Roon and online radio stations

One of the least used features in Roon is access to online radio stations that can be easily "tuned in" from the app. We normally associate Roon Labs software with high or maximum quality playback, depending on each person's music system, which is why online stations are not usually part of our mental landscape. We probably use them every day on our smartphones, on our way to work, while exercising, or doing chores around the house, but not to listen to music on our main system.

I have spent many hours researching stations and testing their results, and I have had a couple of big surprises. I think you will be surprised too, but I will leave that for later.

We could say that there are two broad categories: those created from the internet for the internet, and those that broadcast their "normal" version via streaming. In this second group, we can say two things: mainly, that their audio quality is superior to what we can get on most devices while we are on the move or at work, and inferior to what we get with a quality tuner with a good antenna.

Their broadcasts are in low quality, MP3, where 128 kbps is almost the maximum we will get, with most stations not even reaching that. Among the least generous in terms of quality, we have, within our cultural environment, the Prisa group, which is widely represented in both Spain and Latin America. For them, the world of streaming is an additional cost to what they already spend on their physical network of antennas and repeaters to reach the same audience as before. They do not invest large amounts of money and their programs always run with a certain time delay. Apart from the convenience mentioned above in the "dynamic" modes of our lives, their current contribution to this sector is very basic, if not non-existent.

There are thousands of stations around the world created and designed solely for this medium. As a rule, they are not generalist stations and are highly specialized in a niche market. The sound quality is very good and, in some cases, simply spectacular. It is very difficult not to find something you like, as the selection is so segmented that you can find a radio station to suit your mood at any given time.

Of course, we shouldn't imagine thousands of small entrepreneurs with their micro-stations broadcasting to everyone. In most cases, the stations I am going to recommend belong to business groups with a large number of stations broadcasting.

Online radio has two enemies: broadcast quality and micro-cuts. Even within the same business groups, I have experienced one station broadcasting perfectly and another having this problem. In digital broadcasting, there are many variables that can temporarily interrupt transmission. Solving them is fairly easy, although expensive. For our part, all we can do is not add problems to an already problematic system.

As expected, the sound quality of the different stations tested depends on their encoding and broadcast format. It ranges from impressive sound on two of them to acceptable in most cases. I used the main system for the sole purpose of checking whether the maximum radio quality was worthy of being called "high fidelity" and, without a doubt, it would leave the high-end tuners of yesteryear speechless.

Equipment used in the tests

» Cambridge Audio MXN10 (streaming server) Review coming soon
» Roon Labs on dedicated PC.
»Bow Technologies WAZOO XL.
»Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3. Review coming soon
» Wires4Music for cabling:
    » Horus Hybrid RCA interconnect
    »Evolution on speakers and mains
» Custom rack

The two stations that have impressed me the most and are now part of my list of essentials are a Chilean company and a Russian company. Here they are:

This Chilean brand belongs to the RadioTv.pro group. They define themselves as stations for audiophiles, and honestly, with their features and having tried them for a long time, I can attest to that. They have seven themed channels. In my case, as an addict to 80s music, their channel 4 is my favorite. I haven't had any signal interruptions, it's as if I had put my CD on. The best station, without a doubt. Their self-promotional commercials are in English.

This Russian station broadcasts six themed channels. Although it does not match the audio quality of the Chilean station, its music repertoire is impeccable and the signal is perfectly stable. I'm hooked on their classic version. Their experience in this field makes enjoying music a delight. What's more, you can see what's playing in real time via the website. Their self-promotional commercials are in Russian.

This is possibly the best known and most famous of all. It broadcasts five different channels. Its website is a work of art in itself and uses listener collaboration to configure/refine its playlists. A true classic in this sector.

Channel belonging to Radio Network LLC, with 63 themed broadcast channels. Not finding your musical style is literally impossible.

With a website that is practically unworthy of today's standards, they broadcast more than 90 themed channels. I was entertained for quite a while by their classical music channel. I have highlighted it especially for its large number of channels and for one curious feature: it has endless Christmas channels. Strange things in life.

With this theme, I couldn't resist taking a look. The title doesn't lie, and the music selection is delightful. It's a place to drop in and relax for a while as you read or watch life go by. Initially, it was dedicated to Frank Sinatra, but a few years ago they expanded their repertoire to include other singers.

Basic information (highest quality displayed)

Logo	Name	Musical type	Encoding	Country
	SuperStereo 4	80s	FLAC 96kHz, 24bit	Chile
	Radio Control	Classical	FLAC 44.1kHz 16bit	Russia
	Radio Paradise	Varied	FLAC 44.1kHz 16bit	United States
	Crooner Radio	Jazz Crooner	MP3 192kbps	United States
	Awesome 80"s	80"s Hits	MP3 128kbps	United States
	181.FM Classic Hits	Classical	MP3 128 kbps	United States
	Radio Rock	Rock	MP3 256 kbps	Norway
	24-7 Hot Country	Country	MP3 128kbps	United Kingdom
	Net80radio	80s hits	MP3 128 kbps	Argentina

Adding a radio station in Roon is easy. With this simple tutorial, you can do it yourself in just a few steps. Keep in mind that Roon validates the radio stations it recommends, so your favorite station may not have taken the necessary steps to register in its database or may have been rejected for any reason. That's why we need to have control over these functions.

The possibilities that Roon offers us in controlling any streamer or streaming source and its ease of use make it possible to do anything we can think of that is related to music playback. With the added work it does for us, it always chooses the highest quality broadcast by default, as many channels broadcast in different quality types (and therefore consume different amounts of data). Roon knows that all good enthusiasts have generous connections to our server, which is why the highest music quality is always the norm.