To Core or not to Core?

Posted by: Kevin Richardson on 25 April 2017

I have read of problems with Core's software related to meta data editing and population during ripping. I don't need to rip any more CDs so I'm considering adding this to my system.

I have read it has two modes BNC out and UPNP. Is it possible to run both simultaneously?

Is the BNC mode better than simply plugging in a usb drive to my NDX?

Would I need to convert my files to wav for best sound quality? (I currently run JRiver on my Mac and do on the fly conversion to wav from AIFF/ALAC)

How does the app work in BNC mode? Does the app push the tracks to the NDX or is the current playlist still managed by the NDX?

I wish I could demo one before buying but my local dealer is unlikely to ever stock one.... So sad.

Would I get better sound skipping the NDX and go directly into my DAC?

Any information greatly appreciated.

Posted on: 27 April 2017 by p.

Following this thread with great interest: I use MacBook + Amarra + Audiophilleo2 PurePower as S/PDIF-Source into nDac and I wonder if the Core would be a better S/PDIF-Source in terms of sound quality.

Posted on: 27 April 2017 by French Rooster
MangoMonkey posted:

Here's what I would like to know -

core -upnp vs core bnc  vs USB stick into ndx.

i see you have an nds, like me. The best sound is in upnp for core/nds. It is like that in naim audio statement demo in shows. With ndx it is the same.  I have also tested on my system with usb stick into the nds. At the beginning i could not see the difference vs upnp with my serve, but now my ethernet is boosted with linear ps on switches and optical bridge, and the upnp is ahead.

The bnc mode of the core is better, because of the linear ps of the core vs stmp ps of the serve. So perhaps with the ndac or better dac, the core/bnc may be better than upnp with nds, but we don't know yet.

VS ndx, the core/ndac must be better than core/ndx/upnp.

 

Posted on: 27 April 2017 by MangoMonkey

If that's true, the Unitiserv is still the best server.

I suspect, once all the UnitiCore issues are resolved, the UnitiCore's price will be the same as the UnitiServe's.

Did a bunch of comparisons last night - Minim Server, Asset upnp running on NAS, vs. UnitiServ SSD pulling data from the NAS - with various network topologies.

Consistenly, the best sound was achieved by having the NAS, the UnitiServe and the streamer all hooked to the same switch. Not so much the way it sounds - more the timing.

Posted on: 27 April 2017 by Simon-in-Suffolk
nbpf posted:

Thanks a lot Simon! I have two questions: 1) Have you by chance made measurements in a setup in which the UPnP server and the renderer are running on the same device and files are stored locally? 2) Are your results accessible to non beta-testers? Best, nbpf

Hi.. to answer your questions 

1) No... as i am measuring the TCP/IP network characteristics between server and renderer - so if they were on the same box there would be nothing to measure.

2) The results are - I obviously can't talk about beta version firmware ... however essentially my graphs graphically show the minimum, average and maximum timings between frames carrying the media from the server to the renderer. I compared the MinimServer running on a RaspberryPi, Asset running on a Raspberry Pi and ReadyDLNA running on a NAS.

S

Posted on: 01 May 2017 by nbpf
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:
nbpf posted:

Thanks a lot Simon! I have two questions: 1) Have you by chance made measurements in a setup in which the UPnP server and the renderer are running on the same device and files are stored locally? 2) Are your results accessible to non beta-testers? Best, nbpf

Hi.. to answer your questions 

1) No... as i am measuring the TCP/IP network characteristics between server and renderer - so if they were on the same box there would be nothing to measure.

2) The results are - I obviously can't talk about beta version firmware ... however essentially my graphs graphically show the minimum, average and maximum timings between frames carrying the media from the server to the renderer. I compared the MinimServer running on a RaspberryPi, Asset running on a Raspberry Pi and ReadyDLNA running on a NAS.

S

THanks Simon!