An upgrade that saved me money

Posted by: Harry on 07 September 2014

Just over a week ago our HDX failed and it’s presently at the factory. We have all our music on a QNAP TS-410 so it seemed like a good opportunity to try Minim Server. After a week of listening we have decided that the HDX can go to a new home. In our particular set of circumstances, running a server in software produces a more detailed, visceral presentation compared to the slightly veiled and soft edges we have become used to. To anyone who is streaming from a NAS using a US or HDX as a server (but not a streamer), I would advocate at least trying the alternative. You might be pleasantly surprised. I assume that in our particular circumstances the HDX is producing too much noise and/or made the signal path unnecessarily long and convoluted.

 

It seems, at least for me, that simplifying the source has cleaned up the sound. I now have around 1,400 albums to retag but since Minim Server will display a folder view I can take my time.  Actually, it was going quite well and I was enjoying cleaning up the occasional bit of suspect tagging, until last night the PS to the QNAP vanished in a puff of evil smelling smoke. So it's been one of those weeks. I don’t think the box is damaged. Everything is backed up and if it’s more than the PS I can change the box and keep what’s on the HDDs (if they are not damaged). So now we’re using USB sticks and wondering if maybe it’s all we need. They certainly sound good enough.

Posted on: 07 September 2014 by Fokkelman

Hi Harry,

Thanks for the info.. I tried almost the same things and concluded the US can go.

 

Fred

Posted on: 07 September 2014 by Bart

I have done a little a/b comparison with my uServe and my nas running Synology's server, and to my tin ears I didn't hear any difference.  But given that I already own the uServe and it's been doing a very nice job as both ripper and server for almost 3 years now, I'll keep it.  My serve is many many meters away from my Fraim, on a different electrical circuit, and if that is helping things, then good.  The HDX *is* a big box to have on the Fraim when used only as a server. 

 

My own contribution to the 'things are changing rapidly' school of thought is that I do hope that home server technology will improve during my lifetime, and that I suspect UPnP in its current form is not the last technology I'll ever use.  So I'm happy to keep things as they are at home for now as it works well while I await the next big thing (tm). 

 

My subjectivity disclaimer would be that 'I think/guess that probably all servers sound the same at the other end of 10 meters of cat (n) cable'  (leaving aside non-server per se issues such as noise on the mains introduced by a 2 pence smps power block.)

 

Harry two more points.  (1) I too find it (somewhat oddly) satisfying to clean up my metadata and (re)organize the folders. It seems to hit some ocd element in my brain that needs attention once in a while!  (2)  The 'usb stick system' always wants to pull us back in, but in most executions of it you lose the true random access to all your music that is such a big plus of having everything on a server with decent control software.  Keeping track of what's what on which stick is a detraction.  I also notice that the sticks get quite warm.  Not sure of their lifetime when in constant heat-sink mode.

Posted on: 07 September 2014 by Steve J

 

A simple source can be very effective. I went one further and saved thousands of pounds by cutting out the streamer as well. 

Posted on: 07 September 2014 by garyi

Try BLISS as a semi automated retagging/artwork solution. Its very good