I am a long-time Logitech Squeezebox user, for at least a decade. Nothing has come along in that time that challenges this product for ease and reliability of streaming. I have tried many would be contenders, e.g. Sony’s streamers, any many others (e.g…, AudiNirvana), and they always fail due to unreliable or poor software.
I had great expectations for Roon, but it looks like it’s going to be joining the heap of would-be also-ran’s because it just doesn’t work reliably enough for my purposes. To explain my setup, I have Roon running on a Mac Mini connected with USB to a high end Devialet D400 integrated system (this is a complete high end system, including DAC, preamp, vinyl preamp, and amp, with streaming capabilities). The Mac mini is connected via Thunderbolt to my music collection. This system is connected to a simple LCD monitor. This Roon system works reliably most of the time, except lately when it seems to be unable to connect to the wireless. It also streams Tidal well. The interface is nice etc. Overall, no complaints.
I have Roon installed on my iPad as well. This is a complete disaster, and rarely works. Typical poor iOS app, in my view, which fails to connect to my Mac mini Roon server (despite my telling it to do so).
Strangely enough, I have Roon running on my iPhone 6+. This actually works! I can’t explain why the iPad version dies and the iPhone version works. They are all connected to the same network.
Finally, I have a Mac Pro (late 2013 model) on which Roon is installed. This again fails to work at all. It does not see the Mac server library at all.
To contrast this completely unreliable behavior, I have 4 Logitech Squeezebox systems (3 Touches and a Boom) all of which work flawlessly. They are connected to two servers storing my music and running the Logitech media server. I can control any Squeezebox from an iPad, an iPhone, any computer in my house etc. with complete bullet proof reliability. Roon, I am sorry to say, is a far cry from the reliability of Squeezebox software.
This would not be so galling if it were not for the fact that Roon requires monthly payment, and Logitech is absolutely free! So, perhaps someone can help shed light on what’s going on. I am on the high end side of computer savvy (I am a professor computer science, and teach graduate PhD level courses in this subject, so I should know a thing or two about setting up networked devices).