News Roon has transformed how I listen to music

[AC News]

Roon is the best music player I have ever used, and if you have a large music library, you should consider giving it a try.

Roon has transformed how I listen to music : Read more

 

[pjhercules]

I switched from XBMC/Kodi to Plex years ago. Their plexamp app for mobile/tablets is awesome even with ai integration if you want it. For me it's the best personal music app I've ever had with zero monthly/yearly costs. I paid for the lifetime Plex pass several years ago for $60. It's completely worth it. Everyone will have their own favorites but this one is mine for sure.

 

[SyCoREAPER]

It is a powerful solution but I don't see the value in paying someone a monthly fee just for access to my own content. It's marketed too expensive.

Not to mention (while unlikely) you may be technically violaiting your ISP agreement. Most do not allow hosting of servers, especially high traffic, so you might get dinged.

 

[simbonzo]

It is a powerful solution but I don't see the value in paying someone a monthly fee just for access to my own content. It's marketed too expensive.

Not to mention (while unlikely) you may be technically violaiting your ISP agreement. Most do not allow hosting of servers, especially high traffic, so you might get dinged.

After trialling it and loving it, I went all in and got lifetime. Psychologically, spending a big chunk on a component feels less problematic than committing to ongoing expenditure. A bit of mental gymnastics, dividing the total cost by the number of zones it was serving, and I was more than happy. I'd admit if I'd spaffed the money up the wall. I didn't.

 

[SyCoREAPER]

After trialling it and loving it, I went all in and got lifetime. Psychologically, spending a big chunk on a component feels less problematic than committing to ongoing expenditure. A bit of mental gymnastics, dividing the total cost by the number of zones it was serving, and I was more than happy. I'd admit if I'd spaffed the money up the wall. I didn't.

Were you an early adopter though? I recall a few months ago vaguely entertaining the idea (until I saw the price) and read it had gone up a fair amount.

Regardless, if you have the lifetime, I guess I can see it so long as it's decentralized or can be made such should they ever shutter.

 

[samagon]

After trialling it and loving it, I went all in and got lifetime. Psychologically, spending a big chunk on a component feels less problematic than committing to ongoing expenditure. A bit of mental gymnastics, dividing the total cost by the number of zones it was serving, and I was more than happy. I'd admit if I'd spaffed the money up the wall. I didn't.

keep in mind, "lifetime" is the lifetime of the company, and not your lifetime.

 

[scgf]

I switched from XBMC/Kodi to Plex years ago. Their plexamp app for mobile/tablets is awesome even with ai integration if you want it. For me it's the best personal music app I've ever had with zero monthly/yearly costs. I paid for the lifetime Plex pass several years ago for $60. It's completely worth it. Everyone will have their own favorites but this one is mine for sure.

I've had a Plex Pass for many years and have used Plexamp. As you say it works well with your personal music on the go but it does not integrate well with a home audiophile HiFi system. Clearly an audiophile does not want to go down the Chromecast/AirPlay route. I investigated using it on my system but soon realised it was not up to the task - only because that usage scenario is not something it purports to do. You would need a Plexamp client of some sort in your system for it to work.

 

[scgf]

Roon is the best music player I have ever used, and if you have a large music library, you should consider giving it a try.

Roon has transformed how I listen to music : Read more

I am a Roon user. It has revolutionised the way I listen to music for a reason you haven't mentioned. If you subscribe to a streaming service like Qobuz, Spotify or Tidal it integrates your home library and the streaming service/services seamlessly. Where the music is coming from is of little concern. What you see is a unified interface which focuses on the music and allows you to explore and discover and which learns about your taste. You need a Roon Ready streamer and you install the Roon software on a Mac or Pc somewhere on your home network. I bought an Intel NUC and installed the Roon Rock OS it - literally a job which takes just a few minutes. Alternatively you can buy a Roon Nucleus - which is like a NUC without fans and is already set up with ROCK. Since Harman Kardon bought Roon there have been many exciting developments and an affordable Roon Nucleus is one of them.

I use an iPad to run the Roon app which is the user interface to the whole system. I've also installed it on my Pixel 8.

It sounds complicated, but all you need is the Roon server - which could be as simple as a computer you already have - like a Mac, Windows PC, Linux machine or NAS or you buy a miniPC and install Roon's own server OS, ROCK. If you use a normal computer Roon runs as an app so you can carry on using that computer as as you did before. You then need the app on your phone, iPad/Android tablet or even another computer. Ideally your streamer will be Roon Ready and so many streamers are. The Wiim range is reasonably priced and is Roon Ready. I use an iFi Zen Streamer with an external Bifrost DAC - because the iFi Zen doesn't have an inbuilt DAC.