Roon Partner Update: December 2021

We had a busy December with an impressive array of seven new Roon Ready and Roon Tested devices from audio heavyweights Astell&Kern, Cocktail Audio, Dutch & Dutch, Lumin, Mcintosh and MiniDSP. For a full list of our partner brands and every Roon Ready and Roon Tested device, visit our Partners page on the Roon website.

Astell&Kern SP2000T
Roon Ready

Astell&Kern released their eighth Roon Ready device with the SP2000T.  The SP2000T combines the OP AMP configuration of the SP2000 with a nostalgic vacuum tube amplifier adding a vintage feel to the portable player.

Cocktail Audio N25AMP
Roon Ready

Cocktail Audio added the N25AMP to the Roon partner family.

The N25AMP is an all-in-one network audio player featuring a built-in 125W amp, a Sabre32 Reference DAC chip and a high-performance Dual Core ARM Cortex A9 processor and is certified as Roon Ready.

Dutch & Dutch 8c
Roon Ready

We are delighted to announce that the Dutch & Dutch 8c is now Roon Ready.

With its origins in mixing and mastering studios around the world, the Dutch & Dutch 8c are taking the audiophile world by storm. They deliver the kind of sonic experience one would expect from a system of separates and matched speakers four times the price. With built-in boundary matching, listening position optimization, and room equalization, the 8c adapts itself to your listening environment in order to deliver the performance as the artist intended.

Lumin P1
Roon Ready

Lumin added their 11th device to the Roon partner family with the P1.

The Lumin P1 has an array of features, including analogue and digital inputs, and Roon Ready functionality. Designed to be the heart of your system, you can use the P1 as a streamer, DAC and preamplifier or all three.

McIntosh RS150 and RS250
Roon Ready

The RS150 and RS250 wireless speakers are the latest additions from McIntosh to join the Roon family and are McIntosh’s first to offer networked Roon Ready playback.

The RS150 and RS250 combine wireless music streaming with legendary McIntosh sound quality for easy modern listening. The RS150 delivers big sound in a small package while the RS250 is McIntosh’s most powerful and advanced home audio wireless speaker system.

MiniDSP
Roon Ready

We welcomed MiniDSP into the Roon Partner family this month with their first Roon Ready devices, the SHD, SHD Power and SHD Studio.

The SHD has extensive connectivity options with three digital inputs, two analog inputs and USB audio enables the SHD to fit right into any modern audio system.

The SHD Power includes a 120W per channel low-distortion power amplifier for powering your main speakers, and two additional analog outputs for connecting a subwoofer or subwoofers.

The SHD Studio includes a variety of our powerful but user-friendly DSP audio tuning software – ten-band parametric EQ per channel, crossovers up to 48 dB/octave, compressor/limiter, and a flexible 2×4 matrix mixer.

Roon Partner Update: November 2021

We kicked off this fall with an impressive array of 7 new Roon Ready and Roon Tested devices from audio heavyweights Arcam, AVM, Audiolab, NAD, and TEAC. Read all about them in our latest partner update below. For a full list of our partner brands and every Roon Ready and Roon Tested device, visit our Partners page on the Roon website.

Arcam AVR5
Roon Ready

Arcam have added the AVR5 as their eighth certified Roon Ready device. The AVR5 is a high-performance A/V receiver that delivers stunning realism for the ultimate home cinema experience.

AVM SD 6.3, SD 8.3
Roon Ready

AVM joined the Roon family in June 2021 and now have six Roon Ready devices.

The SD 6.3 and 8.3 are the latest additions to the OVATION line. The SD 6.3 is built on AVM’s pure solid state technology while the SD 8.3 features a tube line stage for a warm and natural sound reproduction.

Audiolab Omnia
Roon Tested

We welcomed Audiolab into the Roon Partner family this month with their first Roon Tested device, the Omnia.

Omnia is a ‘just-add-speakers’ all-in-one system that caters for a music lover’s every need. It’s packed with features, including an integrated CD player, extensive inputs for external sources, and high-quality amplification to make the most of whichever speakers or headphones you choose to partner with it.

NAD C399
Roon Ready

The C399 is the latest NAD device to be added to the Roon family.

The C399 is an integrated amplifier with DAC utilizing NAD’s Hybrid Digital technology. It incorporates the latest generation of NAD’s Modular Design Construction for future extensibility and can accommodate all digital and analogue sources.

TEAC UD-701N, NT-505-X
Roon Ready

The TEAC UD-701N and the NT-505-X are the latest additions to join the Roon family.

