The Exclusive Mode setting tells Roon to take exclusive control of your audio device.
During this time, it can't be shared with other applications. This allows Roon to precisely control every aspect of the playback without any interference from the operating system. This is a basic requirement for achieving audiophile-grade playback.
The audiophiles in the room are nodding their heads.
This concept only applies to connected outputs – i.e. USB DACs, sound cards, or built-in outputs connected to Roon, Roon Server, or Roon Bridge. If you are using a networked output (AirPlay, Squeezebox, Meridian, or Roon Ready), the device takes care of this implementation detail internally.
That said, there are plenty of reasons not to use it. If you need to hear system notification sounds during playback, or you like to watch YouTube while listening to music, it's not necessarily a great idea to use this setting – since Roon will keep those other things from working properly. As with many aspects of computer audio, there is often a tradeoff here between convenience and sound quality.
Not all outputs have an Exclusive mode setting. Sometimes this is because we always use an exclusive access mode on that output, and sometimes it is because the output is not capable of supporting exclusive access.
This is an overview of the situation:
| Platform | Technology | Supports Exclusive Mode | Always Exclusive Mode |
|---|
| Windows | WASAPI | Yes | No |
| Windows | ASIO | Yes | Yes |
| Mac OS X | CoreAudio | Yes | No |
| Mac OS X | ASIO | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | ALSA | Yes | Yes |
| Android | OpenSL ES | No | No |
In general, we support exclusive mode wherever it is possible.