Streaming from Cocktail Audio X30 to SuperUniti

Posted by: DGHB on 21 November 2015

I have a Cocktail Audio X30 HDD streamer (in one room) connected, via LAN / ethernet, to my new SuperUniti in the living room.

 

Although The SuperUniti can see the content of the X30's library (which the X30 plays) it will not play that content: "Can't play. Unsupported file format" is shown on the SuperUniti front panel.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thank you

Posted on: 21 November 2015 by garyi

What format is the music in? (I would argue that is a key component of your query.)

 

My uniti sees music from a windows 2011 server, Squeezebox and PLEX server without issue, so perhaps there is some setting in the cocktail thingy which might help, transcoding or somesuch?

 

 

Posted on: 21 November 2015 by DGHB

I should have been clearer. 

 

The SuperUniti will play content that the X30 ripped (at FLAC) from my CDs but not content that originated from other sources.  That music format is Apple Lossless (MP4A) which does play on a friend's SuperUniti.

 

There are no UPnP settings on the X30 other than "on / off" and it is set to "on".

Posted on: 22 November 2015 by garyi

Does it have any transcoding features, also can you not just start a UPNP server from a pc or mac somewhere add those files adn see if the uniti can play them?

 

Way back int he day apple lossless was not supported but that was sorted some time ago so I guess the SU should play them fine.

 

Assuming they load and play in itunes, I am willing to bet its the Cocktail, thats easily established by a test UPNP server on something else.

Posted on: 22 November 2015 by DGHB

The X30 does not have any user UPnP features beyond “on / off”, at least that I can see: the manual is at http://www.cocktailaudio.com/manual.html

 

On another UPnP device, the result is the similar: it can see and play certain content of the X30 but the content that the SuperUniti can see but not play, the other device does not see beyond the album, i.e. it cannot see the tracks or (of course) play them.

 

Ideas?

 

Thank you

Posted on: 22 November 2015 by garyi

OK to be clear. On another pc or mac. Download some UPNO software. put some of those apple lossless files onto the computer and point the downloaded upnp software at them.

 

The uniti should see your pc, can it play the files now?

Posted on: 22 November 2015 by DGHB

I opened Windows Media Player on a laptop (running Windows 10) it could play the X30’s content that the SuperUniti will see but not play.

 

I then (as you suggested) put content  (from the X30 that would not play via streaming on the SuperUniti) onto the laptop.  The SuperUniti saw the laptop and played the content.

 

Ideas?

 

Thank you

Posted on: 22 November 2015 by garyi

Convert those tracks to flac, clearly the two don't like each other. 

Posted on: 22 November 2015 by DGHB

How does one convert Apple Lossless (MP4A) to Flac?

 

It is a large library.

Posted on: 23 November 2015 by ChrisSU
Originally Posted by DGHB:

       

How does one convert Apple Lossless (MP4A) to Flac?

 

It is a large library.


       
If you can see the X30 music files from a computer, you should be able to convert them using software on your computer. I use XLD on a Mac, but there are others available. Hopefully the X30 will allow this without you having to copy the files to the computer first. Worth trying a couple of albums first, make sure it works OK, and see what they sound like.
Posted on: 23 November 2015 by DGHB

CHRIS

 

I thank you for this but I thought the SuperUniti could play Apple Lossless (MP4A).

 

I would rather sort out the X30 streaming to the SuperUniti then convert a large library.

 

Ideas?

Posted on: 23 November 2015 by ChrisSU
I'm going to take a guess here and suggest that the problem might be the mp4a file extension that the SU doesn't like. If they were changed to .m4a or .aac you might get somewhere. You could do a bit of trial and error here, but your best bet might be to ask Naim tech support, where you are likely to find someone who actually knows what they're talking about.
Posted on: 23 November 2015 by garyi

DGHB you said that those same files when put on a PC and sent via UPNP played just fine on the uniti, its only from the cocktail thingy that they do not?

 

The extension thing could be the issue perhaps, I am sure they is a method to search and change those file names in an automated fashion.

 

 

 

Posted on: 23 November 2015 by DGHB

CHRIS

 

Apologies: my typo'.  The files are in .m4a

 

Posted on: 23 November 2015 by DGHB

GARY

 

No:

  1. the laptop will play the files on the X30.
  2. the SU will play the same files files when on the laptop
  3. the SU will not play those files when streamed from the X30

 

 

Posted on: 24 November 2015 by garyi
We are both making the same point assuming you are playing the files from laptop via upnp.

Sorry if i am not being clear here. Download some upnp software for your pc. Start it, point it at the files.

Frankly at this stage it sounds like the popcorn device
Posted on: 24 November 2015 by DGHB

Yes, I did.  Using the Windows 10 UPnP software on my laptop (and Windows Media Player), the laptop could see the X30 and play all its content (ie including those tracks that the NAIM can see but not play). 

 

That suggests the issue is, in part at least, with the NAIM.