NAS selection and how I plan to use...

Posted by: Kage on 27 January 2012

Okay, I've spent most of the afternoon reading posts and visiting NAS company websites. The options seem endless and the more I read, the more I seem concerned and confused.

My current setup is planar 25 (not relavent), mac mini, nait xs and harbeth c7's. The mac mini is plugged straight into the nait. I know the nait and the harbeths deserve a better source setup, and this is what I'm working towards.

First step is the storage of files. I would like to add a NAS that I would connect a streamer to at a later date. I have around 400 cd's and would like to start downloading hd files in the future. Is the qnap ts 212 a good choice? Will it be a case of connecting it to my mini mac and moving all the files over. Also will i be able to set up iTunes, so when I copy my CDs in aiff they automatically get saved on the NAS?

Then the next stage is to introduce a nd5 xs. Can I connect this to the NAS so all I need is the NAS, nd5 and nait on, to play my music?

I've got to do it in stages for financial reasons. So I want to make sure on the end result and that the middle stage works until I buy the nd5. Basically, once I get the nd5, I want to unplug the connection between the mac and the nait and connect the nait to the nd5 with nd5 connected to the NAS. Am I on the right track?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Posted on: 27 January 2012 by Foot tapper

Hi Kage

If you run a search on this forum for my posts, you will see almost identical questions and the progress that I have made to date. Also look for the posts by Guido Fawkes, as he has been an extremely generous source of helpful advice.

Best regards, FT

Posted on: 27 January 2012 by Kage

Just started reading about twonky and asset. More I need to digest. I'll do a search on your posts. Thanks.

Posted on: 30 January 2012 by totemphile

Kage - had a conversation with a Naim dealer today who informed me that apparently Twonky cannot play AIFF files and that none of the UPnP servers for Mac could. Not sure if this really is the case though...

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by james n

Originally Posted by totemphile:

It's not

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by Rich27

Originally Posted by Kage:

My current setup is planar 25 (not relavent), mac mini, nait xs and harbeth c7's. The mac mini is plugged straight into the nait. I know the nait and the harbeths deserve a better source setup, and this is what I'm working towards.

First step is the storage of files. I would like to add a NAS that I would connect a streamer to at a later date. I have around 400 cd's and would like to start downloading hd files in the future. Is the qnap ts 212 a good choice? Will it be a case of connecting it to my mini mac and moving all the files over. Also will i be able to set up iTunes, so when I copy my CDs in aiff they automatically get saved on the NAS?

Then the next stage is to introduce a nd5 xs. Can I connect this to the NAS so all I need is the NAS, nd5 and nait on, to play my music?

I've got to do it in stages for financial reasons. So I want to make sure on the end result and that the middle stage works until I buy the nd5. Basically, once I get the nd5, I want to unplug the connection between the mac and the nait and connect the nait to the nd5 with nd5 connected to the NAS. Am I on the right track?

Add the NAS, cannot speak for Qnap as I am a Synology user although both brands have good reputations.

I would recommend the Synology DS211 or DS212 series as good quality, quiet NAS drives that work very well with the Naim streamers. Get two 2tb drives and you will have room for your 400 cd's plus spare capacity for approx. 5 times that many in Raid 1. Cost of hard drives at the moment may bring a tear to your eye!

It is easy to move your entire iTunes library to the NAS and also easy to set up the Mini to rip new cd's direct to the NAS. You wouldn't connect the Mini direct to the NAS but all you need is a cheap network switch between Mini and NAS (Netgear make good ones, cost maybe £30).

Once you have the ND5 XS, all of Synology's NAS drives come with a built in upnp server that will serve up AIFF files (as well as WAV, FLAC, Apple Lossless etc.) to it. You do not need a upnp server for MAC as the server resides on the NAS already.

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by Foot tapper

My Synology DS212+ has a couple of Seagate 2TB drives in it and is connected to a couple of PCs and a mac mini via a Netgear gigabit switch and CAT6 cable (which is cheap as chips).

I have ripped CDs on to the NAS drive using the AIFF codec and it all seems to play really well over both the Windows XP PCs and the mac mini. I'm using itunes to play the music. I ended up choosing AIFF format, as it is lossless (so maintains sound quality) and is fully compatible with both Apple devices and Naim's streamers, Unitiqute (must choose the right spec though, the 24 bit/192kHz version).

