What exactly is ROON?

While it’s ultimately software that can run on your computer, it runs best on Roon’s own server, the Nucleus.

and you need hardware optimized for Roon

I had it for a while but didn't really use it much. I confess I can't sit still for streaming music (or CDs for that matter) for very long before I am distracted and lose interest. 

The people who do like it seem to REALLY like it though so your mileage may vary.

I think if you like reading liner notes you would like Roon.  If you don’t know what liner notes are because your music appreciation evolved with iTunes you can read about them here:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liner%20notes

 If you don’t know what liner notes are because your music appreciation evolved with iTunes

This might be the greatest sentence (or partial sentence) ever posted on here!

@sls883

+1

Roon adds a comprehensive music exploration and management tool to streaming at the cost of complexity, and sometimes sound quality and added cost. Unless you are interested in mostly exploring music (as opposed to listening), and playing with technology (cause it adds a fair amount of IT complexity to your system) and cost... then using the native streamer software is a much better choice.

Learning, for instance, the Conductor App for Aurender streamers... or whatever the software provided with your streamer will provide great exploration tool that can help you find music... just learn to use them. If really elaborate musical exploration is desired... go to AllMusic.com. or the internet to find music and then use your streamer software to listen to it.

I personally want to listen to music, not go back to being an IT person and get deeply involved in software. Some folks are deeply involved in exploration and software.