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

In case anyone missed this quoted from the Roon Forum

It seems our TwinStores are future proofed here.

Chris

I have a hard time with people that feel Meridian owes them something beyond what they purchased. I researched the products I bought and when I put them in my audio system, they worked the way Meridian said they would. Money spent, promised performance delivered, done deal. I'd love to have MQA integrated into my Sooloos equipment, but if it doesn't happen, no big deal. That they continue to fix bugs and keep up with operating system changes is a big bonus. I have a Windows XP computer that I have to keep around to work with other manufacturers gear because they didn't.

Roon sounds like a major enhancement to the current database capabilities of Sooloos. It will also provide other features that Meridian can't. As such, it gives us an alternative way to use our Sooloos hardware. It would make no sense for Meridian or Roon to incorporate Roon into Meridian software. Roon needs to be a clear alternative to Meridian in order to help ensure the viability of their company.

CharlieU

I can see where you are coming from ... however Meridian have a history of providing free updates to its kit and this could well have been one of the points that was used as part of the sales pitch.

On the matter of MQA support again I can see your point, however in this unusual scenario Meridian are also the developers of MQA so it could be seen as a little cynical if they were selling high end products that they knew they couldn't support in future and would require further purchases.

I think that if Roon is a huge success and has thousands of subscribers then you would suspect that their R & D budget would improve and eventually leave Sooloos trailing. Another point of view is that their success may be greater in other areas and the Meridian side of things could get neglected. I have a feeling that the Roon product is going to be more flexible than Sooloos with all of the pros and cons that is usually associated with this approach.

Cheers
Tom

Charlie,

Whilst not disagreeing with you I'd qualify your comment about Roon giving us an alternative way to use our Sooloos hardware. It provides us with an alternative way to use some of our Sooloos hardware.

The Control units (the C15 is still being sold by M to my knowledge with an RRP of �4,750) become displayless end points under my understanding of Roon, and this would appear to be borne out from the responses I've received. It remains to be seen how M go forward with them in the Sooloos system, I do hope they have some sort of future as they have a presence and statement that an iPad can never have. They do need SSDs going forward, though. As an aside I was pleasantly surprised when my Control:One updated to 2.449.

I had no illusions that my legacy Sooloos system was cutting edge when I put it together, but I did so in the belief that it would continue to work in some form of Sooloos architecture until I decided not to use them, rather than M deciding they should no longer function on a unilateral basis.

Bug fixes and keeping the system functional with new operating systems are significant updates. Enhancements are another thing completely. You are right, Meridian has a history of providing even enhancements for free, but people shouldn't be disappointed if they don't. (or feel that their system is somehow not any good anymore)

It's done all the time. They need to make money to stay in business. The Explorer 2 gives you a relatively cheap way to determine if MQA will be worth spending even larger sums to have it in your system.

I don't think that will be a huge concern with Roon. Once the code is in their software, it should remain there. Roon's main focus seems to be on the database and will fill in the gaps with capabilities that a lot of Sooloos owners have been requesting for years. Roon is a new company and stuff happens to new companies. The concern should be their long term viability.

The fact that Roon is so open with their future plans while Meridian isn't shouldn't be a cause for panic. It's just the difference in a new company trying to establish some excitement for their product and an older company that doesn't need to.

That's your opinion. My reading of this thread and others suggests otherwise. I'm generally happy with the performance of my M gear and with Sooloos. But I didn't only invest in the products. I also invested in a Vision and a Philosophy for digital media.

With the casual, perfunctory announcement about the Roon spinoff, and the way M is letting Roon control the message, even disavow and deride current Sooloos, I've lost sight of the vision and philosophy. That's my opinion.

You have a better future than I do. If Meridian disappeared off the planet today, you would still have a fully functional Sooloos system for years to come. I have a MC200. I wouldn't be able to upgrade the operating system on my iPad or computer. If the MC200 craps out, I'm stuck with a couple of useless endpoints. (C'mon Roon!) So brighten up. You are in good shape for whatever happens.

Meridian primarily make hardware which has to work reliably or they lose customers. To that end, it must be production engineered accordingly and mistakes are very expensive to rectify. Long-term planning is complex and has few delivery points, none of which can readily be rolled back.

Music library user interface software is hardly mission-critical. If a release goes wrong, roll it back or fix the critical bugs pronto. Nothing really stops working; a few customers may be temporarily inconvenienced but new releases can drop frequently so it is relatively simple to adapt to customer demands quickly and openly.

Comparing Meridian and Roon product development planning and engineering is just not reasonable. Look to where the difference in cultures has now brought us. So it is equally unreasonable to ask Meridian to be as open as Roon are able to be.

Life's not that bad Charlie!

Your MC200 can be used as a NAS and endpoint in a Roon system with the simple bolt on of a NUC.

Sorry Dom the abbreviation NUC has been used a couple of times now and I thought I understood what it meant but that doesn't make sense in the context of your last statement. Could you define what a NUC is please, for thickies like me!

Thanks

Richard

NUC = Next Unit of Computing with the endpoint and storage existing on the MC200 but the MC200 not being able to run Roon and therefore be core? You would need a core device which in the case of Roon would be a NUC.

If you stick with Meridian Sooloos 2.2 then nothing changes, MC200 is core, store and endpoint.

Russ

Transferring the software application business out of Meridian was surely a surprise to me. If it will be a good move remains to be seen. But surely a strategy shift from Meridian. Unless Meridian plan to launch an alternative to Sooloos v3 app, they are leaving the GUI experience to others. I be surprised not to see a closer integration with Sooloos hardware and streaming services. It might be a good idea. Tidal and others streaming services are putting heavy investments into GUI experience and I believe Meridian rather integrate than try to compete.

I started this weekend quite skeptical to Meridian transferring the software application business, and ending up quite positive. But Meridian sure know how to create many questions. Still in the dust 4 months after MQA launch and we still know very little about bits and pieces. Why do that way? Meridian sure have a way to go communicating to their customers base.

Frode