Roon Server direction in 2026

What is the current direction for Roon Server?

I ask, as since there was a requirement for an internet connection for a Roon service, the operation of Roon server, in terms of performance (access to local library, search, track-by-track playback) has seemed to have gone backwards.

The push to be more ‘on-line’, sync’ing with cloud-base databases and providing seamless integration with internet music services has seemingly done more damage to the overall manageability of one’s music library.

I, for one, want Roon to be first most, the management server of my local library, stored on a NAS or a local volume - I would like the related metadata for this library to be served from the local database from cached content which is within my home network. It can check against the vast data repository within the CDN-based networks etc, and spend time during offline hours, re-sync’ing and managing the metadata relating to my Library, but ultimately playback is made entirely locally without any external network interaction, content discovery etc.
For me, the streaming services are a secondary source, there for discovery, to ‘fill in the gaps’ and complement my local library.

However, I do want and value the metadata enrichment, the background, the reviews, sight of the artist discographies and the ability to select and pick from the calalog provided by the internet-based streaming services. Same with Playlists, though most of mine are still ‘local’, either created in Roon or imported into Roon.

Is there a clear direction for Roon, as part of these current set of releases and changes?
Is it part of a return to the management of local library content, or is more and more going to be cloud based and subject to the performance of 3rd party CDN providers?

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Roon staff won’t see this as they do not monitor this category.

Even if they were to reply, it would be a long lines of some generic nonsense of continued improvements, bug fixes etc etc.

Roon’s recent history of developments should give you an idea of their direction.

IPv6 - announced then never rolled out and a staff member now no longer works for Roon

Nugs - announced way too soon, the release was then delayed. Shortly after this two long-standing members of the Roon team now do not work for Roon.

Docker/.net 10 - announced two weeks ago with the release date which has now been extended.

I’ll leave you to make your own opinion to this.

That in itself is very disappointing.
The ‘EA Testers’ are probably the most invested Roon users, spending time updating and testing as part of Roon’s product development process.
How else can the user’s voice & opinions be heard?

Post in Feedback

I’ve taken time doing EA . I’ve seen issues be raised in EA and then released into production without Roon fixing them first.

That is correct, thus I have moved this topic to Feedback where Roon’s Product team will see it.

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