Ripping and storing CDs

This has been discussed in detail recently

Several people recommend ripping to a computer then Nas drive

Then sending over a LAN

I do this and it sounds great and is cheap as chips to do ..

nimrodmr2p posted:

I have ordered my Uniti Atom for delivery after Xmas

I am looking into how best to copy and store my CD collection and thought I would post something whilst waiting for my Xmas dinner!

The Uniti Core would seem an obvious choice but it seems to have had a lot of problems and one dealer has strongly advised against it

Another contender is the Innuous Zenmini which seems to be well regarded and considerably cheaper but is it Hi-Fi enough?

the bluesound vault 2 have good reviews: it can rip cds , store hd files and serve them to a streamer like the atom.  Some members here are very happy with it.  Try the search section of the forum, some topics are talking about it.  The price is around 1k GBP,  well balanced vs your system i think.

Anyway i still don’t understand why you have not chosen the uniti star. I must have missed something and didn’t perhaps understood well.   Because with a star you had an integrated amp as good as the nait xs, a dac, and a server/ ripper/ storage:  no need to play physical cds, just play the hd files and ripped cds inside the star. A uniticore, dacV and nait xs in one box.

You talked about the slot: the uniticore have a slot and bluesound vault too.....

Thanks for replies even on Christmas day!!

I am now wondering if the Uniti Star might have been the better choice but I thought the cost was too high

I placed my order to beat the price increase, perhaps the order can be changed after the Xmas break at 'old' prices

Does anyone know if the Uniti Star has a switch on thump

nimrodmr2p posted:

Thanks for replies even on Christmas day!!

I am now wondering if the Uniti Star might have been the better choice but I thought the cost was too high

I placed my order to beat the price increase, perhaps the order can be changed after the Xmas break at 'old' prices

athom with uniticore is more expensive than star....

nimrodmr2p posted:

Does anyone know if the Uniti Star has a switch on thump

what is “a switch on thump”?   ethernet port?

nimrodmr2p posted:

Does anyone know if the Uniti Star has a switch on thump

The plan (usual Naim recommendation) would be to leave it on 24/7 thus avoiding any 'switch on thump' as you put it. 

But when I had a Uniti and then a Superuniti, they didnt thump on turn on, just take a bit of care and turn the volume down beforehand and you will be fine.

To answer your original question though, if you want to stay all Naim, its the Core or Star.

Otherwise its rip to NAS, or go for another Rip/serve solution like the Innuos you mention.

I have a Unitiserve and like the ease of ripping and adjusting simple metadata. Receive CD, insert into slot, 5 mins later ejects and your rip is ready to serve. 

Others use the rip via PC/laptop to NAS option and are very happy too, its also a cheaper option. Have you got a lot of CDs to rip [@mention:1566878603962109]? 

I think you've got plenty of advice in your other thread 'Novice the Streaming' though, all options seem to have been covered by the looks of it. Only just seen it, apologies.

Use a computer and a NAS drive - much cheaper.

perhaps the op is like me, he hates computers......Computer and nas is cheaper but a server/ ripper is so more friendly and easier to operate.   

My thinking in going for Atom was to add streaming capability with a modern platform, I had a demo of Atom alone verses Atom pre-out to my Nait XS and the difference was immense. It is a pity you cannot get a modern streamer with DAC only without the amp section (the ND5XS is getting a bit old now and may be discontinued along with other XS components). Atom into Nait XS gives me up to date streaming with with 'thump' free clout.

Uniti Core was the obvious choice for ripping and storage but is expensive and has had problems. Computers and NAS etc seems complicated. Hence my thoughts about Innuous ZENmini which is half the price of the next one up in their range but is it half as good?

I have heard both the Zen mini and the Zenith and while there is a difference the Zen it is still very good and value for money wise, hard to beat.
One benefit of going with Innuos is its ability to stream Spotify, Qobuz and internet radio which I don’t think is available on the core.

Japtimscarlet posted:

This has been discussed in detail recently

 

Ripping: I can rcommend dBPoweramp on a computer. But pay attention to metadata - not all CDs have consistent or complete metadata, classical generally worst, yet for many music play system libraries good metadata is critical for easy browsing/finding. And it is far easier to do as you rip, or just a few at a time, than after you’ve ripped hundreds nor realising the metadata is a problem (as I did).Searching metadata on the forum should find you much.

Storing: I have a personal preference for combining a store with the renderer, rather than streaming a file across a network to the renderer - the latter seems not infrequently to cause people problems, judging by calls for help on here, not to mention efforts to improve sound quality with claims about network cables and fancy power supplies on network switches, which are obviates by the combined approach. Examples of combined store-renderers that can feed a DAC direct include the Uniti Core, Melco, Innuos Zenith and more DIY approaches like MacMini/Audirvana.

