Happy Roon user here. Currently using Tidal and fine with it.
But I had a curiosity… I know there’s something about services needing to meet a few requirements to be added to Roon… like access to metadata, etc.
For me personally, I use Roon for multi-room access, ability to take advantage of the convolution filters, and the ability to use low-cost/high-quality endpoints ranging from RPi, my old legacy Sonos devices, desk laptop with a nice DAC attached, Chromecast Audio, etc…
The Roon metadata and artist info is nice but honestly isn’t in the Top 10 reasons for why I use Roon.
So the question: Outside of APIs not being available (I’m guessing Apple)… is it technically possible to add Spotify/Amazon/Etc if users were to acknowledge the UI may be limited… but technically all the things I love about Roon would still function well?
Yes I think it is technically possible with the available APIs. Other software is doing it so Roon could.
However Roon has said they are not willing to compromise and offer a cut down experience. So until either additional services agree to work with Roon and meet their requirements or Roon changes their position then we won’t get additional music services.
Technically its possible if you really compromise your system. Its not the metadata thats the biggest hurdle its the fact that Roon holds the databases themselves for Tidal and Qobuz that allows you to add them to your library and have so much control over them. Without the library tools Roon would be no better than AudiVarna or LMS so it very much undermines its value and what they want from the product.
Apple Music doesn’t allow you to use your own player architecture which is integral to Roon. You have to use their Apple Music app or their web player to access their streams none of which are helpful on hardware or software that runs on other os. This is why you only find a few bits of hardware that use it as they where granted permission or use their web player. You still also need to be an approved partner before Amazon, Apple or Spotify would let you in.
I am with Roon on how they have decided to do things and would not ask them to lower standards of integration just to add more. Look at Bluesound and Sonos they are not great apps and are too fragmented if you ask me.
Check out this topic… it’s specifically about Apple but could also apply to other services.
There’s no comment from Roon, but they have said in other topics they are not interested in this form of loose “integration”.
You know how the Sonos app works? Think something like that for the UI. Even before if they could stream the music… if they can’t do the proper integration then the best you get is something like the Sonos or BlueOS interface. Those are terrible compared to Roon. It’s why people prefer Roon. Stop trying. If you need those services go use something else. This discussion is even more exhausting than MQA. Can we move this to off-topic? Or maybe just have 1 monthly thread people can rehash the same discussion over and over?
Not happening. Not Roon. Not interested. Plenty of other software that integrates that way and it will be a sad day if Roon devolves into it.
No reason why it wouldn’t, other than Roon have said repeatedly they don’t want to integrate with other services
I think I’m with you: I’d be happy to see a tiered approach; e.g., a Sonos-like experience for most streaming services (e.g., Apple, Amazon, Spotify, etc. … i.e., any that have a public API) and a full Roon experience for their preferred partners (Tidal and Qobuz).
I would not like to see Roon degrade their product. Tidal and Qobuz provide plenty of integration. I suspect Roon have a plan if one or the other ceases to exist. I wouldn’t mind seeing Roon integrate a high quality classical site for people who are into classical music.
Roon have not said that, they are very interested in the integration of other services but it has to be full integration… that provides the “Roon Experience” it’s a light weight interface that Roon has ruled out.
Fair enough, and obviously up to them. But I would be fully interested in “Roon Multi-Room & DSP” with no catalog integration and just the DSP/multi-zone features. But for now, Tidal is fine.
