:11 PM »
I believe I read a few days ago that Roon has 100,000 subscribers. I did a quick search just now, but couldn’t confirm that. As I said previously, I’m happy with my purchase and Roon is constantly working to improve their product. Financially, it makes more sense to keep the cash flow coming in yearly.
As to SlimDevices and Logitech, I experienced that transition and the software was often unstable for me. But it was a modded Squeezebox that got me into streaming. It’s so convenient and fun searching through Tidal for new music and artists.
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Offline mdconnelly

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2019, 12:07:22 PM »
When SlimDevices started up back in the beginning of this Century, they were thinking far outside the box with an awesome concept and product.   It wasn't until sometime in early 2006 that I jumped in (not too long after the SB3 was released I think).   It was, at times, a bit flakey but, IMHO, they did far more right than wrong.  Logitech bought Slimdevices in late 2006 I believe and, for awhile, supported it well.   Over the years I think I bought every form of Squeezebox made except the Transporter.  Some held up well (SB Touch) and some not so much (Duet, Boom).   

I first learned of Roon in late 2015 and when they announced the ability to stream from Roon to any Squeezebox in late 2015 I jumped.   About 5 days into my Roon trial, I knew it was *way* beyond what I had been using so I bought a lifetime subscription.  No regrets at all.

I don't doubt that at some point, they will face serious competition, but right now I don't think any other product even comes close.  Kudos to them  :thumb:

Offline rollo

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2019, 07:36:15 AM »
  I have yet to try Roon. I use iPeng for my Innuos server. Gives me an access to all my music ripped into server and QoBuz , Tidal, etc.   I can download music, make play lists, random play, LPs, Favorites and more.  What can Roon offer me that iPeng does not ? BTW $10/year.


charles
« Last Edit: December 02, 2019, 08:17:02 AM by rollo »
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Offline Nick B

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2019, 09:33:45 AM »
  I have yet to try Roon. I use iPeng for my Innuos server. Gives me an access to all my music ripped into server and QoBuz , Tidal, etc.   I can download music, make play lists, random play, LPs, Favorites and more.  What can Roon offer me that iPeng does not ? BTW $10/year.


charles

Charles, that’s a good question that I can’t answer. It’s been 3 years or so since I’ve used iPeng with my Auralic Mini streamer. iPeng was a good app and was stable and that’s a great price.
Nick
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline mdconnelly

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2019, 07:33:15 AM »
Charles,   I came from the Squeezebox/LMS world and loved it when iPeng came along.  But when Roon started supporting Squeezebox endpoints, I jumped.   I'm not familiar with Innuos servers but they do have this http://www.innuos.com/en/go/roon that describes how they support Roon.

I'm not going to attempt to describe why I think Roon is such an awesome music streaming platform (at least for me, you're mileage may vary), but if you're remotely interested, you should give their trial a spin.  I suspect you'll be equally impressed.   Now, whether it's worth $109/year more than you're spending now, only you can decide.

Caveat:  I haven't used iPeng in 4 years so I'm also not fully aware of what it's capable of now either.

Offline rollo

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #12 on: December 05, 2019, 10:27:02 AM »
  iPeng 9 allows me play of my ripped files in an organized manner.  iPeng 9 does not up sample anything. Just a music management system. Yes my Innuos sever is set up for Roon. After I purchase Roon just need to type in my email. All done and ready for action. Some day will give it a free trial.
A little Bridie told me Innuos will have their own Roon style service coming soon. Most likely 2020.

charles
contact me  at rollo14@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook
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Offline mdconnelly

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #13 on: December 05, 2019, 12:30:49 PM »
Roon certainly has a target on their back.   While they have an exceptional product and do quite a stellar job of continuous improvement, I have no doubt that we'll soon see a lot of competition... some focused at the higher-end of hi-end and likely far more focused at the masses.    Time will tell.   

Offline Nick B

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Re: Roon 1.7
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2019, 04:53:43 PM »
Roon certainly has a target on their back.   While they have an exceptional product and do quite a stellar job of continuous improvement, I have no doubt that we'll soon see a lot of competition... some focused at the higher-end of hi-end and likely far more focused at the masses.    Time will tell.

Probably quite true, Mike.
I found this excellent article which details how brilliant the Roon team is. Fifteen years ago, they were simply a group of music lovers who wanted an easier and better way to manage their music libraries. I had forgotten they were also involved with the Meridian Soolos system.
I readily pay my $20 a month for Tidal and the yearly Roon subscription of $119 is certainly a bargain imho.
Nick

https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/feature-articles/96-play-nice-together-an-interview-with-rob-darling-of-roon-labs
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS