HDTracks native integration

As a user, I would like to see an icon/tag in the album I’m playing that indicates there is a higher resolution version available in HDtracks, so that I can decide to either update my offline copy, or to obtain an offline copy if I’m listening from a streaming source. Furthermore, I would like to be able to right click on the album, and automatically purchase and download it in the background, making the process completely seamless.

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Very Slick !!

Now this is a great idea.

Not just HDTracks (which has some of the highest prices), but several of the online resellers s/b integrated :slight_smile:

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Good point. I typically only buy from HDTracks because it’s the only one I know. Which other ones would you say are better options that are available in the US? Thanks!

I guess that’s where there would be a problem; i.e., the way the download market is fragmented by country :frowning:

Personally, I buy from several sites (e.g., HDTracks, ProStudio Masters, Linn, Hyperion), and there are also several others that are accessible from the US though they aren’t hosted here (e.g., HighRes Audio, Qobuz, Onkyo, etc.). I would suggest Roon could make them all available to select but they would only work if you had a legitimate login to the site.

Optional, please :slight_smile:

I vote for this feature, too!

mmm. I’m not sure I want Roon flashing icons and things telling me I can buy an album I already own somewhere else in better Q for more money. Definitely feature creep. Roon should leave me (and my wallet) to enjoy MY music in peace, and not push online resellers to make me buy more stuff. We’re already bombarded with ads… If I want something in HD, I’m smart enough to find it on my own, and so should you be. /rant :rofl:

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Bluesound does this now with their Vault product, supporting both HD Tracks and Highresaudio.com.

The more I use my Node 2i, the more I like their software. They are moving fast with third party integrations (eagerly awaiting Primephonic; Qobuz is already available, but I don’t need yet another streaming subscription).

Frankly, this is the Achilles heel of Roon. Integration with Roon is an all-in, heavy-weight endeavor.

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I think it is it’s strength. The high Res download market is miniscule why bother integrating.

Not always as upto date as we may wish but I’ve found http://www.findhdmusic.com useful in discovering what exists and roughly comparing prices.

TIDAL is also useful as it shows when it has HD versions.

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The 2 examples I mentioned are primarily streaming services, though downloads are also available.

I’m not sure I want Roon flashing icons

I think you’re missing the point. Never said anything about flashy icons. I’d hate it too. Roon already has a tag/label system which can be optionally visible. For example, you can see the album resolution in the bottom right if you turn that on. I’m proposing using that system, just with a different tag.

Roon should leave me (and my wallet) to enjoy MY music in peace

That’s why this should be an opt-in feature, but I much rather have the option than not.
For example, when I had the Tidal subscription, I found several Bill Evans albums I didn’t know. Since I favor offline music (and DSD when available), I had to manually go to HDTracks and search each album to see if they were available, then go through their [horrible] purchase/download process manually to get each one. I’m proposing to automate this via Roon.

If I want something in HD, I’m smart enough to find it on my own, and so should you be

The point is that my time is a lot more valuable than me spending it searching for stuff when Roon can do the job for me. That’s what software automation is for (trust me, I do that for a living).

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The high Res download market is miniscule

I think it is because the user experience is generally terrible. People gravitate to simplicity. If Roon, as a single interface, would allow this with a consistent, seamless experience, I see more folks adopting it vs. not.

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Sorry I don’t want ad’s of HD Tracks on my Library ,I would prefer some type of roon remembering where you are on titles system ,so when you play another lp you can go to the exact spot where you left off on the last lp
if its in the middle of a track ,Bookmarks doesn’t do that?.

also being able to hide some of the Allmusic guide critics ,or better yet get the notes in the cd Booklet to show
up at the top of the page

getting the credits to appear next to song titles instead of hid under a tab ,so when they change from track to track ,you don’t have to press the tab button every time
Most of all a copy and paste system for credits .so you don’t have to re enter them every time

This is an interesting idea, however, less so for Roon and more for HDTracks. Sellers of digital audio like HDTracks should understand the marketplace that Roon has created… as a segment, I’d guess there are few as good as Roon users for sellers of digital music. HDTracks and others should be courting Roon to do this and paying Roon for the development. I see little reason for Roon to do this on their own.

Perhaps HDTracks could offer Roon a revenue share for purchased items and Roon could offer incentives for purchases through Roon versus direct… many interesting business model possibilities, but I’d prefer Roon continue to focus on the playing and curation of what we own rather than investing their limited resources on becoming another on-line store.

Roon has done a great job and I’d hate to divert them from the path they are on…

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Please explain.

Thanks

Well if you have lps with different line ups every other track , all Music guide usually
give the credits for a lp set like the Columbia 12 disc Billie Holiday set as a long list of all the musicians on the 12
cds ,This is almost useless You then need to enter the credits for each track by hand ,If you do it the way roon wants you too ,you are lelf with information which is available when you click on view credits

Say I have another Billie Holiday song on a different Billie Holiday cd ,I would Like to be able
copy those credits from the song on the original 12 cd set and then paste them in the other cd credits
I had to re enter the same info many times in Roon ,because Roon wouldn’t let me copy and paste credits

Of course I also found I can copy info off a web page and paste it as primary Artist ,this works and is sometimes better ,since it appears under the song title instead of under a tab

@Peter_Neski
Yes.
For each new album you have to input credits.
I use Yate (Mac) to input credits on my hard drive files.
They have Discogs/Musicbrainz as plugins and a roon plugin.
It’s not perfect but at $20 it’s not bad.

Disgogs is much better than allmusic guide or whatever Roon uses ,not sure what “Yate” is
its too late anyway ,I already did my whole Library