Roon subscription coming to an end.

[Wdw]

I am a Roon convert - after some initial scepticism.  Firstly (for a reason that may not apply in your case), the connection to my Devialet via Roon has proven to be much better than Devialet Air.  Secondly, I have come to appreciate the collection management and cataloguing as well as the integration with Tidal (and yes, as a classical music lover, I would prefer it to be Qobuz). I have been able to clean up my own digital collection (around 3,500 albums and 95,000 tracks) - getting rid of duplicates, identifying corrupt tracks and systematising). However, I still use my own album titles.  In addition to the Roon notes,  I can also load and read album notes, libretti etc within Roon - a real boon for opera lovers in particular.  I have also enjoyed the radio facility which has enlarged the scope of my listening and lead me to explore some of the forgotten treasures of my own collection - let alone what Tidal might have to offer.

Given the cost of my system of around $25,000 (which I would classify as mid range compared with what some people here appear to have) - the lifetime one off cost seemed to me a reasonable expenditure.  In that sense, it seems that we are quite prepared to pay quite a bit of cash for hardware (some of it of the most esoteric kind and marginal benefit), yet expect software to be free or minimal cost - which is only possible if it is either full of ads or has a mass market - and that will never be the case with Roon.

Agree...we have gotten used to free or inexpensive software and the ROON pricing is a step back towards adequate compensation for a something performing good work in your life.   
Don't want to belabour my earlier post and thoughts about ROON ROCK but that kit needs to be considered as an Aurender for a tenth the price with a software that is, truly, evolving over time with some of the smartest talent around.  
The ROCK could easily be placed in a broom closet and forgotten about.  Low noise, minimal involvement with the OS and no updates that destroy operability.  I've added an SBooster to the NUC and it is stunningly good. 
Interface with the server and/or the hardware ROCK hardware by the ROON iOS app.