Music Laptop, CMP2, Foobar 2000 and dbpoweramp suite
Posted by: Mr Underhill on 09 January 2011
This Christmas I have been on a bit of a journey involving DLNA, a trade body that is promulgating a set of standards that have been signed up to by companies such as SONY and Samsung; perhaps UPNP Lite!
As a result I set up a DLNA server, making my photos, videos and music available through an old DELL desktop on which I installed a DLNA service - to the house computers ....and a cheapo SONY BluRay; but that is for another part of the forum!
This got me thinking about my CMP2 laptop, which I have been using with great enjoyment for the past 18 months, and so I rebuilt it as a standard XP machine, so that I could get networking up and running again.
I initially copied my music files back onto the laptop, giving me resilient copies, just in case.
Now I reloaded Foobar2000, and listened to a thin and unengaging result.
A couple of months ago I rebuilt my system around my Naim amps, while I wait for a specialised switch to be built - rather than find my family using my EAR amps for watching 'Friends'!
This has reduced my listening pleasure - with the AV2/Naim 250s I find the digital audio far drier and less engaging ........or do I?
File Access Via Share
---------------------
I initially loaded SAMBA onto my Linux Media Server, so that I could make the remote music files available as a Windows Share. Playing this back through:
Foobar2000 > Kernel Streaming > HiFace > Naim DAC > Naim AV2(Direct) > Naim 250 etc
I felt that the quality of what I was listening to immediately improved.
File Access Via Upnp
--------------------
I then noticed that Foobar so a UPNP plugin, and so installed the DLL and browsed to my Media Server. I could see the MP3s, but NOT the higher definition files.
I therefore loaded WINE onto the server and installed Foobar2000 (FBS), which can act as both a client and a server.
I set up FBS as purely a UPNP server.
From the laptop I could browse the Media Server and see the high def files - but failed to get them playing!
SO, after a brief look at slimserver I loaded up dbpoweramp's Asset Upnp server - using WINE.
I then loaded their Asset Control on the laptop, and ....nothing.
After an hour of digging I realised I had to also load dbpoweramp's uPlayer software, and that this was used by the controller to render the files.
I then had to go back to the Asset server and set it so that flac would be served as LPCM.
...and now? Well, I'm sitting hear listening to the best digital audio I have heard through my Naim gear at home.
The dbpoweramp Access Control software is attractive and easy to use.
....and the audio? BIG step up. I had been watching a film while I worked on this. Once I listened to this I left the music ON; and am still listening now - Eagles, 'Long Road out of Eden' currently.
Couple of other thoughts:
Terminal Services
-----------------
Now that I have set up networking on the laptop, and set up a Media Server I have installed VNC on both boxes, so I can sit in the living room, and access the desktop of both the Linux server (loft) and the XP Laptop (on a high shelf).
Works very well, and has allowed me to play with a range of software from the comfort of my chair.
If you use Windows throughout then you can look at Terminal Services - which is what I use at work. This might incur a cost, but VNC works on Windows as well.
Spotify
-------
I now access Spotify through the Music Laptop, and stream the results out through the HiFace>Naim DAC.
The quality of the free service is good enough for me to decide whether to buy the CD - got me reading the Music Forum far more!
Happy New Year.
M
As a result I set up a DLNA server, making my photos, videos and music available through an old DELL desktop on which I installed a DLNA service - to the house computers ....and a cheapo SONY BluRay; but that is for another part of the forum!
This got me thinking about my CMP2 laptop, which I have been using with great enjoyment for the past 18 months, and so I rebuilt it as a standard XP machine, so that I could get networking up and running again.
I initially copied my music files back onto the laptop, giving me resilient copies, just in case.
Now I reloaded Foobar2000, and listened to a thin and unengaging result.
A couple of months ago I rebuilt my system around my Naim amps, while I wait for a specialised switch to be built - rather than find my family using my EAR amps for watching 'Friends'!
This has reduced my listening pleasure - with the AV2/Naim 250s I find the digital audio far drier and less engaging ........or do I?
File Access Via Share
---------------------
I initially loaded SAMBA onto my Linux Media Server, so that I could make the remote music files available as a Windows Share. Playing this back through:
Foobar2000 > Kernel Streaming > HiFace > Naim DAC > Naim AV2(Direct) > Naim 250 etc
I felt that the quality of what I was listening to immediately improved.
File Access Via Upnp
--------------------
I then noticed that Foobar so a UPNP plugin, and so installed the DLL and browsed to my Media Server. I could see the MP3s, but NOT the higher definition files.
I therefore loaded WINE onto the server and installed Foobar2000 (FBS), which can act as both a client and a server.
I set up FBS as purely a UPNP server.
From the laptop I could browse the Media Server and see the high def files - but failed to get them playing!
SO, after a brief look at slimserver I loaded up dbpoweramp's Asset Upnp server - using WINE.
I then loaded their Asset Control on the laptop, and ....nothing.
After an hour of digging I realised I had to also load dbpoweramp's uPlayer software, and that this was used by the controller to render the files.
I then had to go back to the Asset server and set it so that flac would be served as LPCM.
...and now? Well, I'm sitting hear listening to the best digital audio I have heard through my Naim gear at home.
The dbpoweramp Access Control software is attractive and easy to use.
....and the audio? BIG step up. I had been watching a film while I worked on this. Once I listened to this I left the music ON; and am still listening now - Eagles, 'Long Road out of Eden' currently.
Couple of other thoughts:
Terminal Services
-----------------
Now that I have set up networking on the laptop, and set up a Media Server I have installed VNC on both boxes, so I can sit in the living room, and access the desktop of both the Linux server (loft) and the XP Laptop (on a high shelf).
Works very well, and has allowed me to play with a range of software from the comfort of my chair.
If you use Windows throughout then you can look at Terminal Services - which is what I use at work. This might incur a cost, but VNC works on Windows as well.
Spotify
-------
I now access Spotify through the Music Laptop, and stream the results out through the HiFace>Naim DAC.
The quality of the free service is good enough for me to decide whether to buy the CD - got me reading the Music Forum far more!
Happy New Year.
M
Agree Asset isn't perfect but in the world of UPnP it is better featured than most. Of course at this point ...you will be expecting me to say that Vortexbox is wonderful (free not cheap) and sounds superb... But I won't. I don't want to be too predictable. 
Tog
Tog