Just to add a little to this point...

A few years back we published details here on HH about how you could point LMS (Squeeze boxes) as the MD600 STORE and run the same library. That was if you ripped in a proper ripper and not Control:PC or C15.

That meant still running two cores. But it was the best we could do to break out of the closed system.

The comment about architecture is key here and also explains why Sooloos 3.0 (as it once was... fact... I know this as I was alpha testing it) became Roon.

Compare the closed vs open systems...
Roon runs on Windows, OSX and now Linux.
It runs on iOS and Android handhelds.
It reads ALL music files (FLAC, DSF, DFF, MP3 etc.) stored on practically ANY connected or network device with folders that a user can actually recognise.
It feeds Meridian end-points (MS200, MS600, ID40/ID41 etc.) as well as Airplay devices, Squeezeboxes and a host of other network and USB devices.

=One system.

If you look back at some of the wish-list items for Sooloos (e.g. track level data) this is what Roon does.

Don't get me wrong... I was a big fan of Sooloos and still have a huge soft-spot for it. Just look at the tools and guides that I/we published on HH. In its day it was absolutely the best solution in a Meridian system.

However, it was hugely expensive and very closed. I still bought into it of course. No regrets at all.

I think that Roon is a spectacularly good evolution of Sooloos. Feeding music into my various end-points is rock-solid (Meridian, AppleTV, Squeeze).

Into the 808v6/ID41 results in SQ that is just stunning. I love it !!

I like to think that it is the perfect combination of two groups doing what they are best at.

If people are happy with what Sooloos does today then fantastic. It is still a great solution. HQ may do stuff with Sooloos... who knows... we don't hear any more about that than anyone else these days.

If people like Roon they can run both or switch over. Choice is a good thing here. It doesn't need to be a tribal issue.

Rgds,
Nick