I have a largish collection of music collated over the last 35 years.
It’s running to around 16k albums. They are all stored on multiple hard drives with backup.
I’ve tried to stream, I really have. I’ve activated and deactivate Qobuz and Tidal so many times I lost count.
I’m wondering if it’s because of the size of my collection and the constant attention it demands or the fact that I’m never really in control of what I’m listening to with streaming, unable to curate it to my liking, that I just can’t get into it?
Are those of us with large HDD collections becoming dinosaurs?
Am wondering what the concensus is with Roon users is? Are users polarised, ie streamers or non-streamers, or mix of both? What are your reasons for streaming (apart from the obvious choice and pricing) and what are your reasons for not streaming?
I am retired, and trying to make the transition. It has helped me remember a lot of good stuff I forgot and explore new artists/genres now that I have more time.
It has also revealed what a mess the music industry is in. Streaming is likely the future, but we are in the growing pains phase and there will be lots of fallout and consolidation before it all gets sorted out.
P.S. I have a few albums that aren’t available on streaming, and versions of albums that are better than the available “remastered” versions, so it’s nice to have Roon as the front end that ties it all together.
I have found that, so far, I cannot make the switch from playing my own collection, which continues to enlarge from rips and downloads, to streaming. Perhaps, it is because my collection has, de facto, been curated to match me in content and organization while the streaming sites offer lots of extraneously stuff that clutters any search results.
I do find streaming useful for exploration but, typically, I buy and keep what I want.
I do both. I have a fairly large CD/download collection (about 3400 albums on a server) but also stream via Qobuz, largely for exploration. Like others here, I then tend to purchase what I like. Also, I tend to trawl the internet for older CDs, often long out of print, to fill gaps in my collection.
Streaming for me is about research and hunting on new and old music. And I do a lot of it. The way Roon almost works as a Wikipedia, sending me out on unplanned musical journeys is fantastic.
What a drummer on this track! Are there any live tracks with this drummer? With other bands? Wow, never heard this band before! And so on. This is not possible with my own collection. I see new connections in my local library, but never new bands - that I can listen to right there!
I’m very similar to you. If I value the music at all, it has to be under my control. I use apple music and Qobuz for discovery, but if I really like something I’ve discovered (Lake Street Dive for example), I get it and add it into my local pile of music that brings me joy.
I’ve watched too many things come and go on streaming services like Netflix. Until streaming services (or the content owners) have some respect for stability and availability of specific works, I will not take them seriously. Imagine being in Florence at the Ufizzi and they said, "Guess what guys, “the David” is not longer going to be available anymore to make room for the newest pile of nail clippings modern art piece. Or they said, the artist doesn’t want you to see his right knee, so we covered that bit up.
Before integration in/collaboration with Roon, I used Qobuz to explore music, buying albums I liked at interesting prices.
Exploring new music means (mainly) 3 things to me:
discover (and support) new artists.
complement artist collections with albums that I did not (did not want to) buy .
explore music periods where I was less involved/attracted to such as the eighties and nineties (also due to lack of time - work and family)
I try to keep my Roon library limited. I had set a boundary of 3500 albums but have now accepted a maximum of 4000 albums.
If I like an lbum of a new(er) artist, I will buy without hesitation. If it concerns more ‘established’ artists, I am more reluctant to buy. Exception for really excellent remastes 'e.g. Beatles anniversarry albums).
These days, I am far more critical to buy an album unless it is an new(er) artists.
But, I am not ready to be dependant on a streaming service.
So if tomorrow Qobuz would cease to exist, I will survive without much pain.
At the other hand, I am extremely supportive to a high-quality streaming service (even if sometimes they fall short) and I would not want to miss them.
There are a number of reasons why I like Roon, but the number one reason today is the integration with Qobuz.(which fortunately is availble in my country).