So far, so good for me, but please do not take this as the only way to do it. It just suits my combination of Naim music systems, TV, computers & mobile devices.

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by MontyMusic

I use a QNAP 410 with 4 x 1.5TB drives in RAID5. It works great with my MAC Mini and my entire iTunes library lives on there (2TB so far) in AIFF.

The QNAP is a little noisy so is in a different room to my system. I'm unsure how noisy the smaller ones are......

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by totemphile

Originally Posted by james n:

Originally Posted by totemphile:

It's not

James that's good to hear!

Just to be sure we mean the same thing, in my conversation with the Naim dealer we were talking about serving AIFF files out of iTunes / locally off a Mac's hard drive via a UPnP server to a Naim streamer, either ND5XS or NDX. Are you saying this is possible with Twonky? Aren't you using Yazsoft Playback?

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by james n

TP - yes you can do that with Twonky on the Mac. Twonky doesn't read an iTunes library structure properly and to be honest is a bit rubbish. Playback or Majestic work far better.

James

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by totemphile

Thanks James - that's encouraging to hear, since I've got an ND5XS on the way and all my ripped CDs currently on my MBP. So which of the two do you prefer, Playback or Majestic, and why?

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by Guido Fawkes

> Okay, I've spent most of the afternoon reading posts and visiting NAS company websites. The options seem endless and the more I read, the more I seem concerned and confused.

You need but read only one it starts with Vortex and ends with Box - yes it is Vortexbox.

(Now I've annoyed that dude who always says I post the same thing - but I do this because it is free and it works with Naim - assumes you have an old PC]

The options here are whether you just want to try it on almost any old PC for free (bit of care as it turns the PC in to a Vortexbox) - I'd always do this first if possible just in case you don't think it is as fantastic as I do.

Next step - if the old PC does all you need with the Vortexbox software then you are now the owner of a great free NAS that is optimised to serve music. If you have a CD reader then it'll rip CDs too - it does bit perfect rips - no magic I'm afraid.

If you want a really nice box for your hi-fi rack the the commercial wing will make you one that supports exactly the functions you want (they probably have one on the shelf). You can save on the case if you don't want to/need to put it on show.

If you want a 100% silent Vortexbox then they can build it for you. You could DIY for the cost of the parts, but I found DIYing came to a bit more than VB's asking price (drat and double drat).

My advice is

Mac Mini SSD with Firewire Disk ->Wireworld SuperNova 6 -> Naim S/PIF in on Naim device (UQ, SU, NDX, Naim DAC) - if you want iTunes, Airplay, Spotty Something (Don't use that myself, but know it works), a zillion radio stations, you tube, audio conference calls from work (yuk ... but at least they are in mock stereo). It wil sound great and it'll just work (it's Apple)

If you want to stream over the Network then Vortexbox - it uses UPnP, DAAP, SB and some other combinations of letters to send music to Naim, Sonos, Apple, Squeezeboxes and it works really easily - google Vortexbox and you'll see some details. I like that you never pay for bits you don't want - you can have a built in DAC, but why when you have it in your Naim kit - so don't buy that bit. If you don't want to rip then don't buy the CD drive.

[OK - there was a problem with iTunes 10 as Apple did some something, but a Vortexbox fix is probably already there, I know there is a patch that fixes it - and it caught out all NAS boxes. However, if you use the ND5 XS then this is no worry at all as Naim implements the agreed standard, it doesn't add sneaky improvements that stop it working].

As always with something like VB - try before you buy. In fact you may find you don't need to spend anything at all. I used it for ages on an old PC that was previously skip bound.

Whatever you use - buy an external disc and back-up you music files, please .... too many folk on the forum are learning the importance of this the hard way

All the best, Guy

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by james n

TP - Playback is my favourite but I'm using Majestic at the moment as there is a bug in playback which on a small number of my albums doesn't list them correctly ( shows them all as tracks under an artist rather than artist / album / tracks) It may be fixed now so I need to check. Operationally both are very quick and just start serving at startup. No need to scan the library etc. Majestic compresses the artwork reducing the resolution somewhat when using nStream on the iPad.

James

Posted on: 31 January 2012 by totemphile

Cheers James, much appreciated!! I will check out both once I have taken delivery of the ND5XS. Looking forward to it a great deal, exciting times. Imagine how the guys waiting in line for the NDS must feel Unfortunately that's way out of my financial comfort zone - maybe in a few years time when it comes up on the pre-loved market.

Best