The UD-701N is a new USB DAC/Network Player with a high-current headphone amplifier and full analog pre-amplifier functionality. It features their newly-developed TEAC ΔΣ (Delta Sigma) discrete FPGA DAC which implements state-of-the-art engineering and conversion algorithms.  It’s a versatile all-round unit that matches new listening styles for a new era.

The NT-505-X is a USB DAC and network player featuring dual ES9038 Q2M DACs in order to achieve the highest levels of signal-to-noise. Its headphone amplifier uses TEAC-HCLD 2 analog output circuits to ensure high current output capacity in all scenarios.

Roon partners win big at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2021

The 39th edition of the What Hi-Fi? Awards took place on November 4th which saw 21 Roon Ready and Roon Tested products win across 11 different categories. 

There were multiple awards up for grabs at the prestigious event in London, which included product ‘Best Buys’ and ‘Product of the Year’ awards across 26 product categories, as well as five ‘Special Awards’ – all of which featured products from the Roon family. 

You can read about them all below.

Product of the Year Awards

Five Roon partners were awarded the ‘Product of the Year’ accolade, celebrating the very best tech of the year. 

Bluesound Node | Roon Ready
Best music streamer

“At this money, it represents one of the most entertaining and comprehensive ways of adding music streaming to your hi-fi system.”

Cambridge Audio CX81| Roon Tested
Best stereo amplifier

“If you’re looking for a well-equipped integrated at this level, this is a great place to start.”

Chord Qutest| Roon Ready 
Best DAC

“Chord has managed to do it again. The Qutest sets a new benchmark at this price”

KEF LS50 Wireless II| Roon Ready
Best all-in-one system 

KEF’s revisions have paid off; these sequels are among the most thrilling speaker systems we’ve heard”

Naim Mu-so Qb 2 | Roon Ready
Best wireless speaker

“The Mu-so Qb retains an inherently likeable presentation, but has matured over the three years since its first generation.”

In addition, a month before revealing the overall ‘Product of the Year’ winners, What Hi-Fi? announced all of their ‘Best Buy’ products, featuring thirteen Roon partner devices. 

Best Buy Awards

Arcam ST60 | Roon Ready
Best music streamer £1,000-£1,500

“If you’re happy with your hi-fi system but simply want to smarten it up by slotting a streamer next to your separates, the Arcam ST60 is a strong choice.” 

Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 | Roon Ready
Best portable music player over £1,000

“Astell & Kern’s quirkiest player yet is also one of its best value”

AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt | Roon Tested
Best DAC £200-£300

“If you loved the DragonFly Red as much as we did, and you’re looking to make the next step up without compromising on size or form, the Cobalt represents something of a no-brainer.”

Cambridge Audio CXA61 I Roon Tested 
Best stereo amplifier £600-800

“Class leaders are constantly being replaced in hi-fi, but rarely is it done so soundly as by Cambridge Audio’s CXA81 integrated amp”

Cambridge Audio CXN V2 | Roon Tested
Best music streamer £750-1000

“Making the best even better, the CXN (V2) is the best streamer out there at this price point”

Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M I Roon Tested
Best DAC £300-£500

“Cambridge’s top-of-the-line DAC is a well-armed, high-performing all-rounder”

Chord Hugo 2 | Roon Tested
Best DAC over £1,200

“There isn’t another DAC around at anywhere near this sort of price able to communicate so torrentially, so unambiguously or so effortlessly. We like it a lot.”

iFi Zen DAC V2 | Roon Tested
Best DAC under £200

“One of the very best ways to upgrade your desktop headphone system.”

JBL Synthesis SDR-35 | Roon Ready 
Best home cinema amplifier over £3,000

“If you’re building a high-end home cinema, the SDR-35 should be the first AVR you audition”

KEF LSX | Roon Tested
Best all-in-one system under £1,000

“A neat, compact and entertaining all-in-one system of rare sonic quality”

Marantz PM7000N | Roon Tested
Best hi-fi system under £1,000

“A practical, well furnished just-add-speakers streaming system that impresses with its entertaining performance”

Naim Uniti Atom | Roon Ready
Best hi-fi system over £1,000

“Rarely does a product look and sound as good as the Uniti Atom, but here Naim has drawn big old capital S’s on Style and Substance”

Naim ND5 XS 2 | Roon Ready 
Best music streamer over £1,500

“The Nait XS 3 is a gentle upgrade but remains one of the most musically enticing options at this price”

Our friends at TIDAL also picked-up ‘Best music streaming service’: TIDAL’s expansive, accessible and hi-res-inclusive catalogue remains the best option for streaming-savvy audiophiles”.

