Roon From Roon Labs - A Video Run-through

Well now that I've finally had a chance to really get into it I've mixed feelings about Roon. The look is great but ease of use, at least for me, is not what I like in a library. It's more like a wonderful visual cornucopia and wonderland that suits the music tourist. My taste in music players is to easily find what I'm looking for, and then just play it. Kick back and focus my full attention. No distractions please.

And for those interested in SQ, I'd have to put it way down the list of all the players in my system with Amarra and JRiver leading the pack. Roon is a bit reticent in dynamics, with a higher noise floor, and is simply not as realistic in terms of the overall sound I'm used to hearing from the other players. Guess I'll sit awhile as this sorta' beta release improves.

Roon looks very interesting, can't wait to try it out (once I have fixed a recently occurring spontaneous rebooting problem on my computer).

 

The pricing doesn't seem too bad but I personally would be VERY suspect of any deal where the term "lifetime" is used in conjunction with computer technology. What is the definition of "lifetime" related to Roon? Five years, ten?

Funny thing about that.. our team is still supporting the Sooloos 1.0 users' metadata needs.. we have been since 2006 :-)

Also, I hope they put a lot of effort into a remote app. There are people wedded to JRiver just because of JRemote. Roon seems to be taking care of the library management feature, sound quality seems undetermined yet, the remote capability is key to a good portion of the population!

Our "remote" application is identical in capability to our non-remote (where it makes sense, for example your remote can't add a watched folder on the local disk).

This is interesting. I found the gear and volume leveling was off. I sort of thought nothing more but then I turned on volume leveling and the sound has improved considerably. The signal path is now showing that the file is being up-converted from 16 bits to 24 bits and then there is volume leveling of -7.2db being applied.

 

Went back to JRMC and noticed that I had volume leveling turned on. So, I tried the same track with the volume leveling turned off and the terrible sound was there.

 

Okay, so now I am confused. Why would the "raw" track sound so terrible and the leveled track sound so much better?

 

Thanks for the help Chris with getting to the bottom of this.

I'll provide a terrible technical explanation, so bear with me, but is it possible that your "raw" playback is really digitally increasing the volume somewhere in the chain? I can replicate this terrible sound behavior in Amarra SQ by increasing the volume above "0" or increasing the equalization too much and not compensating by lowering the volume overall. I equated it to digital "clipping."

Funny thing about that.. our team is still supporting the Sooloos 1.0 users' metadata needs.. we have been since 2006 :-)

 

 

 

Our "remote" application is identical in capability to our non-remote (where it makes sense, for example your remote can't add a watched folder on the local disk).

It is good to have confidence in your endeavor, and as I said I can't wait to try it out. I certainly am aware of how well Sooloos has been received in the past although I have not had any personal interaction with the system. But the computer technology industry is littered with names and products that have gone by the wayside, some very popular and innovative, and there is probably a very good reason why the word "lifetime" is not associated with the industry.

I'll provide a terrible technical explanation, so bear with me, but is it possible that your "raw" playback is really digitally increasing the volume somewhere in the chain? I can replicate this terrible sound behavior in Amarra SQ by increasing the volume above "0" or increasing the equalization too much and not compensating by lowering the volume overall. I equated it to digital "clipping."

This is exactly what it sounds like - digital clipping. I can't figure out why, where or how this would be happening but clearly it is. Doesn't seem to obviously do it on all tracks though.

This is exactly what it sounds like - digital clipping. I can't figure out why, where or how this would be happening but clearly it is. Doesn't seem to obviously do it on all tracks though.

My guess is that something is boosting the gain somewhere in your system, and volume normalization is band-aiding the problem by lowering your volume. Fix your hardware setup and try again. Volume normalization is great for a party, but if you want quality, avoid it at all costs. It compromises SQ because it does the gain correction work digitally.

Roon looks very interesting, can't wait to try it out (once I have fixed a recently occurring spontaneous rebooting problem on my computer).

 

The pricing doesn't seem too bad but I personally would be VERY suspect of any deal where the term "lifetime" is used in conjunction with computer technology. What is the definition of "lifetime" related to Roon? Five years, ten?

 

Also, I hope they put a lot of effort into a remote app. There are people wedded to JRiver just because of JRemote. Roon seems to be taking care of the library management feature, sound quality seems undetermined yet, the remote capability is key to a good portion of the population!

That's me, android remote please.

That's me, android remote please.

If all goes good, next week for Android. If not, two weeks.

We really hoped to have it at the end of this week, but we got our asses kicked by the the launch. We expected like 20 signups, we blew through that in the first 10 minutes after launch. With all that traffic came support and questions and billing and crazy weird things. Good problems to have, but it's throwing us off our game. We've only been launched for 33 hours, and I feel like I've aged 2 years!

Anyway, I use my Nexus 9 w/ Roon daily, and it rocks. Can't wait for you guys to see it.

If all goes good, next week for Android. If not, two weeks.

 

We really hoped to have it at the end of this week, but we got our asses kicked by the the launch. We expected like 20 signups, we blew through that in the first 10 minutes after launch. With all that traffic came support and questions and billing and crazy weird things. Good problems to have, but it's throwing us off our game. We've only been launched for 33 hours, and I feel like I've aged 2 years!

 

Anyway, I use my Nexus 9 w/ Roon daily, and it rocks. Can't wait for you guys to see it.

