Samsung Electronics’ subsidiary, Harman, has acquired Roon, a renowned music streaming platform, marking a strategic expansion into the high-quality digital music sector, leveraging Roon’s advanced audio technologies and user base.
Roon, known for its audiophile-grade, multi-room, and multi-connectivity music streaming capabilities, has become a favorite among audio enthusiasts worldwide. Its platform, compatible with a multitude of audio technologies such as AirPlay, Chromecast/Google Cast, and more, offers a seamless music experience. The integration of Roon’s technology is expected to significantly enhance Samsung’s presence in the digital music domain.
One of the standout features of Roon is its comprehensive application support, extending to various devices including digital-to-analog converters (DACs), smartphones, laptops, PCs, smart TVs, Wi-Fi speakers, and USB players. Roon’s platform is designed for ease of use, enabling users to browse, organize, and play their music collections across all these devices. This versatility is a key aspect of Roon’s appeal, with support for over 1,000 products, including its own lineup of music server hardware, Nucleus.
Furthermore, Roon’s unique synchronized multi-room audio streaming technology, which supports high-resolution audio playback, is a game-changer. It offers support for various music formats, including bit-perfect DSD and PCM, and is designed to work seamlessly with Roon Ready devices without the need for additional configuration or setup. This technology aligns perfectly with Samsung’s vision of integrating sophisticated music streaming and discovery engines into its array of products, such as smart TVs, smartphones, and other audio devices.
Post-acquisition, Roon will continue to operate as a standalone business within Harman, maintaining its current team and operations. This decision underscores Samsung’s commitment to preserving Roon’s established brand and operational excellence, while also opening avenues for collaborative efforts to improve high-quality audio delivery across Samsung’s and Roon’s combined platforms and services.
This acquisition is not only a testament to Samsung’s strategic foresight in enhancing its audio portfolio but also highlights Harman’s growing influence in the audio industry. Harman, acquired by Samsung for $8 billion in 2017, already owns a variety of prominent audio brands like AKG, Bang & Olufsen, Harman Kardon, Infinity Audio, and JBL. The addition of Roon to this impressive lineup further solidifies Harman’s, and by extension Samsung’s, position as a leader in the high-fidelity audio market.
