Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming Meridian Audio transfers software apps business to Roon Labs

My own experience was similar when moving from the digital output on the MC200 to the 818v2, but keeping the MC200 as the music streamer. In your example, I'm willing to bet it was the MS600 that created the jump in sound quality.

The MD600 at its most basic level, is only a linux-based fileserver, which I really believe could be replicated without adverse effects on a system like a Mac or PC (assuming a setup with adequate shielding).

I do look forward to having more choices and options so I look forward to more news from both sides. Having said that it does not seem like there is any sort of strategic partnership between Roon and Meridian when Roon's CTO say he is waiting to see Meridian's roadmap like the rest of us. This sounds more like a divorce.

I am still hoping to see a future for Sooloos with Meridian as well as new products from Roon.

I agree, the comments seem to point to a divorce

Privately, I've seen comments that Meridian *is* investing in Sooloos (2.x) development. This is clearly good news, but how far it goes is anyone's guess. The glass-half-full view is that Sooloos will continue to be developed as a turnkey alternative to Roon, and having the two products available with their own unique selling points will present Meridian customers with a valid CHOICE. However, I wouldn't expect a ground-up re-write of Sooloos, which Roon clearly is.

That said, I believe that the time is now well overdue for Meridian to get to grips with its ludicrous culture of secrecy and start letting its customers know what they can expect.

Joel

That assumes Meridian have a clear plan to show us.

Russ

From a business standpoint, why invest further into the 2.x codestream? I don't see the point. If you put that development effort instead to run Roon on Meridian hardware with say an on/off button in the Meridian branded Roon App for example then that would actually make sense.

But try to keep the development down to the point to package the Roon app for Meridian hardware, say MC200 with another RAM DIMM slapped in by the dealer.

This statement assumes that you prefer Roon over Sooloos. It is possible that Roon will not suit everyone, be that the product, the subscription model, the change in perspective when looking at music, the possible additional investment newer technology possibly needed to run it, or simply, Sooloos 2.x does everything that the user wants, the only thing missing is reassurance that it will be actively maintained (people want to know that it will support MQA, when Tidal is no longer the flavor of the month, something else will take its place on Sooloos) rather than end up on care and maintenance.

As someone who looked long and hard at swapping out their MC200 for a dedicated Mac mini, decent audio endpoint and music server software, I could not get the numbers to stack up even before taking into account any cost for music server software. I guess an Intel Nuc would be a cheaper option, but still Sooloos just works, the other options require fiddling.

So for me, I will be disappointed if Meridian did not put a bit of effort into keeping Sooloos 2.x current.

Ian, good points. I think there will be a silent majority (as always) that just isn't troubled by this at all. 2.1 or 2.2 works just fine for them.

That there are going to be choices is actually quite refreshing in what was once a very closed architecture. If this means HQ spend their limited resources on continuing to make top-notch end points and hardware then great.

That said, I agree with VK, in that it is high time HQ revealed what MQA is going to mean and also what will they be doing with 2.2 and Roon. I wouldn't underestimate just how complex those item are to resolve.

I belong to the happy campers who are very happy as Sooloos is right now and with the upcoming MQA promise.

Nothing comes for free, there has to be a pay back model and I don't see that the pay back model for software and App updates for M is comparable to what OS or App providers earn.
Even being Dutch, I wouldn't mind to pay an annual fee or a case by case update fee if M brings out an upgrade whether that is M, Roon's or from someone else's development I don't care less as long as it comes from M as they are my mark for quality.

Cheers!

I am very happy with the SQ and user interface of my current Sooloos set-up. That does not mean that I will continue to sit back and see Meridian as the only viable digital playback option out there. Even though content is limited I want the ability to play DSD and I would like to play 24/192 at native rates.

JaapJan

I concur, I am first and foremost a Meridian customer and wish to remain so.

Just maybe in the silent majority.

20 years is a long time with the wonderful support provided by HQ.

I understand that M cannot be all things to all men and today I am reassured that the short marriage and IMHO premature divorce, has not become an acrimonious issue.

I am very happy with Sooloos 2.2 and will continue, hopefully with 'informed' MQA choices in the future.

A streaming source is a completely separate issue.

Hector

I agree. I could mostly handle M being enigmatic, but enigmatic and erratic is a bit too much. I'll need some sort of assurance before I simply trust M to do the right thing from now on.

I like Sooloos a lot and I don't know enough about Roon to know whether I'll want it, but I do know that I'm skeptical about the brighter future in which the two companies partner and delivering a working solution. If they weren't able to coordinate while the Roon team was inside Meridian and reliably ship integrated hardware and software, why would they be able to do so as separate companies?

Soundserge