NAS drive....

ALWAYS keep a backup of your music collection, if possible, off your premises! I would recommend EAC or dbPoweramp to rip your CD's. Naim use something similar to EAC (Exact Audio Copy) as there ripping engine. I have not used asset software, but i am sure you will get plenty of replies to your question.

Mike

for me the simple answer to your first question is how do you want to listen to your music - stream through MuSo or rip your CD's or download music to your NAS (network attached storage) this will over higher quality

if you wish to go down the NAS route i would suggest either QNAP or Synology server, I use QNAP - these will enable you to store your music in a High res format and a number of other media files - photos etc - lots on the interweb

so question is yours - NAIM have used launced Core for storeage and ripping CD's - any PC with the correct sottware can offer this - again I use dBpoweramp - very easy to use then map it via router - pretty easy

good NAS server with memory would set you back the earth - depends on your perfernce,

OK, firstly I believe that WD's My Cloud is their successor to the old WD My Book Live of which I have several. These are NAS drives i.e. Network Attached Storage. However, they are not very versatile and cannot easily be configured to run any UPnP software other than Twonky which doesn't have a particularly good reputation on this forum. If you decide to keep the WD drive, you configure Twonky via the drive's network address using your web browser.

I believe you would be better served with a 2 bay QNAP NAS drive (and install Asset UPnP) fitted with a couple of WD red NAS hard disks. You could then either keep the My Cloud purely for backing up your audio files with Twonky disabled or swap it for an external USB drive as a backup which can be taken offline and kept in a separate location when not in use.

Fab, thanks for the replies (so far!). I get the gist - the WD box is maybe not the best solution.....!

I agree the negatives about WD My Cloud,  I've worked with one a few times over the last year for a nieghbour,  but not to labour that point other than mention 'tWonkey' is pants.    Synology or QNAP is the only way for pukka NAS,  & although I'm a Synology user & for me its perfect with its own Media Server UPnP software for playing .wav files,  I might be tempted to consider QNAP if/when I have to replace because it can use Asset UPnP software.

What are you plans for ripping CD's - Windows or Mac using dBpoweramp software is as good as it gets

Don't forget provision for BACK UP  ..............  I use WD 'My Passport' 'Ultra',  this is a little £70 10cm square black box with 2TB (other sizes available)   that gets plugged into one of my NAS USB ports every few weeks & its all done in a matter of a few minutes depending on how many new albums have been loaded.

If you were starting from scratch, I wouldn't recommend you buy a WD NAS and there are probably better streaming applications than Twonky.

The above being said, since you already have them, I'm sure they will both work.

Whatever you decide, return the WD thing. They are dreadful. 

Thanks to all, again. Mike B - I use Windows Media for ripping CDs (on Win 10) and it is OK, if a tad slow....I'm happy to explore other options, including dbPoweramp if there are benefits though!

I only use the free version of Asset at the moment, but am happy to upgrade as the extra bits you get look useful. Out of interest, if you were doing this from scratch (like me!), would you choose Asset or the Synology option and why?

Ok, I'm off to Maplin to return the WD box......

Mike

DbPoweramp offers 'bit perfect' ripping (you can look that one up 'bit perfect rip'). Not sure if Windows Media does.

Once you decide which NAS to go for (QNAP or Synology) do let us know - those are two most popular makes amongst the forum members. I can help out with a QNAP configuration.

Adam

Mike,

I don't think you can use Asset on a Synology NAS drive. As Mike B says, Synology has its own media server but if you like and want to use Asset, then QNAP may be a better choice for you.

I see that you are using a trial version of Asset (version 5.2?) and presumably this is installed on your W10 computer.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you do decide to get a QNAP NAS you cannot install the Windows version of Asset onto it so make sure that you purchase/download the QNAP version of Asset from the Illustrate website. It downloads as a qpkg file. Installation is fairly straightforward, but if you need any advice just post a query here.

