It would be great if there was a simple means to replace a track in a playlist with another version. ie. right-click->replace version
For example, if I have a playlist build of up tracks from both my local library and Tidal, then later switch to Qobuz or purchase a local copy of a particular track (in my playlist) there is no easy means to replace it with the local or Qobuz version.
The alternative is to manually scroll through a playlist, identify any or all tracks that look like they might be candidates for replacement, manually search for and then add the alternative version to the bottom of the playlist, drag the new/alternative version up to just below the old version, then delete the old version. This is fine for a few tracks but in a large playlist itâs not practical.
Additionally, if I search for a song and quickly add it to a playlist but forget to also import the corresponding Album to my library, that track is not available on export (to Excel). It would be useful if either these standalone tracks could be included in the (Excel) export or failing that for the orphaned tracks to be flagged up so that the corresponding album could be imported into my library and linked to that track. I mention it here as there seems to be some possible overlap with the request above.
Al least, to show different versions of a song (not just an album). This canât so difficulty and would be an advantage over Qobuz or spotify standalone.
I popped in hoping someone had found a clever solution to this problem.
Itâs really unmanageable. I just spent hours creating synchronizing my existing Plex playlists to Tidal via Soundiiz just to get them into Roon. Then saved them all as local copies only to discover that all the tracks that made it over (Tidal only had rights to about 80% of the music in my playlists according to Soundiiz) were the Tidal versions.
So when I logged out of my trial Tidal account, all my playlists were âunavailableâ. So now Iâm stuck with copies of my playlists that are unplayable.
Replying to my own thread here, but to give some context of why a user might want to switch to a local FLAC copy of a track, after initially adding it via Qobuz/Tidal.
Firstly, Roon Radio seems to default to adding tracks from Qobuz/Tidal, even if you already have a local FLAC copy of that album or track in your library.
Often youâll hear a track picked by Roon Radio and want to quickly add it to a playlist, you might quickly search for a track youâve just head on a traditional radio show, or have recently Shazamed and want to add it to a playlist to keep track of it. Because Roon defaults to adding the Qobuz/Tidal version, you end up with a playlist made up of the Qobuz/Tidal versions.
There is also the case where you donât already have a local copy, but after adding a track to a playlist and listening to it a few times, you decide to purchase a local copy â see below for why.
Secondly, in terms of why a user might want to convert or prioritise the tracks in a playlist to local copies.
Roon ARC will only allow you to create a âdownloaded playlistâ made up of tracks that exist in your local library. If your playlist points to the Qobuz/Tidal versions, your playlist will be empty when downloaded via ARC.
Exporting a playlist as a folder of FLAC files for playing in other software. For example using Roon to create a rough order/setlist for a radio show or DJ set, which can then be exported as as a folder of local FLAC files, so that they can then be imported into some external production software, or a pair of CDJs in order to produce a radio show or mix a DJ set.
Independence from either Qobuz or Tidal. For some playlists you might want to ensure they are entirely made up of local files, so that should Qobuz or Tidal disappear those playlists will continue to point to the files you own. This is particularly pertinent in the case of playlists with vinyl rips and rare singles that donât exist on a streaming service as there is no easy way to migrate these kinds of âhybridâ playlists using Soundiz or similar. If you migrate away from Qobuz or Tidal you have to manually convert each Qobuz/Tidal version to a local copy via a convoluted and manual process. You canât use Soundiz for these kinds of âhybridâ playlists, as it will not identify those vinyl rips and rare singles that only exist in your local library.
Iâve recently noticed another issue, where this functionality is useful (even near essential), is when Qobuz drops a particular version of a track and you are left with âunavailableâ tracks in your playlists with no easy way to replace them, either automatically or via a simple, semi-manual, right-click âWhich one of these versions do you want to replace it with?â dialog [1]
Going back though a long playlist, finding the unavailable tracks, searching for them (outside the playlist window), adding there new version to the end of the playlist, dragging the replacement track back to below the original and finally, deleting the original is not exactly user friendly playlist management.
[1] Ideally with any a) local or b) Qobuz/Tidal versions with the same resolution / re-release year / label at the top. Even just highlighting a sensible choice of ânext bestâ here would be better than nothing.