Unitiserve vs Ripnas

quote:

Originally posted by Moriarty107:
Given that the Unitiserv is likely to cost around twice the price of a Ripnas, what will purchasers get for the additional expense?

I've no doubt that the Unitiserv will have Naim's usual stunning build quality, but other than that does it offer any facilities over other high-end ripping drives such as the Ripnas? (Especially when partnered with the Uniti or Unitiqute)

Well for starters the UnitiServe is a high quality playback device and not just a ripper.

Comparing the RipNAS and UnitiServe is rather apples and oranges.

Eloise

ripnas as a quality teac drive pre installed software and is based on a very platform windows home server. a one tera drive ,. is built very well and is quiet in operation and looks the part too. not a box with a slot in it. at £840 great unit and well worth the money

UnitServer offers S/PDIF out and is a transport - don't think RipNAS does this (isn't it as its name suggest Network Attached Storage?)

However can't easily see the advantage of either over a Mac Mini or VortexBox.

quote:

Originally posted by Eloise:

Well for starters the UnitiServe is a high quality playback device and not just a ripper.

Comparing the RipNAS and UnitiServe is rather apples and oranges.

Eloise

? I thought that the Unitiserve was just a rip/storage device and would needed to have a front end playback device (e.g. Uniti / Unitiqute / etc.) to partner with. Have I got the wrong end of the Streaming Stick?

if you ripped, and stored the ripper is hardly used. ripping is time consuming, it takes about 4 to 5 minutes with ripnas . i ripped 2900 cds now with ripnas. and it done it with easy without any failures, just make sure the disk is clean. every few weeks i rip any new cds. people are now dumping cds on boot sales at £1. collecting music cheap

quote:

Originally posted by Moriarty107:
I thought that the Unitiserve was just a rip/storage device and would needed to have a front end playback device (e.g. Uniti / Unitiqute / etc.) to partner with. Have I got the wrong end of the Streaming Stick?

Unless I've totally got the wrong end of the stick (and I don't think I have) yes you have got the wrong end of the stick.

The best way to think of the UnitiServe is as a HDX which has had it's DAC (i.e. analogue output) removed. The UnitiServe can be connected directly (via SPDIF) to a SuperNait, NaimDAC or third party DAC and it will also (via Ethernet and the UPnP protocols) stream audio to a NaimUniti or UnitiQute.

In other words, it's both a standalone (digital output) Music Server and also the heart of a multi-room system utilising other Uniti components. The RipNAS only provides part of the functionality of the UnitiServe. Which is better depends on your requirements.

Eloise

Eloise sums it up perfectly.

But you could have both - the RipNAS would be a good storage medium and uPnP server for the Unitiserve? Maybe you could then compare rips of the same CD with either the RipNAS or Unitiserve.

Hours of forum fun to be had with that one....

quote:

Originally posted by Nero:
But you could have both - the RipNAS would be a good storage medium and uPnP server for the Unitiserve? Maybe you could then compare rips of the same CD with either the RipNAS or Unitiserve.

Hey good idea - the OP should get both and he can report on which creates the better sounding rips, any different in SQ between the UPnP server in the UnitiServe and in the RipNAS, etc. Always need a good guinea pig...

Eloise

Thanks for the explanations! I think I get it now.

For my purposes (SERIOUSLY downsizing the space required by both my system and music collection) I think a Uniti + Ripnas is probably the way forward.

Uniti serve 1tb,Naim bit perfect ripping engine plus sound quality,user interface via web browser or app,our UPnP s/ware.All this partners perfectly well with the Uniti system.
Total possible 5year warranty providing process for claiming is followed,3 yrs on h/drive.

Looks like 2 weeks from now,we are building.

In comparsion to a NAS, the Unitiserve looks very interesting to me, because it can (even) serve music (of course) independent from uPnP over spdif!

It is possibel to realise absolutely great sound quality over spdif, assumed using accurate components (transport, interface, cable, etc.). It´s a bit delicate, but I´m quite sure, Naim will solve this issue excellent...

As far as I understand, it is unfortunately NOT possibel to store my actual (lossless) library on the UnitiServe, even not some HD-downloads/HDCD-rips?
And it´s even not possibel to use copys of internal HD-rips from the Unitiserve outside the box?
What about the rips to network-locations?

I think, in this case a (Rip)NAS is probably more flexibel an user-friendly.
If I´m not wrong?

You can do all of the above. USB can take, play and have it's files served so not inside but local is no issue. Internal files and network rips should be able to be served or copied elsewhere.

Thanks js,
that would be very good news about the UnitiServe´s copy handling (backups or using it´s perfect rips also for mobile devices too, like iPod etc)!
O.k. A USB drive for current audio files is an option, let´s see how it works with a large library.

quote:

Originally posted by js:
You can do all of the above. USB can take, play and have it's files served so not inside but local is no issue. Internal files and network rips should be able to be served or copied elsewhere.

I'm still curious how the UnitiServe will handle already ripped libraries:
- How will it integrate those files into its music management database,
- what is required for the tags for it to be able to do so
- are there any limitations to what can and cannot be done with externaly ripped audio files compared to internaly ripped audio files?

Anybody knows anwers to this?

-
aleg

quote:

Originally posted by AllenB:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
All this partners perfectly well with the Uniti system.

Am wondering whether this statement is pertinently succinct and specific. In (the absence of) other words, will there be a similar (to UnitiServe) HDX type product aimed at the reference series and above?

There's no reason you couldn't use a UnitiServe in a reference system with a DAC, for example.