Asset question

Posted by: quickben on 09 March 2015

I had an enjoyable hour or so at Accoustica's Chester show yesterday and spent some time with Phil from Naim discussing options for my current setup, specifically the Synology NAS serving a NAC 172 XS in my lounge, controlled from the iPad and a UQ2 in my shed/office. As wifi does not extend to the shed and everything is wired, UPNP control is either by the remote or through my Windows PC. I have been using Minimserver to successfuly ensure gapless playback however Phil suggested Asset as a better option, running it from the PC (as not supported directly on the Synology).  

 

Downloaded Asset yesterday and after a couple of attempts successfully scanned the NAS and used Asset Control from the PC to manage playback. Tried out with DSOTM and Camel's Snowgoose to check the gapless playback and was quite disappointed that it totally failed - buffer visibly cleared and refilled and about 1 second gap. Having noticed that I now had Asset available directly on the UQ2 I used the remote control to play the same albums directly, without using Asset Control on the PC. Perfect gapless playback with the buffer seemingly coping ok. The Asset screen on the PC now shows track progress but no tag information, so I am now quite curious as to why the difference.

 

And before you ask, yes I might get round to putting in a wireless access point in the shed to use the ipad once I find my old Netgear router and figure out the setup!

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by Sloop John B

I cannot help other than to direct you to the asset forum where the author of the software - spoon, really does try his best to answer every query.

 

 

SJB

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Hi your issue is that you need pull the files back from Asset to the UQ2. If you use an Android or iOS Naim controller then you will get gapless. If you use the UQ remote control you will get gapless.

If you push from the PC using Asset Control - you will get gaps - as each file is separately sent to the UQ

Simon

 

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by quickben
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Hi your issue is that you need pull the files back from Asset to the UQ2. If you use an Android or iOS Naim controller then you will get gapless. If you use the UQ remote control you will get gapless.

If you push from the PC using Asset Control - you will get gaps - as each file is separately sent to the UQ

Simon

 

Thanks Simon - that makes sense. 

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by dzambolaja

Why is gapless playback so important for many?

I am just curious 

 

Bobby

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by Dungassin

Well, the 'tracks' arn't always separate songs, e.g. The Wall by Pink Floyd or any full opera.  Just thinkk how annoying to hear a gap in the music where there shouodn't be one.

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by dzambolaja

Ouch! I am even more confused now All my digital files contain either a single song or, say , a whole concert but I do not have any song or concert split over multiple tracks, as in multiple digital files.

Why would you have any continuous music performance split over multiple tracks anyway?

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by hungryhalibut
An opera, for example, has many scenes that run together into a continuous whole, but each often has its own track. In the rock world Dark Side of the Moon for example runs as a continuous piece, yet has separate tracks listed. It would be awful if there was a gap between each.
Posted on: 09 March 2015 by phosphocreatine

I can suggest you to buy a Qnap NAS and install the Asset version for this NAS: it works flawlessly and it can even transco from flac to wav on the fly

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by Sloop John B
Minim Server will transcode too.

I'm a fan of asset but see no advantage in your scenario, minim in Synology seems the way to go.
Posted on: 09 March 2015 by phosphocreatine

My point is: if Asset is the software that quickben wants he has to know that it can be easily managed without having a PC involved 

Posted on: 09 March 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

i think that this already been answered in the third post of this thread... No issue .. Simples.. Just use a Naim controller on iPad or Android..

Posted on: 10 March 2015 by dzambolaja
Originally Posted by Hungryhalibut:
 In the rock world Dark Side of the Moon for example runs as a continuous piece, yet has separate tracks listed. It would be awful if there was a gap between each.

 

Separate tracks listed as in, where?

Isn't it all in a single FLAC or WAV file?

 

Posted on: 10 March 2015 by Bananahead
Originally Posted by dzambolaja:
Originally Posted by Hungryhalibut:
 In the rock world Dark Side of the Moon for example runs as a continuous piece, yet has separate tracks listed. It would be awful if there was a gap between each.

 

Separate tracks listed as in, where?

Isn't it all in a single FLAC or WAV file?

 

It depends on how it is ripped.

I just bought the download of the latest Late Night Tales. It comes as both individual unmixed tracks and a complete mix in one file with a cue file.