FLAC and MP3 encoding using n-Serve for Mac and 1.7a

Posted by: dschoem on 29 September 2013

Apologies if this has already been covered elsewhere, but I've scoured the forum and don't seem to have found anything covering this specifically, while there is no clear reference in the 1.7 updated manual either. I am running a UnitiServe SSD in conjunction with a Synology 213+ NAS, on which the Music Store contains about 1 800 CDs in WAV format. Having now updated to 1.7a, it seems that my current library of WAV files can be encoded to FLAC, while new rips can be encoded from the outset in either FLAC or WAV. There also appears to be an option to simultaneously encode to a parallel MP3 library at a selectable bit rate. However, it seems that encoding existing WAV files in the music store to FLAC replaces the WAV files with the new FLAC file. Is there any way the new FLAC files can be stored in another location while retaining the original FLAC file? Also, if MP3 parallel encoding is enabled, is this only true of new rips, or can a parallel library be created from existing WAV files, without compromising the original WAV files?

Posted on: 29 September 2013 by PBenny1066

Great questions to which I will be very interested to learn the answers, I suspect many others will too.

 

Wish I could help, but I can't, and haven't yet plucked up the courage to upgrade the US firmware. In part this is due to the fear factor of the upgradno going pear shapednoon Naim dealers in the country where I reside) and in part because I don't understand what, if any benefits the upgrade might bring.

 

Out of curiosity - what would be the benefit of converting a WAV library to a FLAC library ?

 

Good luck, 

Paul 

Posted on: 29 September 2013 by dschoem

Hi Paul

Since my music resides on the NAS, and as the UnitiServe SSD is UPnP compliant, it is also accessible to other devices on the same network, for instance my Squeezebox Touch in my bedroom system. FLAC files can embed rich metadata, which WAV files can't. I want to retain the bitperfect WAV files, but would eventually use those for archival purposes only, and would prefer to populate the UnitiServe's music store with FLACs. This would allow other devices to benefit from the more detailed metadata. Sonically, there should be no difference between the two. BTW, the update process to 1.7a went seamlessly, as did the updated of the Mac and iOS apps. However, I am steering clear of updating my iPad to iOS7 for now, as it appears there are some stability issues as far as runing n-Serve on iOS7 are concerned.

 

Regards

Posted on: 29 September 2013 by hungryhalibut

I believe it's WAV or FLAC, rather than both. I've got my whole library in WAV and even my Roberts radio music player thing in the kitchen can play them. So I'm sticking with WAV.

 

The only issue I have found with iOS 7 is that the app can't search for album art, which is a real pain, though Naim are working with Apple to resolve it.

Posted on: 29 September 2013 by Bart

I do believe that it's either .flac or .wav for rips, plus the possibility of an .mp3 version (highly useful for creating an iTunes library for use on a portable device).

 

As anal-retentive as I am, I personally do not feel any need to keep both .wav and .flac versions.  I do not view the .wav files as any more valuable as 'archival copies' than a simple extra copy of the .flac files would be.  If you are comfortable with .flac, I can't imagine how, in the future, an archived .wav version will help you or be desirable.  And converting many gig's of files at a later date from .wav to .flac may not be all that simple with respect to populating the .flac files with metadata. 

Posted on: 01 October 2013 by Manu
Yes it is wav or Flac. If you switch to flac it will relace your wav.
If you select to have Mp3 on, it will create a low res version of your complete library. But for existing albums it is extremly long as the conversion is at the very lowest priority for the server.
It has taken almost a month to encode my 1800 albums.
For new rips , it takes about a minute more to do the Mp3.
Posted on: 01 October 2013 by Manu
Can't edit my post on the mobile version
I meant '' replace''