It has been announced that Roon, the highly acclaimed music streaming and media playback platform, has been acquired by Harman International. While financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, it marks an important collaboration between two giants in the fields of digital music and sound equipment.
Based in New York, Roon was founded in 2015 and has rapidly grown a devoted following among audiophiles and music enthusiasts. With a focus on high-resolution audio, extensive music libraries, and personalized recommendations, Roon delivers what many describe as a concert-like listening experience in the home. The open-ended nature of the Roon platform has also allowed it to partner with over 160 audio brands.
On the other end of the deal is Harman, a global leader in automotive systems and consumer audio for decades. In addition to producing audio systems for automobiles worldwide, Harman owns renowned brands like JBL, AKG, and Lexicon. The acquisition will see Roon gain access to Harman’s extensive expertise in hardware development and manufacturing.
Industry observers view the partnership as highly synergistic – bringing together Roon’s best-in-class software tools and music database with Harman’s capabilities in engineering premium audio products. It aims to accelerate the companies’ shared goal of elevating the in-home music listening experience. The deal also positions Harman to expand into the growing smart speaker and multi-room audio space, projected to be a $12.5 billion market by 2027.
Going forward, Roon will continue operating independently while also exploring integration with Harman’s ecosystem. Music lovers can expect the outstanding platform they know and love to be enhanced through even closer collaboration with hardware companies worldwide. This landmark deal ushers in an exciting new era of music enjoyment in the digital age.
