NAS Server and Ripping Software Choices

Sorry...HWB(hit wrong button) Posted in HI-FI Corner instead of Streaming Audio. Maybe Richard can move it if necessary.

M

Thread moved.

M...I have the TS-112, and use PLEX Media Server. This is available in the Qnap app section. I have tried Twonky, (which has actually improved massively since the last software update!) I've tried Minim, which I found far too complicated. For me, Plex is great! It gives you the option to edit the metadata and artwork, in house....It also allows me to play FLAC files on my iMac!  

Sorry to hear about your UnitiServe.   

The QNAP is a good little machine, well liked around these parts. Most people use Asset as a server on it, and Naim semi-unofficially recognise that Asset is excellent. That would be my choice. Minimserver is very good too, and is widely used, but can be a little more fiddly. Either of those two would be fine, but I'd opt for Asset.

Dbpoweramp is an excellent batch converter. It will run reliably overnight and churn through all your albums. I do recommend starting with three or four just to make sure you have the path right before you give it 500 to do. It's pretty easy really.

However, it won't fill in any missing metadata. If the US-ripped WAV files are missing metadata, and it sounds like they are, you'll need another way to fill that in. Of course, you can edit them manually, but that's very dreary - better to use something like MP3tag to look up the albums and fill in the metadata. However, it is still quite a drag tbh.

Still, the outcome is worth having. I think a QNAP (or Synology) storing FLAC files and using Asset (or Minim) to transcode to WAV is the optimal set up. Make sure you have a separate switch between the NAS and streamer as well.

When I sold my Serve, I'd already converted the files to FLAC. But unbeknown to me, about 30 missed the conversion somehow, and stayed in WAV. These all showed as separate files, so there were about 400 tracks scattered around. Luckily, minim has an 'u tagged' folder, so I was able to re tag the songs using dBpoweramp, which is a great bit of software. I've found that Minim presents the albums in a much nicer way than the Serve, with the ability to drill down from genre to artist - I think they call it intelligent browsing - which is very useful. It is a bit fiddly to set up and get the transcoding working, but once set it's really good.

I have both a Synology and a QNAP nas (as I like to play with this stuff).  I have a slight preference for QNAP as their Intel-based nases will run both Asset and MinimServer.  I'm not sure if there are Synology nases that will run both.  But on the other hand, Synology's own media server works pretty well too; just not as configurable as the others.

Ripping is pretty simple and there are several good Windows or OS X solutions.  I use XLD for OS X if not using my UnitiServe.

I am most used to the uServe's presentation of data to the Naim App, so that is still my preference.  But I have not played with Asset or MinimServer enough to have customized their presentations to overcome this.  And I use an iPhone instead of an iPad, which also is quite limiting . . . even though I own an iPad.  I'm lazy I suppose (and it's easier to pull my phone out of my pocket). 

NB -- please don't sell your repaired uServe as "new."

You can use XLD but only a single file at a time. If you open the MQ folder on your NAS under Naim Rips you will see the artist folders and within each the album folder. In XLD use "open folder ... " command. Navigate to your NAS and Naimrips MQ folder. XLD will show the folder in the same fashion as a CD when ripping. You can change or correct metadata at that time but what is filed in automatically is pretty good. As long as you have your preferences set correctly XLD will then transcode into your specified format and location. I have done this with a QNAP. I tried the batch approach with XLD and was not successful. This would be a little tedious with a large library. 

Thanks Bart. I also like the US but would like to see what is on the other side. I believe the vast majority of Naim streamer owners do not use the US. Could be wrong though.

Also, to clarify, I would never sell a repaired unit as new. I stand somewhat of a chance to have the continuing dying unit replaced with a sealed new US. I once had one of the CRT early iMacs that died enough times it was worth replacing rather than continuing to rebuild it so they did. We'll see. Maybe I was a little weak in my description.

M

It's hard to know based on forum participation, but here among forum participants it sure sounds like among those who use a Naim streamer/player (NDS, NDX, ND5XS or Uniti all-in-one), uServe users are in the minority.  Those who use a nas as a server seem happy once they get the right nas and right server software running properly, and those who migrate from uServe to a nas seem to seldom regret it.

I bought my first nas as its needed to backup my uServe, and then bought a second (QNAP this time) just to see what it's like (and my Synology was getting old and slow with little memory and a slow cpu).

dBPowerAmp is a really nice program.  Highly recommended.  

I have used two different ReadyNAS Duo appliances to serve up information to my Squeezebox products. Mixed results going to Qute. 

i use a dedicated PC with J.River to serve up data to my Qute and love doing it this way.  I create playlists in J River and they are available to my Qute.  

Well...when I access QNAP/NaimRips folder via SONOS Connect feeding NDX all WAV CD's are in order no jumbled up CD's. This will suffice until the US returns or pick up DB Power Amp to convert to FLAC.

M

have Qnap HS 212 with Asset -started with Twonkey which is OK, Asset is far better moved over about six weeks ago

and yes go with Db poweramp for ripping - get with my NDX

Hi  M - why convert to .flac ???

I understand that tag editing is easier with .flac,  but .wav is not so difficult, I use dBpoweramp with Windows Explorer - & if I can edit .wav, (#@*%X) that proves it's not impossible. 

