Roon Ready Relay – everything you wanted to know about the new technology in audio

Roon Labs recently introduced the Roon Ready Relay technology, which is strikingly different from previously known (such as the RAAT protocol, for example). Roon Ready Relay is designed to connect all external audio sources, from CD and SACD players to FM tuners, cassette decks and vinyl players. Sounds tempting? Let's figure out what this technology is and how it can be useful for an audiophile.

What is Roon Labs famous for?

Today, Roon Labs is known for its comprehensive ecosystem - a universal audio player Roon, a favorite software solution for fans of high-quality sound, hardware streamers Nucleus, its own ROCK operating system and the already mentioned RAAT streaming protocol. Roon relies on direct partnerships with a wide range of audio equipment manufacturers - Roon Ready and Roon Tested certifications are available through the partner program. Now the partnership is expanding to the new Roon Ready Relay certification.

How does Roon Ready Relay help music lovers and audiophiles?

Using Roon Ready Relay technology, certified external sources such as CD players, tape decks or vinyl record players can be integrated into the Roon ecosystem. Roon Ready Relay allows you to overcome the barriers between traditional analog audio devices and modern digital audio streaming functionality. As you know, a significant ergonomic advantage of Roon was multi-room seamless streaming support, when the signal could be “thrown over” or expanded to the next zone. Now, the company's multi-room audio platform has become much more complex - and it opens up new possibilities for audiophiles.

How will Roon Ready Relay work?

Roon Ready Relay, instead of receiving audio content from streaming servers or a UPnP home network, streams audio from the user's chosen physical analog sources through the Roon environment, where the audio signal can be routed to any device that supports available Roon technologies; that is, through Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, any device with the Roon app such as smartphones, tablets or PCs, or streaming systems from various manufacturers that are Roon Ready certified and use RAAT streaming technology.

What about the technologies used in Roon Ready Relay?

Audio signals from source devices such as CD players, cassette or reel-to-reel tape decks, FM tuners, turntables, TVs and more that are connected to a Roon Ready Relay certified device will be captured and digitized by the hardware's built-in analog-to-digital converters and can then be streamed in high-resolution digital format in FLAC format. Multiple zones and device groups are supported, and the Roon MUSE Precision Audio Control Suite can even be used as a room corrector, equalizer, sample rate converter or OPRA headphone calibration.

Ergonomics or quality?

Yes, it does not look like a reference clean path of High End devices, but it offers unprecedented flexibility and high quality. You can easily move sound from zone to zone, while simultaneously eliminating room deficiencies through room correction - or redirecting sound to headphones and also correcting it through plug-in OPRA filters. Streaming in the Roon Ready Relay environment will be based on the FLAC standard and will (probably) allow two types of streaming - in standard CD quality and Hi-Res.

And when will the first devices with Roon Ready Relay appear?

The first device supporting Roon Ready Relay technology has already been announced, the Victrola Stream Onyx "streaming wireless turntable" will be available for sale in the spring of 2025.

And what about digital sources?

Perhaps, equipment certified by Roon Ready Relay will be able to route digital sources in the Roon ecosystem, but there is no clear confirmation of this yet.

We are waiting for mass implementation!

Roon Labs notes: “We’re excited by Roon Ready Relay’s potential to extend the Roon Partner program and welcome more manufacturers to the Roon ecosystem. New Roon streaming technology integrations such as Roon Ready Relay provide our customers with additional audio device options that work as seamlessly and reliably as other Roon hardware.”

The main image source (c) Roon