@patifr - I generally have the same concerns with free trials and providing payment info, but I recently cancelled my Roon trial subscription (it just wasn’t for me) and I haven’t seen any suspicious activity on my credit card alerts. Do be aware that they’ll charge a random amount (usually around $1 US) to verify the payment method when you sign up for the trial, but that charge was a “pending” charge and was cancelled the following day in my case. This is fairly typical of all free trials of services I’ve signed up for, such as streaming content, and I haven’t had any issues with companies failing to cancel the subscriptions thus far.
As for the short 14 day trial period, I found it sufficient and only needed about 30 to 60 minutes a day for about 8 days to figure out I didn’t need it. You might be different and find that it actually meets your needs, so it could be worth checking it out.
It’s longer than the 7 days of free trial of Neutron that are more than enough.
At the moment that you hear the playback of your first tracks, you buy the license.
Agree Glen.
I too had no issue with payments being taken whilst still trialling Roon, and I signed up with 3 different email addresses so had plenty of time to evaluate.
Only trialled it streaming to my Pi just to get a feel for the remote user interface (very impressed), but ultimately a non-starter for me as my main streamer isn’t ‘Roon ready’. Yet.
The UI really is the best part of Roon (in my case) since I don’t have need for multi-node / multi-zone streaming support. I just subscribed to Audirvana Studio (annual) and I’m hoping the development over the next year will make the investment worth it. Ultimately, I will only need UPnP support for a Volumio streaming device next year, when I decide to get into that side of this money trap… er… hobby.
I have had many issues with AS, and also 3.5 before.
I found that JRiver was extremely stable but it didn’t/doesn’t have streaming (Qobuz) integration, essential as I only stream via UPnP and not USB. I honestly can’t remember the SQ of JRiver compared to either Audirvana release.
I’ve also used BubbleUPnP/Minimserver and Linn Kazoo. This is also very stable, but I don’t really like the remote Linn interface. Also didn’t like the mconnect remote.
The proprietary Cyrus app is, quite frankly, merde.
I have a tip for you that you can try.
JRiver has a feature that allows to send the tracks from your server to your streamer. In this case, it’s not JRiver that plays them, but the player on your streamer. I was told that it gives a very good sound.
Yes, that’s exactly as I used it Doudou, via UPnP.
As such my streamer would be doing the ‘number-crunching’, and it is a very good streamer with regard to SQ, if not features, imo.
I don’t recall being dissapointed in the SQ of JRiver and probably wouldn’t even be aware of Audirvana if streaming integration were available.
If I understood you correctly, you have streaming features in the release of Volumio that you use.
What sounds better for streaming Qobuz or Tidal, Volumio or Audirvana?
With regard to a SQ comparison, it’s difficult for me to say really.
I use AS at home through my main system through loudspeakers (when it works ), and Volumio at work through headphones.
@Ironz - Have you looked at the iFi Zen Stream as a streaming solution? I think it uses a custom version of Volumio, supports different streaming protocols, and may work with your current DAC. It may be worth a look.
For people who stream, the pricing is interesting.
For one AS subscription, you get SIX Volumio Virtuoso.
And for one Roon subscription, you get TWELVE Volumio Virtuoso.