Victorthesecond posted:

Thanks to all, again. Mike B - I use Windows Media for ripping CDs (on Win 10) and it is OK, if a tad slow....I'm happy to explore other options, including dbPoweramp if there are benefits though! 

Win Media rips,  but as Adam says it might not be bit perfect & I'm not sure either,  but it does not have 'AccurateRip' & other programs to get the best out of ripping & managing digital music files.  dBpoweramp has a heap of other features that bring more enhancements to basic CD ripping & also most important going forward as you get past the CD ripping stage,  it will enable you to convert file codec formats,  e.g. if you decide to use .wav or .flac & the www download vendor is not offering your preferred format, dBpoweramp will convert.  It enables you to select & edit metadata & select & change album art & as you progress into digital stored music,  that will become commonplace.

A further vote for QNap and Asset. I use a HS-251 with two WD Red 6TB drives. You can then use the Cloud Drive Sync app to backup to your choice of cloud provider if that appeals.

Russ

Just astounded at the number, quality of replies and offers of support. Thank you all!

If you get a Synology you are best using MinimServer. It's a bit fiddly though, but great for classical music. Synology's own media server s fine, but won't transcode gapless albums properly.

Last year I bought a new nas and chose a Qnap 253A, with Asset. Asset is less fiddly than Minim, and as you already use it is probably the way to go. The nice thing about this nas is that it has a USB socket on the front. You can connect a USB drive, press a little button on the front and it will do a differential backup. As something of an IT numpty, I find this facility really useful.

WD has also a Mirror NAS drive. So you have your full backup for music, pictures and other files on two separate drives that have exactly the same content. The probability to have a problem with the two drives at the same time is very low.

Another option is to use the cloud to backup your files with a good Internet connection, if you have only one drive.

I have personnally ripped all my CD'S in original format on a WD Mirror 6TB Mirror NAS with an outside copy (another physical location)

In IT business you have to back up in the data center; but you need also to have a copy in another location.

More and more numeric music is like IT... The same apply to back up your data on your IPhone in the ICloud .

In your house, the best is to create a Local Area Network (LAN) and to plug everything with Ethernet cables (Streamer, NAS, TV, TV decoder, PC)  Usually the router will give you in addition a wireless access  to use your IPhone or IPad as remote unit.  But  use high quality Ethernet cable (shield cables)

Lots of great replies, thank you!

I think for now I might get the paid version of Asset on my laptop as that seems to give some benefits in terms of creating playlists etc. The general consenus seems to be, if getting a NAS, then go for QNAP or Synology, but that looks like a price tag of around £500 to include 2 x WD Red 2TB drives....So, I might just keep streaming from the laptop and enjoying internet radio on the MuSo (Radio Paradise is a recent discovery and I can't get enough of it!) until 'er indoors buys more frocks then I have opportunity to compete for the household budget!

Out of interest....and please don't be too hard on me for asking this, but ripping CDs on Windows Media seems, to my ears, to work fine.....I do appreciate that after many years playing guitar in a succession of bands, my old ears ain't what they used to be, but I'd be really interested to know, from others, if the quality of "CDs ripped through Windows Media" is so much worse than through - say - dbPoweramp that makes purchase of said product worth while?

Mike

Victorthesecond posted:

Lots of great replies, thank you!

I think for now I might get the paid version of Asset on my laptop as that seems to give some benefits in terms of creating playlists etc. The general consenus seems to be, if getting a NAS, then go for QNAP or Synology, but that looks like a price tag of around £500 to include 2 x WD Red 2TB drives....So, I might just keep streaming from the laptop and enjoying internet radio on the MuSo (Radio Paradise is a recent discovery and I can't get enough of it!) until 'er indoors buys more frocks then I have opportunity to compete for the household budget!