I also use Audio Shell (in Win Expl) for the simpler editing & found it very good.

Then with .wav tagged to your liking, thats it, you're done !! 

I started just over a year ago with a mix of level 5 compressed .flac & raw .wav & found issues with transcoding & gapless replay using .flac.  Changing all the .wav solved it all.

+1 for dBpoweramp whatever

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Bart - Getting back to your ?? on Asset UPnP with Synology

Asset have made it clear they have no plans to make an official Synology server

Synology now have MinimServer as a 3rd party server in addition to their native (& excellent) Media Server & also made it clear they will not support any product issues with any other server installed.

Its a shame really,  Asset is well respected as one of the top UPnP servers,  must not forget J.River as well & it would be nice to have the choices.   

Hi Bart,

Apologies for a slightly off topic and possible previously answered question, but have you compared the SQ of your NAS vs UnitiServe feeding the NDS ?

Thanks,

Jan

Bart,

Good point regarding staying with WAV managed through DBPA. So DBPA will put back together the WAV individual files so the NDX can see in album format? Also, are the Windows and Mac versions the same or Windows more feature rich. I can use either one.

Simon has stated he uses DBPA successfully and stays in the WAV domain as well.

Sorry...brain dead this morning...I meant addressed to Mike-B.

I don't know about Mac dBpoweramp,  never used it.

I understand its a recent development (& from what I read it seems to work OK) but I can't comment on one vs other.  However it has been around for years for Windows & is pretty well bomb proof.   So if you do have a choice I would go for the Win version - but I'm a bit Win biased.  

Also a point of caution re the Naim US ripped files in the NAS

I am not sure how the US data is ripped & if the .wav files you have were linked to the global metadata services.  Might be worth getting a second opinion on this from other ex-US users.   

"Apologies for a slightly off topic and possible previously answered question, but have you compared the SQ of your NAS vs UnitiServe feeding the NDS ?"

I used a Synology to stream to my NDX/NDS for around 18 months before I acquired a UServe.  I had ripped to the Synology using ITunes, and dbpoweramp and all files were .wav.  Initially, I used Synology's own media server and then later installed MinimServer.

I re-ripped all my CDs after I acquired the used UServe and compared streaming using the UServe, straight from Synology's media server and straight from the Synology using MinimServer.

My preference is for streaming from the UServe, followed by MinimServer and then Synology's media server.  

My preference is for streaming from the UServe, followed by MinimServer and then Synology's media server.  

If you are ranking sound quality differences,  I am not convinced if all tests are carried out with the same .wav file format & transcoding is not used.

Media servers use UPnP as a means of communication between devices - NAS to Network Player - UPnP does not transfer any data,  it just enables each device CPU (computer) to communicate with & open a data stream between them.

I can accept a sound difference between a US & a separate NAS as that is comparing different CPU's,  but I don't see how it can be different with different UPnP software on the same NAS (CPU).  

I fully accept differences when transcoding is bought into the comparison as the media server is then changing the data.

My understanding of WAV is that it can hold metadata but that the standards for such are not as firm as they are for FLAC, which was designed to hold metadata from the ground up. That's why I store in FLAC - because it's consistent and I can copy the files on to my PC, and MediaMonkey, Asset, JRiver etc will all see the metadata. That may be true of WAV too (haven't tried) but my understanding from the experts is that WAV is less consistent in that respect.

If you transcode from FLAC to WAV, you clearly get the best of both worlds, for example using Synology (with the built-in server or Minim) or QNAP (with Asset or Minim). I would require a good deal of convincing that these options sound different from one another, assuming the same original file and format.

Hi Jan -- I have not.  I am convinced that only if I do such a comparison 'blind' will it be meaningful to me, and I don't have the wherewithall to do that (meaning, it's hard to catch my wife in the mood to play along).  I know from my own a vs. b little tests at home that my unconscious bias cannot be eliminated.  A failing of mine, but I live with it!

I do not preach that any unblinded a vs. b testing is worthless . . . but for me at home I can't seem to get past the fact that I know what's what.

That said . . . I'll do it anyway at some point and see if I have anything intelligent to say about it (My starting bias is that they will sound the same to me, even though others I respect highly have expressed preferences.)

Before selling the UnitiServe, we conducted blind tests between the Serve, powered by a linear power supply, and my Synology, running the standard media server. My wife, who has far better hearing than me, did the listening. The conclusion was that the Synology sounded better, with more life and boogie factor. It was not massive, but it was better. Then I installed Minim and the sound took another step forward. I've no idea why, but that's what happened.

All that said, the serve makes ripping a joy, but once all the albums are ripped, I don't see that its cost is justified.

I aqquired an Xiva MusicM8, rips, gets metadata, and stores, all my CD's perfectly. A good buy if you can find one? I use a ReadyNAS duo, and a portable USB drive for backup.

So the UnitiServe was upgraded with a 3rd party linear power supply.

And the Synology - had only the standard switch mode power supply?

Then I would have been surprised at the outcome!

Which supplier do you use for the linear power supply?

I am thinking about upgrading my QNAP fanless NAS with one...