Roon 2.0.28 with TIDAL Max and Offline Mode

Software developer Roon Labs LLC. has caused quite a stir in recent weeks, not because of the Roon software itself, but rather due to the takeover of the company by Harman International Industries and its Harman Lifestyle Division, which took place in November 2023. Now business as usual should gradually return and Roon Labs LLC. presents the latest update Roon 2.0.28.

Roon 2.0.28 focuses primarily on direct support for the TIDAL Max service and also brings back an option that was restricted some time ago to the regret of many users, namely the use of Roon without a permanent online connection.

TIDAL Max with FLAC and 24 bit and 192 kHz

TIDAL was regarded as one of the proponents of the lossy MQA format and therefore only offered Hi-res content in this format until the decision was ultimately made to rely on the open, licence-free and also lossless FLAC. Of course, this offering was promptly given its own name, and TIDAL Max has been the flagship of the streaming service as part of TIDAL HiFi Plus since summer 2023.

Initially, however, this service was only available via the TIDAL app, but providers in the streaming sector are now gradually providing corresponding adaptations for their solutions, including Roon Labs LLC.

They have worked closely with TIDAL to make all the high-quality content available via Roon, just like in the TIDAL app itself, plus all the possibilities that Roon offers.

Offline mode is back

A very welcome new feature of Roon 2.0.28 for many users is that a new offline mode is now available in this version, meaning that a constant connection to the Internet is not required for operation.

However, this is not really an innovation, but rather a return to the fact that things could be done better in the past, to put it a little provocatively. The need for a constant Internet connection was only introduced by Roon Labs LLC. with the Roon 2.0 version; Roon 1.8 and earlier versions did not have this requirement.

Prices and availability

Roon 2.0.28 is available immediately in the form of Roon 2.0 Build 1365 and Roon Server 2.0 Build 1365, as well as Roon 2.0 Build 1364 in the form of the apps for Apple iOS and Google Android. For existing customers, the updates are of course free of charge as usual.

Getting to the point

The high-resolution TIDAL offer in FLAC format is now also available in Roon, Roon Labs LLC. is implementing TIDAL Max with the latest update to Roon 2.0.28. The company is also realising that customers do not need to be nagged into a constant online connection to the Internet and is now ensuring that the software works smoothly even without an active Internet connection.