Out of interest....and please don't be too hard on me for asking this, but ripping CDs on Windows Media seems, to my ears, to work fine.....I do appreciate that after many years playing guitar in a succession of bands, my old ears ain't what they used to be, but I'd be really interested to know, from others, if the quality of "CDs ripped through Windows Media" is so much worse than through - say - dbPoweramp that makes purchase of said product worth while?

Mike

 Hi Mike,

if you buy 2xWD Red 2TB each, after installing them into the Synology NAS based on RAID (SHR) configuration you will be able to use only 2 TB of capacity so would rather suggest to try with at least 2x3TB.

Hi Mike,

Regarding using Windows Media Player to RIP CDs. You will find lots of references here to RIPs being "bit perfect". This is all about getting a 100pc accurate represetantion of the stored music into a digital format.

Whilst apps like Windows Media Player or iTunes will get a digitised copy that is "good enough" for most people but these won't be perfect, or as good as could be. I can understand wanting to keep it simple.

If you have a low number of CDs and are willing to contemplate re-RIPing at a later date to get better copies then no harm.

If you have a large CD colleciton and think you may upgrade your audio over time then you might want to do the RIPping first time right. It can be an arduos process!

But nothing wrong, and lots right, with a good enough approach as you journey. Whatever you do, remember to enjoy the music first and foremost

Russ

Mike, if you don't wish to purchase dBpoweramp then I suggest that you try Exact Audio Copy for ripping. It's freeware but you can make a donation if you wish. EAC will calibrate your CD drive and will check your rips against the Accuraterip database. EAC is used by many forum members and is well thought of in the ripping community. I'd also suggest downloading mp3tag (again freeware) for checking and editing the metadata tags for your ripped files.

dBpoweramp is cheap, reliable, easy to use and with very good support - highly recommended. NAS from QNAP also excellent. I've had no issues in 3 years. Twonky is not great, while Asset, which is from the same company that produces dBpoweramp, is much better and, again, not expensive. You can get a 30-day free trial to see how it performs for you.

+1 on eac and Mp3tag which are both excellent programmes.  A NAS is a worthwhile investment for many reasons and one of those things that you purchase and set up and let do its thing for years on end providing you buy the right one.  Buy the wrong one, which includes anything running Twonky for me, and they are a pain.  I use an Asetnas which is a Windows server preconfigured with Asset which works brilliantly and which can be extended at need.  Plays really well over a network with Windows and Apple devices and never misses a beat

Victorthesecond posted:

Lots of great replies, thank you!

I think for now I might get the paid version of Asset on my laptop as that seems to give some benefits in terms of creating playlists etc. The general consenus seems to be, if getting a NAS, then go for QNAP or Synology, but that looks like a price tag of around £500 to include 2 x WD Red 2TB drives....So, I might just keep streaming from the laptop and enjoying internet radio on the MuSo (Radio Paradise is a recent discovery and I can't get enough of it!) until 'er indoors buys more frocks then I have opportunity to compete for the household budget!

Out of interest....and please don't be too hard on me for asking this, but ripping CDs on Windows Media seems, to my ears, to work fine.....I do appreciate that after many years playing guitar in a succession of bands, my old ears ain't what they used to be, but I'd be really interested to know, from others, if the quality of "CDs ripped through Windows Media" is so much worse than through - say - dbPoweramp that makes purchase of said product worth while?

Mike

Hi Mike,

A nas really is the way to go. You say it costs £500? Not if you shop around a bit. Synology ds216j 2 bay nas £139.99 and wd red 2tb £81.90 each, so around £300 in total from a very popular website (not sure if mentioning the name breaks forum rules?) , but its the "rain forest one" if you know what I mean.

Also I found different ripping software sounded different. I tried a few and found dbpoweramp best on windows and xld best on mac. They were all supposed to be bit perfect rips but you could clearly hear the differences.

Best of luck with this new venture, its great fun once you start.

Thanks again for all the replies......really appreciated. Another (silly?) question....

We use Chromecast to stream web-based video to our (not Smart) TV....can I instal a brower on a NAS and use that instead??