There have been notable changes with Roon as a company and a product over the past year. There’s also some really neat updates rolling out in the Early Access channel, with ARC, an official Docker image, and so on.
It would be awesome to connect with members of the Roon team in a virtual town hall meeting:
Brief review of the past year
Walk-through of major upcoming Roon product release and features
A look at where Roon as a company and product are headed
Proper Q&A where the community gets to drive the conversation
The goal would be to showcase product momentum, reinforce Roon’s position as a leader in the the space, and invigorate community spirit.
@Dadoo You’re an incorrigible optimist. Roon operates differently; they focus on putting out fires (fixing app crashes and bugs) by enlisting the help of a community that actually pays them a pretty penny for it. Look at the latest unresolved issue with Qobuz and ARC—have you seen any information anywhere that something isn’t working as it should? Have you seen the word “sorry”? If it weren’t for the users, the problem would have been swept under the rug, and you wouldn’t know if it was your problem or a global issue with the app. Look, people build bridges, fly into space and come back, and Roon has a problem that takes weeks to resolve, and all they can manage is “We’re working on the issue and will keep you informed…” It’s sad and definitely defines the attitude of the people at Roon toward their customers. You paid, okay, and now pray that nothing breaks down… I’ve said many times that Roon is a great idea, but unfortunately, the execution of their promises and what we’re paying for is horribly inept. So don’t count on anyone meeting you online and saying anything. Best regards.
Roon staff: I’d love to see us nudge the current conversation in a more positive direction. It doesn’t need to be a massive, high-cost project – just a bit of intentional communication and outreach. Narrative maintenance. If there’s not enough clear info, the message gets a bit garbled.
Before signing up with Roon, I did the rounds to see what people had to say. Here’s a quick snapshot of the vibe across the web.
Reddit: Very vocal and often leaning toward the negative
Audio Science Review: highly technical and skeptical
Facebook groups: quite balanced with a lot of great music sharing
Audiophile journals: mostly positive, though they keep it realistic
This forum: supportive but we tend to get a little defensive
We all know the common refrains about reliability, usability, and support. Cost amplifies frustration, even among the supporters/champions. Most of the active participants in the forum have found our own rhythms for managing these issues.
Side note: I believe improvements can be made by taking some of these things out of the hands of the users.
Roon staff: it’s time for Roon to tell its own story again. Whether it’s through a town hall, a casual AMA, or a new video, hearing the vision directly from you – supported by this community – would go a long way.
Quick parting thoughts:
The Roon Blog is such a great resource, but the spark, how Roon enhances the experience for both creators and people who love music, seems to have dimmed a bit since 2022. I’d love to see that energy and verve come back to the forefront!
It surprises me that some of the Roon guys don’t do something like you suggest and not infrequently.
Even just a Darko interview or something.
Human nature means that if I’m fed up with Roon and what it means to me is Mike who I’ve chatted to in alpha years ago and a bunch of others I’ve interacted with here there is a personal dimension.
When Roon just becomes Roon Inc then we’re much more likely to jump ship if we don’t perceive we have a personal interaction or interest in a project.
Sure maybe someone reads these feedback posts and will comment…….