# DS audio vs Roon ARC

The clearest difference is rating: Roon ARC at 3.3 against DS audio's 2.7. Roon ARC also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). DS audio's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Roon ARC holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 211 and 196 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of DS audio's written reviews are positive against 36% of Roon ARC's.

DS audio ships an update every 3 months, Roon ARC monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DS audio | Roon ARC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (211 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-audio/id321495303/reviews) | **[3.3 (196 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon-arc/id1555549544/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **211** | 196 |
| Positive reviews | 28.9% of reviews | **35.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 39 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Synology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/321493109) | [Roon Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1014764082) |

## What reviewers say

### DS audio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-audio/id321495303)

Stream your music library from your Synology NAS to your iPhone or iPad. Enjoy offline playback, organize music by various criteria, create and share playlists, and even rate your tracks. It can also function as a remote control for streaming to home stereo speakers.

**Highlights:** Stream music from Synology NAS, Offline music playback, Browse by albums, artists, genres, Create and share playlists, Rate music tracks, Remote control for home speakers

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Streaming music from NAS
- 👍 Allows offline playback
- 💡 Integrates with home audio systems
- 👍 Provides access to entire music library

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Unreliable connectivity and login issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance and skipping songs
- 🐛 Outdated and cluttered user interface

**Reported bugs**

- App randomly closes or stops playing
- Fails to remember playback position
- Incompatible with latest iOS versions
- Issues with downloading and caching music

**Requested features**

- Add support for Dolby Atmos and surround sound
- Implement gapless playback
- Improve playlist management and editing
- Add search and sorting functionality
- Provide better integration with CarPlay and Chromecast


### Roon ARC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon-arc/id1555549544)

Access your entire Roon music library and streaming services on the go. Enjoy personalized recommendations, offline listening, and advanced audio controls with a familiar interface.

**Highlights:** Access Roon library anywhere, Stream TIDAL, Qobuz, KKBOX, Offline music downloads, Personalized recommendations, Advanced audio controls (MUSE), Car integration

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with Roon
- 🌍 Access music library anywhere
- 🔊 High-quality audio playback
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 💡 Useful feature additions like EQ presets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🤖 Unreliable performance, especially on mobile networks
- 📱 Lack of iPad-optimized interface
- 🔌 Requires complex network setup for remote access

**Reported bugs**

- Corrupted media files
- Disappearing playlists
- Inability to select external storage for downloads
- Inconsistent connectivity to Roon server

**Requested features**

- Native iPad app
- Siri integration for voice control
- Improved browsing and search capabilities
- Automatic offline downloads
- MQA decoding support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DS audio free?

DS audio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Roon ARC free?

Roon ARC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DS audio or Roon ARC?

Roon ARC is rated higher. DS audio averages 2.7 out of 5 from 211 ratings, while Roon ARC averages 3.3 from 196 ratings.

### Do DS audio or Roon ARC have ads?

Neither DS audio nor Roon ARC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DS audio or Roon ARC?

DS audio ships an update every 3 months, and Roon ARC monthly. Most recently, DS audio was updated on October 20, 2026 and Roon ARC on October 15, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*