„If the price increase has reduced demand for lifetime subscriptions, that’s a good thing for our business“
It’s kind of a mixed message, though. If Roon doesn’t want Lifetime subscriptions, why do they still offer it? They have been saying for MANY years that it could go away at any time, yet it’s still offered after almost a decade.
Well, I suppose as long as the numbers aren’t too high, they may be fine with it, and the price raises may have achieved this. It might cover a certain type of user who wouldn’t pay annually. Like every price adjustment, it’s a dynamic optimization exercise.
I just don’t think that in the context of their statements it makes any sense for them to offer discounts, or for a customer to postpone it in the hope of a discount.
And regarding their statements that it can go away at any time: I’d also say that, if only as an insurance policy.
Agreed.
I think Roon may have offered a discount on the Lifetime option when they first launched (correct me if I’m not remembering correctly). I do remember they have never offered a discount on Lifetime since 2016 when I signed up (I tried an annual subscription first before buying a lifetime subscription in 2017).
Also, if someone wants to switch to a Lifetime subscription, I would recommend not waiting until one’s current subscription expires as the Lifetime option may not be available then or may go up in price.
Maybe, I wasn’t around. It makes sense when founding a new company, to raise some cash to keep it going through the first year or something.
Exactly
I agree.
I would like to see Roon Labs restructure things so that the ONLY way to buy a lifetime subscription is as an optional add-on when purchasing the Nucleus Titan. Since the hardware is not terribly useful without a Roon subscription, being able to add an $830 lifetime subscription at the time of purchase makes a certain amount of sense.
Lifetime should come free with a Roon Nucleus Titan at the current price of the Titan.
I expect that making Lifetime “free” with the Titan would involve a significant price increase for Ttian. 
I think in the first month or so after launch.
Plex have a cloud relay and it’s hardly expensive. Tbh it’s the way Roon should have gone from the start with ARC.
Plex’s relay is pretty throttled, 1-2 mbps. I’m assuming the poster I replied to wanted access to his library at the speed of their own ISP. Roon would have to pay for that bandwidth used.
Yes, but that’s fine for most audio I haven’t had issues with 96/24.
Still expensive and now run for the Venture Capitalists/Private Equity mob. Expect less for higher prices.
Still interfering with data delivery. Can’t wait to bypass it and go straight to Quobuz/Tidal
What exactly is keeping you?
yeah not sure i understand this post at all
My big regret is that i didn’t buy a lifetime subscription when I first joined Roon. It was then $495 I think. I bought in when it was ~$720. Next year I’ll break even and next year I’ll be 87. It’s obvious I won’ t save a great deal, but I don’t care, I love Roon and I love saving, even if it’s not a huge amount. My big wish for Roon is a better iOS app and better metadata for classical music.
Yeah, I understand what you mean. OTOH, after a lifetime of collecting music, first LPs and from the mid 80s CDs, you run out of physical space to store all that accumulated stuff. When it comes to downsizing, managing that physical catalogue can be a major headache.
I have lifetime Roon subscription, and Sublime+ (or whatever it’s called form Qobuz, where I can buy downloads, in so called hires, at a discount. It’s a hard habit to break, buying music, I started when I was about 8 years old (Beatles “Please Please Me” LP).
Fast forward 60+ years and I have the physical CDs, which I just packed away, because I can’t bring myself to part with them. I have also a load of “bought” downloads, which I store, and backup, on three different disk drives.
The streaming model, such as Qobuz, begins to look attractive, and a bargain at 150 € (or so) a year, don’t have to back up anything.
…which makes me happy I got in awhile ago.
I disagree with the OP on all counts. I disagree that Roon was a mess 3 years ago. I bought Roon over 6 years ago and it blew everything else out of the water. I used Lightning DS from Auralic which was fantastic but Roon was much better. Sure there were some mishaps doing updates, but overall it was the best and still is.
I bought a lifetime for $499 and it was a deal of the century. Even at $800 it’s a steal. I pay more for cable isolators than the cost of Roon.
As for improvements, keep them coming. Nothing stands still or we would be still using pen and paper.
If Roon sat on its laurels, you wouldn’t have Roon arc which save me $20 a month for not having to subscribe to Sirius/xm for multiple cars.
Keep the updates and improvements coming.
While I appreciate your enthusiasm, lifetime subscribers eventually stymie progress. Lifetimers contribute to Roon’s operating costs without contributing to the sustaining funding required to bring about the improvements you desire. (for sake of argument, let’s say a year or so after their “break-even” point.)
I don’t blame you or anyone else for taking Roon Labs up on their generous offer. But each lifetime subscription they sell, especially at this late date when they no longer need start-up funding, is a nail in their own coffin.