Innocent Bystander posted:

Japtimscarlet posted:

This has been discussed in detail recently

 

Ripping: I can rcommend dBPoweramp on a computer. But pay attention to metadata - not all CDs have consistent or complete metadata, classical generally worst, yet for many music play system libraries good metadata is critical for easy browsing/finding. And it is far easier to do as you rip, or just a few at a time, than after you’ve ripped hundreds nor realising the metadata is a problem (as I did).Searching metadata on the forum should find you much.

Storing: I have a personal preference for combining a store with the renderer, rather than streaming a file across a network to the renderer - the latter seems not infrequently to cause people problems, judging by calls for help on here, not to mention efforts to improve sound quality with claims about network cables and fancy power supplies on network switches, which are obviates by the combined approach. Examples of combined store-renderers that can feed a DAC direct include the Uniti Core, Melco, Innuos Zenith and more DIY approaches like MacMini/Audirvana.

can you explain me in simple words what is the “thump” free clout?  a switch on thump ?  why the uniti star can have these characteristics?     the op prefers the atom with a uniticore or innuos, fed to a nait xs.  I don’t understand, because the star is a one box solution with integrated, dac and ripper/streamer.....

French Rooster posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

J

 

.

can you explain me in simple words what is the “thump” free clout?  a switch on thump ?  why the uniti star can have these characteristics?     the op prefers the atom with a uniticore or innuos, fed to a nait xs.  I don’t understand, because the star is a one box solution with integrated, dac and ripper/streamer.....

‘Switch on thump’  is a sudden power surge to the speakers, caused typically when a power amp first powers up, if it doesn’t have output isolating relays, or with the power amp already powered up it could be a similar output surge of any previous analog-output component, amplified by the later stages. (Chord Dave is a particular culprit when powered up from the mains (not from standby)

However, would not expect any form of switch on thump from the digital domain - I.e before the DAC, as in NAS or other store divorced from analog stages, though zip cannot say definitively that it cannot happen.

Another form of switch-on thump is transmitted via mains wiring from amp inductive load switched across the mains, though most decent hiking equipment these days seems to have good filtering making it at least negligible.

I’ve never heard of ‘thump free clout’, and the words don’ t seem to make sense, so I can only assume it is something lost in a translation somewhere but meaning absence if switch on thump - but then it coulspd always be some form of marketing term/hype 

Innocent Bystander posted:

French Rooster posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

J

 

.

can you explain me in simple words what is the “thump” free clout?  a switch on thump ?  why the uniti star can have these characteristics?     the op prefers the atom with a uniticore or innuos, fed to a nait xs.  I don’t understand, because the star is a one box solution with integrated, dac and ripper/streamer.....

‘Switch on thump’  is a sudden power surge to the speakers, caused typically when a power amp first powers up, if it doesn’t have output isolating relays, or with the power amp already powered up it could be a similar output surge of any previous analog-output component, amplified by the later stages. (Chord Dave is a particular culprit when powered up from the mains (not from standby)

However, would not expect any form of switch on thump from the digital domain - I.e before the DAC, as in NAS or other store divorced from analog stages, though zip cannot say definitively that it cannot happen.

Another form of switch-on thump is transmitted via mains wiring from amp inductive load switched across the mains, though most decent hiking equipment these days seems to have good filtering making it at least negligible.

 

thanks innocent bystander, i understand more. So there is no reason that the uniti star gives a sudden power surge to the speakers. If the atom doesn’t do that, the star shouldn’t do that too?

nimrodmr2p posted:

My thinking in going for Atom was to add streaming capability with a modern platform, I had a demo of Atom alone verses Atom pre-out to my Nait XS and the difference was immense. It is a pity you cannot get a modern streamer with DAC only without the amp section (the ND5XS is getting a bit old now and may be discontinued along with other XS components). Atom into Nait XS gives me up to date streaming with with 'thump' free clout.

Uniti Core was the obvious choice for ripping and storage but is expensive and has had problems. Computers and NAS etc seems complicated. Hence my thoughts about Innuous ZENmini which is half the price of the next one up in their range but is it half as good?

the star would give you the same, with “thump “ free clout too.....Anyway it is your choice and perhaps you don’t want to bother with selling your nait xs and changing the order for the atom you already done.....

Just to resume:   You will have three boxes, not one, and with a needless  amp section of the nait ....but sound quality the same as the star.

Prices:  second hand nait xs: around 1k GBP.  innuos zen mini: around 700GBP. uniti atom: 2k

total : 2,7 k. ( you have the xs)

uniti star: around 3,5 k.  -1k for the xs.  total: around 2,5 k and less cables....