Harman Acquires Audiophile Favorite Roon Enhancing Its Audio Portfolio

Roon, a premier software solution favored by audiophiles for managing music libraries, streaming services, and audio equipment, has been acquired by Harman, the parent company of notable audio brands such as JBL, Harman Kardon, AKG, and Mark Levinson. This acquisition, effective November 27, positions Roon under the umbrella of a significant player in the audio industry.

As a subscription-based service, Roon offers sophisticated audio enthusiasts a platform to manage extensive digital music collections and exercise control over the playback of this music across compatible devices within their homes. The service is often likened to an enhanced version of Sonos, given its expansive capabilities.

Roon also develops and markets specialized media server software and hardware, branded as Nucleus. This suite of products has gained traction, with over 1,000 devices from 160 different brands achieving Roon certification. These certified devices span a range of categories, including wireless speakers, portable media players, stereo receivers, network music streamers, and digital-to-analog converters (DACs).

Harman has announced that Roon will continue to operate as an independent business unit within the company, retaining its existing team. Dave Rogers, President of Harman’s Lifestyle Division, expressed enthusiasm for the acquisition, citing a shared commitment to delivering exceptional sound and connectivity to music enthusiasts. Rogers anticipates that Roon’s talented team will enhance Harman’s existing engineering capabilities.

This acquisition could strategically position Harman to more effectively compete with Sonos in the multiroom streaming technology domain. Harman’s JBL brand has recently introduced the JBL Authentics line, a series of Wi-Fi-enabled smart speakers compatible with various wireless technologies such as Apple’s AirPlay and Google Chromecast. However, these speakers currently lack a proprietary platform for multiroom audio, a gap that Roon’s technology could potentially fill.

Additionally, JBL’s portfolio includes a range of popular wireless earbuds and headphones. With Qualcomm’s latest announcement regarding Snapdragon chipsets bringing Wi-Fi capabilities to this category, there is potential for Harman to leverage Roon’s technology to enhance the home-use audiophile experience of these devices.

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