Dirk
P.S. I am 65 years young, and as such by definition a dinosaur.
or the fact that I’m never really in control of what I’m listening to with streaming, unable to curate it to my liking
I think this could be the main reason. The sense of feeling you don’t have the control.
I use Tidal and Deezer…maybe Spotify to share things with friends/family.
Tidal has MQA, which I enjoy and I found I like Deezer’s sound better for when I’m oustide with my headphones, waklking or traveling.
Personally streaming services allow me to get access to albums we don’t get or are very overpriced if imported here in Argentina. Also to check new releases and confirm wether or not they’re worth the buy.
In the case of Tidal despite having 3 or 4 versions of some releases, I still enjoy listening to the MQA version.
Another plus for me is practicality, since I can download playlists/albums according to my mood at work minutes before I leave so I can enjoy the (long) walk home.
BUT with all these benefits I still prefer to OWN my music. I used to enjoy some albums that at some point dissappeared from Tidal, or I like bands whose releases (or part of their catalogue) are not available even in Spotify.
You might be a dinosaur To each their own. I find that Roon makes for a great user experience either way. I’ve got a 6T hard disk and Tidal says I’ve got 4,521 albums. I have no idea which are mine and which are Qobuz or Tidal.
I do know that if I want to keep open and explore new music in my favorite genres of jazz and classical that streaming is the way to do it for me. Was listening to Frank Morgan the other day. Nobody plays those songs in that way today.
What folks are playing today is music inspired by contemporary times and streaming services help me find those pieces that emotionally connect with me. Streaming services also helped me explore a lot Frank Morgan’s recordings I wouldn’t have without streaming.
I tend to flip through a lot of albums listening to only a couple of tracks or even partial tracks. It’s not as mindful as listening to full albums but once I’ve selected a few to bring into my library I set aside time for full album sessions. I can see why some folks prefer legacy ways of music consumption. Thankfully all methods can happily coexist. There’s never been a better time to experience such a breadth of music.
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I am 48 and prefer to own my own music. Control is a big part of it, like most of you. And like many of you, streaming is a tool for discovery. If I add something to my library from Qobuz, it is to trial it for purchase or is something I own on LP and want to listen to digitally.
My biggest, nagging concern is they will take away my ability to purchase, digitally, the music I hear and want for my very own. But I calm myself down and think that selling these digital files makes more sense than selling a CD, as there is no manufacturing cost for them and it is all just gravy.
I believe the original context of this quote w/r/t Roon was that people of this ilk simply won’t be around in the future. It’s not that you are doing anything to yourself. If you like it, fine.
But given the evolution of the music industry and people’s music collection habits, it doesn’t make sense to plan music software solely around local music sources. There just won’t be many people like this in the future.
I’ve just taken on another Tidal trial, seeing as they’ve been kind enough to give 4 months for 4chf, and I’ve realised I fall into the try before buy camp. I will dip into Tidal to try stuff out and then shortlist for purchase. It’s certainly a good tool for that.
Also, thinking about case-use, I’m not adding albums to my faves, but rather I prefer to swim in the open sea of Tidal albums (see what I did there? )
Actually, my main bugbear with streaming has and always will be, I fear, is the fact that playback is never quite as rock solid as local content. I still get cutouts and stoppages with streaming more than with locally played content.
I would like to hope that the download option will be there alongside streaming, as @TuliaNonTroppo says, it’s a nice moneyspinner for the streaming companies to get pple to pay a wadge of cash for a download.
Maybe, I should just try and use this long trial of tidal to see if I can cope with a streaming only diet. Maybe I’m shackled to my collection, Time to break free. Is it controlling me rather than me controlling it? Hmmm… interesting. The thought of abandoning my large collection, even temporarily, is actually quite an exhilarating thought.
To each their own. I find that Roon makes for a great user experience either way. I’ve got a 6T hard disk and Tidal says I’ve got 4,521 albums. I have no idea which are mine and which are Qobuz or Tidal.