Three of our audio partners also won in the ‘Special Award’ category which acknowledges their outstanding innovations and contributions to the audio industry. 

Special Awards

Cambridge Audio Evo 75 | Roon Ready
Readers Award

“The Evo 75 is a shining example of just how appealing a just-add-speakers streaming system can be”

Linn Klimax DSM AV | Roon Tested 
Temptation

“When it comes to insight, clarity and dynamic expression, Linn’s exceptional range-topping Klimax DSM is second to none”

Marantz PM6007| Roon Tested
Hall of Fame

“Clearer and punchier than its award-winning predecessor, Marantz’s latest entry-level amplifier never puts the formidable 6000 Series dynasty in doubt” 

Congratulations to all of our award-winning partners this year! You can find out more about the What Hi-Fi Awards 2021 and see all 109 winners here.

Roon Partner Update: October 2021

We kicked off this fall with an impressive array of 9 new Roon Ready and Roon Tested devices from audio pioneers NAD, Onkyo, Primare, Rotel, Silent Angel, and T+A Elektroakustik. Read all about them in our latest partner update below. For a full list of our partner brands and every Roon Ready and Roon Tested device, visit our Partners page on the Roon website.

NAD C700 and M10V2
Roon Ready

NAD added their 23rd and 24th devices to the Roon family with the NAD C 700 and M10 V2. 

Both devices are powered by BluOS with the C 700 featuring a HybridDigital UcD amplifier within its aluminium housing and the M10 V2 combining a network streamer with a 100W per channel amplifier in one device. 

Onkyo TX-NR5100
Roon Tested

The TX-NR5100 is a 7.2-channel 8K AV receiver designed to be the center piece in your home theater. It’s tailored to deliver the best possible in-class entertainment experience and is Onkyo’s eighth device to become Roon Tested.

Primare NP5 Prisma MK2
Roon Ready

Adding to our family of Roon Ready audio devices in October was the new version of the popular Primare NP5 Prima network player, the NP5 Prisma MK2. 

The NP5 Prisma MK2 provides full network player technology to virtually any component with a digital input and is designed to slip inconspicuously into any system.

Rotel P5, X3, X5
Roon Tested

Rotel’s integrated amplifiers, the X3 and X5 and controlled amplifier, the P5 are now Roon Tested. 

The Rotel X3 delivers 350W of Class AB amplification and the X5 ups the power to 600W.The P5 features specially selected power supply, circuit design and critical component selections to ensure the highest integrity of the audio signal eliminating unwanted noise and distortion

Silent Angel Munich M1T
Roon Ready

The Munich M1T is the 2nd Roon Ready device from Silent Angel. It is a digital transport designed to be used with an external DAC, and supports USB, S/PDIF and AES EBU conections

T+A Elektroakustik MP 200
Roon Ready

T+A Elektroakustik added their 15th device to the Roon family with the MP 200. The MP 200 is a multi source player,  combining a compact design matched with the other Series 200 components with a flexible array of inputs including streaming and CD playback.

Roon Partner Update: September 2021

This month we have welcomed a new partner, Mission, as well as new devices from Astell&Kern, Mètronome and Zidoo.

You can read all about them in our latest partner update below. For a full list of our partner brands and every Roon Ready and Roon Tested device, visit our Partners page on the Roon website.

Astell&Kern SE200
Roon Ready

The latest Astell&Kern digital audio player to become Roon Ready is the SE200. Featuring interchangeable DAC modules from the A&futura series, the SE200 is Astell&Kern’s seventh Roon-compatible device.

Mètronome DSC
Roon Ready

Mètronome’s DSC is their third Roon Ready certified device.

DSC is Métronome’s first ‘three-in-one’ device: a top converter, streamer, and digital preamplifier all within a chassis machined from high-grade billets of aluminium.

Mission LX CONNECT
Roon Tested

Joining our family of audio partners this month is British loudspeaker pioneers, Mission. Founded in 1977, Mission was immediately recognised as one of the leaders in the development of acoustic engineering.

Fast forward to today and Mission is still innovating. The new LX CONNECT, which is Roon Tested, is Mission’s first all-in-one hi-fi system. The LX CONNECT consists of a compact hub with an OLED display, plus a pair of 60W active wireless speakers based on their LX-2 Mk II which have been specially engineered with high-power digital amplification modules.

Zidoo Z10 Pro and Z1000 Pro
Roon Ready

Since joining our family of audio partners, Zidoo has launched three devices. Joining our list of compatible audio devices in September was the Z10 Pro and Z1000 Pro which are both Roon Ready. 