Awesome that's what I wanted to hear. I will hold back on my trial then just so I can test the app remote.

Hope sound quality gets on par with jriver.

How long until iOS compatibility is released? I was hoping to use it with an IPad, like I currently use JRiver and the JRemote app....the Roon software is very impressive for a launch product. But sadly the lack of tablet integration, will put me off until then. I really don't fancy buying an Android device just to use Roon in the short term

Is there a facility for using plugins (convolution, Fab Filter, etc.) directly, or, is there some way to route through J River so that my J River dsp effects work?

Would love to love Roon, BUT it has some weird digital noise, mostly when I play HiRez material (SACD or 24/96 stuff). They all play fine via iTunes, PureMusic, Amarra, Dirac and stuff. Tried everything I can think of, different outputs on the Mac (optical, USB...)... Nothing helps. Good advice needed

PS Now I even have the noise from 16/44.1 music!

Tried to turn on iTunes again, and quit Roon. Now same digital noise from iTunes too...

ejected my m2tech hifaceTwo USB to SPDIF converter... Put it back in and iTunes now plays without noise. GREAT! Don't wanna turn on Roon again....

itunes OFF, turned Roon ON again, ejected and put back the hiFace, no noise from Roon with a 16/44 track. Tried with a 24/48 track, plays ok. 24/96 distorts as h... ;(

back too 16/44 which now plays OK again....

( and YES I have switched OFF the Audio Analysis Speed in Roon)

Never have had this digital noise before I got Roon. Have been listening to iTunes/PureMusic/Dirac/hiFaceTwo every day for years with out just one noisy crackle...

Best

KnockKnock

How long until iOS compatibility is released? I was hoping to use it with an IPad, like I currently use JRiver and the JRemote app....the Roon software is very impressive for a launch product. But sadly the lack of tablet integration, will put me off until then. I really don't fancy buying an Android device just to use Roon in the short term

Your comment implies that an Android app is imminent. Do tell if so.

From what I'm reading on the Roon forums, it appears that ASIO compatibility might be moving up the priority list. Quite how they overlooked that this would be important is rather amazing, but at least it's now firmly on their radar. Rome wasn't built in a day etc.

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/asio-support-and-the-title-should-be-15-char-so-now-it-is/676

Found out some more...

Roon is good up to 24 bit 16 kHz in my system. Files above that play with some bad and loud digital noise

all HiRes files play perfect without Roon

kk

Found out some more...

Roon is good up to 24 bit 16 kHz in my system. Files above that play with some bad and loud digital noise

 

all HiRes files play perfect without Roon

 

kk

16 kHz?

OMG, I meant 24 bit 44.1, sorry...

Found out some more, it's the combination of Roon and Dirac which is messing up the good sound. Without Dirac Roon plays fine, the issue is here though, that I REALLY need the Dirac App. My listening room only works with Dirac, it's not possible to tweak the room without it. It's also a living and dining room, and therefore I can only place them loudspeakers where there is room for them, and let Dirac do their magic. I hope their will be a fix from either Dirac or Roon, pleeeeease...

Best KnockKnock

"Rome wasn't built in a day etc."

Neither was Roon

OMG, I meant 24 bit 44.1, sorry...

Found out some more, it's the combination of Roon and Dirac which is messing up the good sound. Without Dirac Roon plays fine, the issue is here though, that I REALLY need the Dirac App. My listening room only works with Dirac, it's not possible to tweak the room without it. It's also a living and dining room, and therefore I can only place them loudspeakers where there is room for them, and let Dirac do their magic. I hope their will be a fix from either Dirac or Roon, pleeeeease...

What is Dirac and how did you determine this incompatibility? Sorry that I'm unfamiliar with Dirac. I want to help, but I you to guide me a bit :-)

I think you might be talking about Online Store | Dirac Research -- in which case, please tell me what product of theirs you have and your setup. Could I ask you to take this to https://community.roonlabs.com -- Our support team can help as well, in case I miss you on this forum.

Hi Danny. Thanx for your quick reply..Dirac is indeed from dirac.se, it's the two channel RoomCorrection version. Works as a charm, until today

Tried to log in your link at room labs, but my login is not accepted. Maybe bcs I registred today

I Would LOVE to if you could help somehow with this issue

best KnockKnock

I eagerly anticipate the Aries incorporation.

I have a windows 8.1 server running minimserver currently for the Aries, and just point my different iTunes/Foobar libraries to the music volume on the server. I currently use the Lightning DS app, or more frequently the Kinsky app to control the Aries.

With Roon, I would run Roon on my server, and then use clients to either play music locally, or to control the Aries (when the support occurs that is) ?

Hi Danny. Thanx for your quick reply..Dirac is indeed from dirac.se, it's the two channel RoomCorrection version. Works as a charm, until today

 

Tried to log in your link at room labs, but my login is not accepted. Maybe bcs I registred today

 

I Would LOVE to if you could help somehow with this issue

 

best KnockKnock

Unfortunately, our forum logins are not tied to the software logins. Can you just create yourself a KnockKnock account there? :-)

Would Roon replace the Pure Music program I am currently using?

Your comment implies that an Android app is imminent. Do tell if so.

See post #134 it was from Roon which suggested such

Unfortunately, our forum logins are not tied to the software logins. Can you just create yourself a KnockKnock account there? :-)

Hi Danny

thanx, will do that

KnockKnock