I started using Roon in Jan '24. I knew about it for years and never pulled the trigger. I wish I signed up when I first discovered Roon. I enjoy it but like many on this thread I’m a Sr citizen and nobody else in the family has any interest. My next dilemma is deciding if I keep purchasing media (CD’s). I have 1200 which fill 8 boxes tucked away in a closet. I have a very good 2.1 rig and an equally good surround setup in my basement. I like listening to music and spend a few hours each day enjoying my hobby and like the way Tidal integrates into Roon. You can’t take your money or possessions with you when you go. Enjoy life!
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And Classical music will go the way of Disco?
I really hope not.
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I started my “hi-fi” journey when I was about 8 years old in the early 70s. Back then I was very much interested in how it sounded.
The “hi-fi” was a mono Alba record deck.
I didn’t even know what stereo sounded like back then, CDs were like a miracle when they arrived.
Who knows what is round the corner, Bluetooth has come a long way even in the last 5 years, the wireless IEMs and car systems will be incredible in the next 10 or 20 years if things continue to advance as they have.
Convenience will always be a factor and Roon is not convenient even now, the need to maintain a server, ensure the app and arc are compatible versions, it’s all a faff, most people don’t want that, even if they have the time.
If music streaming continues to be the mess that it is, releases disappearing, artists pulling their music, contentious audio formats, lack of transparency, people will want to listen to their own music reliably, however that is delivered.
I think data storage options will improve along with data transfer speeds, whether with WiFi or something not yet invented.
I think everything in the future will be in your pocket or in the car, or in the cloud, home servers will be a thing of the past, like cd changers.
I’ll add a caveat to this; manufacturers need to get their act together, improve QC, if we rely on networked equipment that needs firmware updates. I’m already tired of firmware updates screwing stuff up and not being able to roll back.
That’s why my dap is a Cayin N3 pro. No need to update it, no connectivity, no way to install anything, it just plays 500gb of music from an SD card to plugged in IEMs or headphones, it has no BT.
No one to screw it up in an update, it’s just reliable and always there when I need it. No faff.
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I agree - the days of being tied to speakers is, I hope, coming to an end. Now, where’s the best place to get my surround sound implant installed?
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I am not too sure Roon can survive, as it is now in the medium term. The biggest disadvantage for me is Roon has no real moat. Young people see no need to buy into Roon, they mostly have enough with a Smartphone plus Spotify or Apple Music and ear buds. The sound is often optimized for use in phones.
How we approached music was for sure totally different as it is nowadays for the young generations. There is a different reality today. Music is perceived different. It is available everywhere in an instant. We lived through many frictions, and we are in the middle of a huge one right now.
I had a stereo record player when I was 8, i dont class that as hifi though it was a Bush.
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I bet there were people who hoped stereo wouldn’t catch on.
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Yeah Got I got some Panasonic portable stereo thing that speakers detached and it had a seperate TT that sat on stand above it, cant remember the model.
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Nope not that
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These are very interesting questions to discuss, but separated for Roon in particular and for Hi-fi in general.
The initial article sounds pretty pessimistic, and I think not without good reason. If one defines ´Audiophile´ in the traditional way of snobbish, introverted people sitting without a glimpse of humor in their mancaves, ignored by their family, stacking a zillion ultra-expensive components and accessories, discussing ultra-hires format wars, listening all day to differences thereof, but never to new music, disparaging the rest of the world for listening to ´shredded, distorted, lo-fi music´ - yes, I would agree that most likely this breed is in danger of going extinct.
I understand almost every facet of fascination for high end, but if you rationally look at things this type of hobby is simply not attractive to generations being raised with a natural distance to technicology, in a spirit of hedonism with multiple alternatives to spend their money on or enjoy their life with. I am deliberately not calling them ´younger generation´ as I believe the age threshold for first-world countries is somewhere around 55 years old. If you are younger, you are most likely not to have been dreaming of a stack of hi-fi components, big amplifiers and chunky floorstanding speakers. The symbol of your socialization regarding music reproduction was the Walkman (or iPod or iPhone if you are much younger)!
On the other hand I think there is a lot of hope. More than ever in last 25 years since hi-fi and high end have been decoupled from the way common people were enjoying music. I believe either this or that way many people younger than 55 actually can become ´audiophiles´ but in a different meaning: A large group within these generations would like to consciously enjoy their preferred music in higher sound quality than they were used to, they are willing to invest into consumer electronics in general, they care of longevity and quality of gear, they know from cinemas, home cinemas, concerts and clubs how fascinating good sound can be, they are interested in music.
Why am I so optimistic? Because hi-fi shows in recent years seemingly attract a more mixed auditorium in regards to age and gender. Because I see a lot of (young) people wearing expensive headphones, first and foremost Apple AirPods Max. Because people talk about music, are interested in movies, TV series, invest into gear, like multi-room systems in their home, buy cars with hi-fi systems built-in, have streaming subscriptions.
You do not do this if you do not care at all. Will audiophile and hi-fi look different? Definitely! On the other hand a lot of traditional hi-fi brands seemingly have understood what their customers want who were not raised with the traditional idea of a hi-fi system. And they are seemingly successful with that, even if it is not that visible.
Will roon have a future in that? I think roon is the future. Curating your music library, understanding about your music, discovering new music and controlling your multi-room audio setup - who could offer a better solution for these tasks? Maybe some parameters have to change and be adopted to demands of generations to come.
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I’m not really concerned about whether the whippersnappers are into hi-fi. Most of the the people I know my age(68) are not into it either. I just hope Roon sticks around until I croak. If it doesn’t I keep a parallel library in Apple Music, which sounds pretty good through my DAC. If that goes I have vinyl, CDs, and DVD. Just gotta get me some solar panels in case the grid goes kaput.
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If this kind of thing can happen, we’ve obviously got nothing to worry about 
.
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Click the focus button, and… well, nobody is interested in messing about with all that anymore. AI should have already worked out what we’re looking for. I just want to listen to an album from beginning to end, like I did in back in 1977. Roon lets me do that in a familiar way, in a digital world. But yes, Roon is probably just for old men at this stage.
Too true. I have a hard time pitching Roon to our teenagers when I sometimes question its utility for myself.
I believe HiFi is a keeper, but yes I am 52 and probably all too ordinary in this space. The eldest teenager loved it when I jerryrigged CD and vinyl playback for her cave, but 90% of the time she is listening with Spotify via phone and couldn’t care less about the fidelity. Maybe the boy will become obsessed with gear? Here’s hoping…
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For an older fella returning to Hi-Fi, the problem isn’t money - it’s finding the right equipment. I don’t want to go up and touch knobs and switches. just give me great gear that I can adjust from one of my Apple devices, and I’d be thrilled. Don’t need need colors or displays, Roon already has a display feature that works great.
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They are called Hearing Aids I believe 
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I wonder if something like Roon will be enjoyed by music lovers in 2124?
I’d bet against it. Plenty even question a record being sold to music lovers in 2124.