The Z10 Pro and Z1000 Pro are both high performance 4K media players combining Dolby Vision enhanced video playback with high-resolution music playback.

What does it mean to be Roon Ready?

Roon Ready network devices have Roon’s streaming technology built in, and are certified by Roon Labs to provide the highest level of quality and performance in network streaming.

What does it mean to be Roon Tested?

Roon Tested devices work over USB, HDMI, AirPlay, Google Cast, and other protocols. They have been profiled by the Roon team to ensure simple setup and effortless daily use.



Roon Partner Update: August 2021

It’s been another busy month of partner launches at Roon! We’ve welcomed new brands Argon Audio, Silent Angel and Zidoo, as well as new devices from Astell&Kern, Matrix Audio and Soundaware. 

You can read all about them in our latest partner update below. For a full list of our partner brands and every Roon Ready and Roon Tested device, visit our Partners page on the Roon website.

Argon Audio SOLO
Roon Ready

Joining the Roon family in August, Argon Audio are a Danish hi-fi specialist with almost 20 years of heritage. Their mission is to bring their customers affordable high-quality audio solutions, which is something they achieved extremely well with the SOLO.  The SOLO is an easy-to-use network streamer, boasting an array of features including Roon Ready. It has a built-in DAC with an impressive signal-to-noise ratio of over 120 dBA and 64-bit volume for ultimate audiophile sound quality as well as optical and coaxial S/PDIF outputs. 

Astell&Kern SE180
Roon Ready

The latest Astell&Kern DAP to become Roon Ready is the SE180. Featuring an interchangeable all-in-one module from the A&futura series, the SE180 offers a fun new experience while on the move. Astell&Kern now have six Roon-compatible devices.

Matrix X-Sabre 3
Roon Ready

Matrix added the X-Sabre 3 to their line-up of Roon Ready devices this month. The X-Sabre 3 is housed in a brand-new chassis and features a refreshed user interface and vastly improved sonic capabilities.

Soundaware A1, A1Pro and A300
Roon Ready

We welcomed three new Roon Ready devices from Soundaware this month. The A300, A1, and A1Pro are all powered by SOUNDAWARE’s FPGA processing and capable of streaming up to 384kHz PCM and DSD256. Upgrade to the A1Pro for SOUNDAWARE’s state of the art power supply and DC filtering technology. 

Silent Angel M1
Roon Ready

Joining our family of audio partners this month is Silent Angel. Founded in 2014, Silent Angel develops high-end audio products including streamers, network switches, and more. The Munich M1 is a flexible Roon Ready device featuring a built-in DAC, a high-quality headphone output, and coaxial S/PDIF and I2S connections.

Zidoo Z9X
Roon Ready

Zidoo was founded in 2014, developing high-end media players, network streamers, and DACs. Joining our list of compatible partners this month, the Zidoo Z9X is now Roon Ready.  

The Z9X is a swiss army knife 4K UHD media player that can satisfy audiophiles and videophiles alike. It can Roon Ready streaming your existing DAC or receiver via its HDMI, Optical, or USB outputs or one can take advantage of its built-in 3.5mm AUX output to easily add a zone to your Roon setup.


Roon Partner Update: July 2021

We kicked off summer with an impressive array of 17 new Roon Ready and Roon Tested devices from audio heavyweights Arcam, Astell&Kern, Bluesound, JBL, Rotel and more… read all about them in our latest partner update below. For a full list of our partner brands and every Roon Ready and Roon Tested device, visit our Partners page on the Roon website.

Aavik 
Roon Ready

Joining the Roon family in June, Aavik are a Danish high-end audio brand who develop and manufacture amplifiers, digital-to-analogue converters, streamers and phono stages. You can now enjoy Roon Ready built-in on the S-180, S-280 and S-580 audio streamers.

Arcam ST60
Roon Ready

The ST60 is Arcam’s first ever dedicated hi-resolution audio streamer. Loaded with an abundance of features such as MQA, analog and digital outputs, and now Roon Ready, it is hugely versatile whilst being simple and straightforward to operate.

Astell&Kern KANN ALPHA
Roon Ready

Joining our family of Roon Ready audio partners in March of this year, Astell&Kern is a global leader in portable digital audio players. The KANN ALPHA is the fourth device to become Roon Ready, providing an ultra high power output to drive any headphone so you can enjoy a near-perfect sound experience wherever you are.

AVM
Roon Ready

AVM have been developing and manufacturing audio devices since 1986, making every device by hand in their factory in Southern Germany and is a new addition to the Roon Ready program. 

