Trying to figure out best setup now -and in the future

The ripping depends on what computer you will be using Mac or PC. If you have many cds dbpoweramp is a good solution, and it can do other Things as well like editing of incorrect or missing meta data.

The current Readynas versions readynas2 has it's own upnp server, but I do not know if it is a good one. But if the Logitech software acts like a UPNP server and you like the functionality I would keep on using it, unless you need to run it on a computer you do not want to have on all the time.

Claus

Thanks Claus. I have a Mac that I was hoping to use for the ripping. dbpoweramp seems to be PC only?

Hi Thomas,

There are many reasons to read the posts in the forum here.  There is a bit to learn, and you'll get the benefit of many who've plowed these fields in the past.  I highly recommend you read about the pro's and con's of a computer vs. a nas vs. a dedicated server box (eg Vortexbox or UnitiServe).  The time will be well invested!  And you'll end up being in a position to ask more focused questions.

For the CDs, that my Naim Server refuses to rip, I use XLD.

http://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html

Here's a ripping guide for mac users. The software versions are a bit older, but it still works:

http://www.digitalvertigo.co.u....php?showtopic=26740

The offset correction for the optical drive can be found here:

http://www.accuraterip.com/driveoffsets.htm

good luck

Hi Thomas 

I have a Synology DS212j with 2x Western Digital 2TB drives in a mirrored RAID. I haven't had any problems with it at all. With transcoding set on it supplied my Sony Bluray with hires music and with it off it now serves my UQ2 quite nicely. I found the Synology very easy to set up and you just need to copy ripped CDs or downloads to it's 'Music' directory. They get indexed using information in the tags and then are available usually within a few seconds.

Others will probably disagree with me, everyone seems to have their favorite upnp server but I find that this setup works for me.

Thank you all for your replies. Will spend some more time reading older posts during the holidays and enjoy the current setup while doing it.

Very impressed with UQ2 so far, as I have Allaes also in my main system it is easy and interesting to compare the two systems.  

After spending what feels like days on this and other forums, I have to say that I am a bit baffled over how hard it is to easily set up a system and method for running a upnp server and ripping CD´s, at least as a Mac user.

I have used Mac products since the 80´s and consider myself being pretty good on (apple) computers. However, the UnitiQute experience so far is really showing the difference between the user friendliness of an Apple product vs the rest of the world.

I understand the issues with multiple file formats to choose from, a bunch of upnp servers available and also a lot of rippers. But I would expect Naim to have a setup list available for their customers telling which upnp server to use (depending on NAS etc)and which ripping software to use as well as which format to save files in.

Best would of course be if they provided this as a Naim software solution (which I guess they do, IF you have a Naim product that can rip).  

Soundwise I love the UnitiQute but I am surprised over what a hassle it is to make everything around the actual player work properly.

Am I just stupid? Or does anyone agree. Need some love and support right now… ;D

I think a lot of us struggle a bit to get it going. I have the easiest setup possible, with a UnitiServe, and still encountered issues, albeit around backing up to a NAS, which of course is non-Naim. 

Maybe the unitiserve is what you need.

Hi Thomas,

I agree that a bit more guidance as to how to set up a home system to serve music would be welcomed. Evidence? A very large portion of the discussions here on the forum is devoted to customers who have figured it out helping new customers. 

The good thing is that, once here, you get the answers quickly.

As a Mac user, ripping with XLD is easy.  Flac is a very popular format; it's lossless and supports embedding metadata including album art within the files.  XLD is happy to rip to flac.  I think that all vendors who sell hi res music downloads offer flac as an option.  The disadvantage to flac is that Apple products do not natively support them for playback.  So if you want an iTunes library as well, you'd have to convert.

The choice of how/where to store your music files and what software and hardware to use as a UPnP server is more complex.  But to just get started, Minimserver for OS X seems pretty robust.  I installed it on my Macbook Pro, told it where to look for some music, and my Qute (via nStream on the iPhone) saw it very quickly.  That would at least get you started.  Then you can consider different solutions, such as getting a nas that runs a music server.  Or you can consider an all-in-one solution (rips, stores and serves) such as a UnitiServe, a Vortexbox appliance, RipNas.

Minimserver is looking very good, particularly if you want a Mac based UPnP server. A uServe is the Rolls Royce approach but building a simple PC and installing Vortexbox is equally rewarding. Incidentally using Vortexbox you can stream via the latest release of LMS if you so desire.

Tog

XLD seems to work fine now that I have tested it. My future goal is to stream from a NAS not having to keep my Mac running all the time. 

theres a number of ways to do it, I must admit I used the Cyrus website recommendations when I launched into streaming last Feb. Since then I've used the Naim forum.

My advice would be to start with either an in-house solution (like the UnitiServe) or spend as little as possible ( like me) and get on a learning curve that won't be too expensive if you need to change your hardware. Luckily I've got Twonky working well on a cheap NAS. I'd prefer something more aesthetic like the Unitiserve obviously....

Not a huge amount of difference running a headless Mac Mini interm of running costs.

Tog

My first post.

I have been the owner of a Uniti2 for just over a year and for me I have it all working perfectly, during this time I have read various forms about the best way to set up streaming and I’m sure that to the user they satisfy their opinion of the perfect way.

I would suggest that one should start by having a good idea of where you wish to end up, by this I am mainly thinking about the way your library is displayed to you and how easily you can select from it.  Also to take into account what other equipment you need to have running to satisfy all your needs, how and where to back it all up and do you need the music available to any other streamer/mobile unit (e.g. Ipod).

I have a Buffalo Link Station NAS (less than £100.00 for 2TB) and the Uniti2 linked to my server by wire.  My CDs were ripped using dBpoweramp to FLAC, this is where it gets interesting.

For non-classical music the Metadata defaults are all fairly simple but you might want to think hard about the “Genre”, the more categories you use the easier it is to lose things.

For classical music every piece of metadata I manually edit and the key here is in what order do you expect to find your music; grouped by composer, performers, conductor or something else.

As a general rule I make each self contained piece of music an “Album” regardless of if it is one quarter of a CD or 3 CDs.

My first pass ripping all of my ~500 classical CDs using the default metadata was that I could not recognise most, even to the point of post rip editing (Mp3tag).

Best of luck with your endeavours, it should be worth it.  I’m now enjoying my music like never before!

Paul.

Thanks for all replies! I am starting to get the hang of it now, just wishing that Naim would provide us with setup guides so that we can spend more time enjoying the music… ;D

I found very good guidance at Ljudtemas web site (swedish NAIM distributor, why didn´t I start looking there???). It is in Swedish, and a good help for all swedes out there:

http://www.ljudtema.se/optimera/natverksspelare.asp

Thomas, best search the forum for using Twonky etc. it's not always plain sailing. If you want a trouble free instant fix, then the Naim Unitiserve is the way to go. Other than that there are a myriad of consumer options that can all achieve similar capabilities but you should invest a little time understanding them. 

If you want hands  off then best go Naim, but you pay for it, but they will support you.

If you DIY, you will need a little of your time to readup on and trial and error. it can be as effective and a lot cheaper but you are largely on your own.

As always you pay for what you get, and if you DIY the chances are there will be something unique to you in your setup that you prefer.

Simon