Totally. Depending on how wonky the metadata is, sometimes even Roon struggles with identifying local files. But Roon tries harder than any other software I’ve tried.
High quality embedded track metadata is not a universally solved problem, sadly. For example, dBpoweramp does a pretty good job, but tools like DVD Audio Extractor (for ripping multi-channel music from DVD-A and Blu-ray discs) leave adding embedded album art and track metadata to the user.
I’ve occasionally found PerfectTUNES (from the dBpoweramp folks) handy for identifying/fixing albums with missing album art and for doing lite track metadata editing.
Don’t laugh, but I still use MediaMonkey to perform bulk metadata edits. Under the “Music” tab, there’s a “Files to Edit” view that’s great for finding tracks in my library that have missing metadata. Although Roon can present a nicer view when metadata is missing, I think track metadata grooming is worth the effort.
I’ll add/edit metadata (a little) when adding a small number of new discs, but I’ve always shied away from messing with metadata en masse, felt too daunting. Perhaps I should look into the tools you mention, as well as others such as Yate that keep coming up… But time is short, metadata stuff is tedious (to me) and so if Roon handles it well enough for my low-ish standards, that seems to suffice for me, at least so far…
In your experience and I would argue that the issue is the Laptop. With a full Desktop computer and USB DAC, Roon sounds great. Better than Audirvana. imho, and with my gear.
Perhaps, but many others have reported the same experience. It would be interesting to do a poll, but my hypothesis is that your experience is less common (Roon sounding better than Audirvana in a simple Windows/macOS computer + USB DAC setup).
Edit: I also wonder if Audirvana’s “SysOptimizer” implementation for macOS gives it the edge in sound quality vs Roon on a MacBook Pro laptop. I’ve not tried Audirvana on Windows, but I know the macOS implementation is more mature.
This is a great example of being in an echo chamber!
The majority of Roon users do not have a separate Core.
The majority of Roon users start with 1 active zone and then get more. Dedicated Cores come much later.
And now the echo: the majority (by a lot) of Roon users have never used this forum (or least not logged in or visited it from the browser they created their Roon account with).
This makes me sad. What do you think about having the Roon UI ask users who have been running an all-in-one system for more than a month or two if they would like to have Roon install Roon Server for them and migrate their database automatically? The dialog could include a sentence or two explaining the benefits along with a link to the knowledgebase (and this community) for more information.
I have found the same to be true…that something like 80% of Roon users have never moved past the “first install experience”. There’s so much more unexplored territory that subscribers are completely missing out on.
Well, many do continue to use more Roon features over time… But our growth of new users is quite high as well, so that changes the dynamics of who does what and when.
You’d be surprised how many people use Roon with the built-in DAC on their computer or with a Sonos or Apple TV. Even on the forums here I’ve seen someone go from very expensive Meridian systems to Sonos and be happier for it. I’ve also seen someone who wouldn’t buy a DragonFly end up with a dCS Rossini after a few years.
I wouldn’t be sad for anyone using Roon. Everyone has a journey to take and not everyone’s priorities are the same as yours (or mine). Joy can be found across many dimensions, especially with the variety we have with audio, music, ears, and gear.
The users I find to be the luckiest are the ones that gave up on new music and forgot about the old. A Nucleus + 12.9" iPad is usually a life changing experience for them, regardless of audio device.
Wow. This sounds like when you hear many Excel users only use it for summing figures!
But I get this, when I first got Roon I just ran it on my iMac and listened on the built in speakers. And then as I explored Roon and read what members here had to say about SQ, DACs, DSD128, MQA, ethernet vs USB, I got the audio bug big-time. Just for that road to Damascus moment, Billie Holiday in front of me in my room, Mahlers 6th the orchestra tearing the walls down, Joy Divisions drums like industrial thunder, Johnny Marrs chiming guitar, Martha Wainwright’s soft voice right next to you!
But as you say joy can be found in many dimensions, except perhaps mp3!
Maybe we ought to do a poll of Roon users and ask what is your income and networth and how much have you or will you spend on your music playback system. I’m just kidding, of course, but I suspect a lot of new Roon customers come here with little more than a desktop or laptop computer and pair of inexpensive headphones.
For me Roon is a pretty comprehensive software system and I think during my 14 day trial I barely scratched the surface of its real capabilities. It did change the sound and I couldn’t figure out how to change it to my liking. At the end of the trial it was just a music player and I was a little frustrated. I would highly recommend a series of videos to walk through all of its capabilities and how to get started. Right now there is very little on YouTube. For noobs like me it’s a lot to learn in a short period of time. Thanks
Jim, that’s exactly how I started. Roon on my iMac (which held my large iTunes AAC library) playing to budget desktop speakers (literally $30). It took me a journey of 9 months from that through 2 systems to what I have now - that journey was based on what I READ RIGHT HERE ON THIS FORUM especially the postings in system categories like Naim, Innuos, Chord, dCS, Bluesound - a huge help kudos to everyone who posts there - but also those who spoke about room treatment, file SQ, MQA, DSD etc it was like being back at a fantastic university!!!
I simply can’t believe how I’m hearing music now, maan, it’s like getting my hearing back, this is what it should sound like, and my enjoyment has increased a 100x, all thanks to Danny and the Roon team, and to many of the regular posters on this forum, I’d luv to buy them all a drink on the top bar of the Chrysler building…
Respect to everyone’s opinion, as Ernst Bloch once said “we hear only ourselves”
I am 65
At the moment i have a Black friday trial
It was easy to install and using Tidal with my Primare
But it I think it is nothing for me
Tidal interface is much better than on Roon
Having worked for 35years in music sales and still keeping informed, all the advises i already know and sometimes i have much better music advises
I have stll a few 1000 lps and 3000 cds. Much of them are not on Tidal. So I keep buying cds and Lps. The King Crimson boxsets are not on Tidal etc etc
My Rega Rp8 and Primare cd35 are still superior to Tidal and Qobuz (qobuz is better in sound than Tidal)., also to hd tracks on usb
With my Windows “verkenner/maps” I am faster than scrolling
So in my case i will try it sometime, but for the money i wil buy rather cds and lps
I think Roon, Tidal are in the beginning,( it took lps and cds a long time to have a good sound.)Over 5 till 10 years it will be better
I bought an old i3 Mac air lap top on amazon for 250.00 last year. Plugged the usb out of the lap top into a Schitt YggY Dac and man what a difference Roon made to me. My stereo gear is old school two channel but I also use a chrome cast 35.00 as another end point in my office using a sound bar for sound coming from an old TV. Sounds great there too. My iPhone is the control panel and selects end. This is how I started listening… As I learned more about the app in moved my core to a larger computer and the old Mac air still is used as an end point in my main listening room. My wife uses Roon on her iPhone with a set of ear phones and it sound good enough for my ears… I am 68 and the music playback from Roon out shines most everything I have tried to date and I too wanted to stop chasing the oil too.