The OVATION CS 6.3 and OVATION CS 8.3 integrated amplifiers and OVATION MP 6.3 and OVATION MP 8.3 Media Players have all been certified as Roon Ready.

Bluesound Soundbar+
Roon Ready

The Bluesound Soundbar+ was designed specifically to deliver the highest quality sound through its quad-core processor and 120 watts of powerful sound with deep bass and rich detail. Designed to seamlessly integrate with your existing TV set-up, this audiophile-grade soundbar fulfills all of your home entertainment needs with added Roon Ready functionality. 

ELAC Discovery Connect Pro
Roon Ready

The Discovery Connect Pro is a Roon Ready multi-room streamer featuring a total of 8 playback zones. It has  built-in 192kHz 24-Bit audio DACs for each of its six analogue outputs to pair with its two digital outputs. 

JBL SA750
Roon Ready

In honor of JBL’s 75th anniversary, the JBL SA750 is a modern-retro Class G amplifier with streaming capabilities. Inspired by the classic JBL SA600 amplifier from the 1960’s, the SA750 combines mid-century styling with 21st century high-resolution streaming including Roon Ready built-in. 

Rotel RC-1590 MKII and RC-1572 MKII
Roon Tested

The RC-1590 MKII and RC-1572 MKII stereo preamplifiers are now Roon Tested. Both devices feature MQA support and multiple acoustic upgrades and refinements bringing an even higher level of performance and stunning clarity with a natural, enveloping sound stage. 

T+A Elektroakustik HA-200
Roon Tested

The HA 200 is T+A’s first dedicated headphone amplifier and features high-performance output stages that can drive even the most difficult of headphones.

Waversa WBridge and WNode S1
Roon Ready

The Waversa WBridge is a flexible digital bridge featuring WAP (Waversa Audio Processor) DSP and high-resolution playback. Connections include LAN, USB, Optical, Coaxial, AES/EBU and HDMI.

The WNode S1 is an all-in-one speaker system made out of a totally unique all aluminum chassis, that boasts a range of features including Roon Ready.

The Roon ecosystem is growing faster than ever

From our humble beginnings – the debut of the first Roon Ready network streamer (Auralic Aries) at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2016 – the ecosystem of products compatible with Roon is now the largest collection of high-resolution audio devices in the world.

Roon is compatible with over a thousand individual products from nearly 200 brands, including premium audio heavyweights like Bowers & Wilkins, Bluesound, Denon, Devialet, Harman, KEF, McIntosh, and Naim Audio, and also a wide range of manufacturers of smart devices and DIY products. Thanks in part to that focus on interoperability, Roon has become an essential component in the listening rooms of recording artists, producers, record labels, music collectors, and audiophiles.

The cadence of new Roon Ready certifications has increased tenfold since 2019. Back then, just a handful of new products were certified each month, but in the first half of this year we’ve already announced over 100 new Roon Ready and Roon Tested devices. Forty new brands have submitted products for certification in that time, including key product ranges and new launches from notable audio manufacturers like Arcam, Astell & Kern, Cambridge Audio, and JBL.

We set out to create an ecosystem with something for every use case covering a wide range of prices, form factors, functions, and features. Now, Roon really does play with everything – audio products as varied as network streamers, soundbars, DACs, wireless speakers, all-in-one systems, and A/V receivers – at prices ranging from $100 to $100,000. With support for high-resolution PCM, DSD, MQA, and extensive DSP, Roon offers the highest possible audio performance at any price.

Recent announcements about lossless and high-resolution streaming from Apple Music and others have kindled new interest in high-quality audio. For listeners who want to go beyond their mobile phone with Bluetooth headphones, Roon provides the largest and highest-performance ecosystem for listening to high-resolution music on the widest range of audio equipment.

In addition to Roon Ready products, there are hundreds of Roon Tested products that bring the Roon experience to the rest of your home. Support for Sonos, AirPlay, and Google Cast streaming devices – as well as USB and HDMI receivers and DACs – means that Roon helps you get the best performance out of virtually any audio device.

To see the full list of Roon partners and certified products, check out roonlabs.com/partners


Roon Partner Update: September 2019

As our partner program continues to grow, the Roon Ready and Roon Tested offerings from our partners become even more diverse. September was one of those months that covered the whole spectrum. From a thumb-sized USB DAC to a stunning digital upscaler, check out these new products from Audioquest, Cambridge Audio, Chord Electronics, and Stack Audio.

Continue reading “Roon Partner Update: September 2019”