Roon is the software of choice for audiophiles who want to manage their music library, streaming services, and audio gear from one central location. And as of November 27, it is now owned by JBL’s parent company Harman, Harman Kardon, AKG and Mark Levinson.
Roon is a subscription-based service that gives demanding audio fans the ability to manage vast collections of digital music, as well as control where and how music is played on compatible devices in their homes. It’s a bit like Sonos on steroids.
The company also manufactures and sells dedicated media server software and hardware called Nucleus.
Save on everything from laptops and tablets to coffee makers and smart home essentials like air purifiers and the Amazon Echo.
Over 1,000 appliances from 160 brands are already Roon certified. These include wireless speakers, portable media players, stereo receivers, network music streamers, and digital-to-analog converters (DACs).
According to the press release, Harman says Roon will “operate as a standalone Harman business alongside its existing team”.
“The Roon team shares our passion for bringing extraordinary sound and connectivity to music lovers as they browse, discover and listen at home and on the go,” said Dave Rogers, president of Harman’s Lifestyle Division. ” “We look forward to welcoming Roon, whose impressive talents will join the Harman family and enhance our already strong engineering capabilities.”
Having Roon’s multiroom streaming technology in-house could allow Harman to compete more directly with Sonos. The company’s JBL brand recently launched a family of Wi-Fi-enabled smart speakers called JBL Authentics. Although these speakers work with various wireless technologies like Apple’s AirPlay and Google Chromecast, they lack a dedicated platform for multiroom audio.
JBL also makes many popular wireless earbuds and headphones. Given Qualcomm’s announcement that its latest Snapdragon chipsets will bring Wi-Fi to this range, it’s possible that Harman could use Roon to give these devices audiophile-level capabilities when used at home.
