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The wait forSpotify HiFihas been a long and arduous one.
So I got tired of waiting.
What even is a Roon anyway?
Allow me to explain.
With your own Roon server, you might stream your own library of FLACs or other hi-res tracks everywhere.
And I mean everywhere.
Its seamless and shows you new music from both.
Built into Roon is a whole home streaming option, using Roon’s own high-quality UPnP protocol.
Then theres the EQ, room correction and headphone-specific EQs built into the app.
This is a game changer and lets you change how your music sounds on a per-rig basis.
Its powerful too, and loads of fun to play around with.
So thats what Roon is all about but whats my experience been like with the service?
Setting up
Getting Roon set up was easy as pie, at least at first.
I was, as Im sure you could imagine, living the audio-streaming dream.
Until I went to bed.
No music was playing anywhere.
Moving my account over to the Nucleus one was a bit more of a pain though.
The Nucleus One has been a reliable, always-on-server machine.
Theres no Wi-Fi on board.
My Roon experience
So how have I found Roon?
Since getting the Nucleus One, its been impeccable.
The curation has had a couple of miss-steps.
The more Ive listened the more its learned, but there have been some funny recommendations.
Take that Spotify and your yearly round ups.
The headline feature
The best part has been the Roon Arc experience.
There are artists and albums that just dont exist on any streaming service.
Wendy Carlos, for example, has pulled all of her music from streaming services.
I can now listen to the track wherever I like, without having to worry about local unit storage.
It plays at full bitrate, with no issues at all.
Unless you lose internet connection, of course.
Beyond its ability to essentially become a personal streaming service, the Roon Arc experience is a top-notch one.
The app is well set out, and easy to use.
I love the small, nerdy details as well.
Is Roon for you?
Roon is a luxury thats not entirely necessary for almost anyone.
Its also an extra $15 per month.
Its cheaper when you bill it annually $12.49 per month in a single $149.99 yearly payment.
Either way, thats around the same that youll be paying for thebest music streaming services.
So is it worth it?
Your whole collection on the go, with no need for other streaming services?
Curation of that music so you dont have to worry about picking what plays next?
I dont need Spotify HiFi anymore Ive made my own.
