Question re: LIV Zen vs. Unitiserve etc

There is a lot of discussion here about value for money of the UServe vs. other solutions.

All I can say is that I use a VortexBox and really like it.  I have an "appliance" version made by Small Green Computer. They also make the Computer Audiophile Pocket Server (CAPS) which is PC based and is designed more to be a source with USB out. Both options are also fun DIY projects.

One caveat on the auto ripper solutions - for classical music, you really need to edit the metadata after the fact.  Or, use dbpoweramp or another high quality ripper and edit the metadata when you rip. Naim claims to solve this on the UServe with a subscription to a metadata service.

So far, everything has been ripped using dBpoweramp, and yes I've tripped over a few even with that that I couldn't get the metadata for at all (Lester J Allen, and a bunch of 'live' albums, kinda fair enough)

To me it makes sense as a music storage unit, but I just wondered if you ended up with any functionality differences from a user perspective doing it this way..

I haven't used a UServe, but seems that it works well from SPIDF or Ethernet (UPNP Server) out.

The main functionality difference will come from your source, which (I think) could be a UnitiServe SPIDF > NAC. If you get a Naim streamer and use the VortexBox as a UPNP server, the only real difference between the VB and a regular NAS with a UPNP server is the auto rip.  Honestly, if you already use dbpoweramp, you probably just want a good NAS.

I use a VortexBox (UPNP) to a Sonore Rendu via SPIDF to the NDAC. This has plusses and minuses. To date, the Rendu doesn't support Internet Radio, but that should be coming. It does support DSD conversion, which I haven't used. I use an old iphone tethered to the NDAC, which also gives me a world of apps (like archive.org streaming of every Dead show ever, MOG, etc.)  I use Bubble UPNP on Android as a control app for the Rendu. it works great and supports gappless playback. iOS options are plugplayer and eLyric, which are not so good. So - not as seamless as a Naim streamer, but sounds great.

The VortextBox has 2 key pieces of functionality for me: autorip, UPNP. I like how easy it is to configure and manage. I use Bliss to edit metadata, which has a nice plug in for VortexBox. You probably don't want to use a VortexBox as a direct source - and you'd need to use USB, or a hot rod VortexBox like the ones from SotM.

If I had to start all over, and the ND5xs was available when I started to build my system, I'd probably have no CD player and the ND5 + PSU. But, then I wouldn't have had all the fun of playing around with all the gear.

I asked a similar question a couple of months ago, I think it was called 'Is the vortex box any good' and got lots of helpful advice. I ended up with the UnitiServe. But I was starting from zero, and wanted something easy - or as easy as possible. With the US, you still need a NAS for backup, and if you are already ripping to a NAS, I wonder if you need either the US or the Vortexbox.

One advantage to me was that as my server and streamer are both Naim, then the factory can help more easily if things go awry. And the two apps do work very well.

And I may be heading the same way too, with a good hard look at the Zoneripper (seen and heard in action with comparable "all-in-one" Linn kit). 

I have a question which may be still relevant to this thread so I'll not start a new one.

Would I be right in saying that the UnitiServe has two ways of delivering digital music (via UPnP and S/PDIF). If so can the UnitiServe and SuperUniti (say) be connected without the need for a network, yet still 'play' music. I ask as I'm apprehensive about losing or not having telephone connection in rural France, and that would muck up the network/router assignments etc. surely?

The US has a digital output that can connect to (say) a SuperUniti, but it works best networked. You need to be connected to the web when ripping CDs to get the album art etc. Setting it up on a network  is really easy, and avoids the need for expensive leads. 

Ok, thanks HH, by working best networked I assume you are talking about SQ as well as convenience? By expensive leads you mean the dig. BNC? I'm just thinking about a fallback position for playing ripped music when a farmer's 12 year old nephew drives a hay baler into our telegraph pole and cut's off luxuries like the internet.

I'm lucky that I've spent some years as a contributor to and moderator on a large on-line music database so my collection data has been meticulously uploaded & edited elsewhere, getting exactly the right data back isn't a problem unless I forget my password.

That's right. Following advice here, I have a network cable from the router to a switch, with both the US and the SU connecting to the switch. The total cost of cabling was about £12, plus £25 or so for the switch (I use a Cisco, largely chosen because it has a button to turn off the green flashing lights).

The alternative is a direct digital lead between the two boxes, which costs more anmy sounds worse apparently. I asked a question as to why, when I was getting into this, and received a technical explanation that was really useful. You could search for the thread if you wanted.