streaming Virgin, please be gentle!

I guess I should add these will be pre-owned/ ex-dem purchases!!

Ian

Why not wait for NDX2 and sell the CDX2 nDac?. I suspect it will atleast equal if not surpass the nDac.

A summer release apparently.

G

I would visit your dealer and discuss, with he new range of streamers coming out shortly you should be in a good position to pick up an ex demo model of the current range.

Can't see the point of buying a Unitiserve if you already have a NAS better to use the funds elsewhere just take your time and enjoy your search.

In my opinion GraemeH has put forward the most logical option, if you can wait.  Listen to that option, and, if you can, compare it to an ND5XS / nDac combination; it wouldn't surprise me if the NDX2 is actually better than a ND5XS / nDac.

Ripping CDs to a NAS drive using dBPoweramp or EAC really is very easy (albeit a bit tedious!), and avoids the slightly dubious reliability of the UnitiServe (particularly if it has to be bought secondhand).

dear suffolkan, i wanna send you a PM, but i'm not alloud

I think the first question you have to answer is, does sound quality matter for web streaming services like Tidal, or will it only ever be a convenience thing for new music discovery? For the latter, your Unitiqute idea, or even a very cheap streamer from Sonos or Yamaha, might suffice. Then a Unitiserve or Core makes sense, in that it has an SPDIF output to play straight into a DAC. The alternative would be to get a Naim streamer, such as an NDX, NDX2 or NDS. I’m not so sure about the NDX2 being better than NDX1/NDAC though, but time will tell!

Robiwan posted:

dear suffolkan, i wanna send you a PM, but i'm not alloud

If this gets through ian.barham at yahoo.co.uk

I've just reserved a used Innous Zen that can rip CD's direct to a 2tb hard drive, stream Tidal and Internet Radio as well as  other internet  streaming services. It can be connected to a Dac or stream over upnp direct to a Naim streamer. It is a very, very versatile little box for a couple of hundred pounds less than the price of a used Unitiserve.

ChrisSU posted:

I think the first question you have to answer is, does sound quality matter for web streaming services like Tidal, or will it only ever be a convenience thing for new music discovery? For the latter, your Unitiqute idea, or even a very cheap streamer from Sonos or Yamaha, might suffice. Then a Unitiserve or Core makes sense, in that it has an SPDIF output to play straight into a DAC. The alternative would be to get a Naim streamer, such as an NDX, NDX2 or NDS. I’m not so sure about the NDX2 being better than NDX1/NDAC though, but time will tell!

Sound quality matters to a point, streaming will never be first source. It will be used for music while pottering around the house or if we have guests, as background. However there will be times when I want to listen to some thing that is not a vinyl option, so quality somewhere close to the CDX would be good.

I guess if there is something I really like that is digital format only then I would want to download the highest quality I can. Will unitiqute to dac sound good or is nd5 xs a better choice. 

For me at the moment I think NDX or above is too much for what I will use it for.

Thanks

Ian

Ian

Out of interest, have you just nabbed an nDAC from ebay today ? Just asking as my mate has sold one to an Ian If so its a great sounding unit.

As for the streaming bit. The ND5 and nDAC/XPS sounds great having used that combo myself. Easy to user and setup. If you dont like/want the naim streamer then have a look at Melco and Innuous as front end options or go DIY with a Pi based solution (if you like that sort of thing). For me coming in new I would look at the Innuous Zen Mark2 - solves the sreaming, ripping and storage in once neat solution. Add a Audioquest streaming cable for about £400 to connect them and you are good for about our 3K budget ?(assuming the 3k does not include the XPS)

Good thing is once you have the DAC you have choice and the nDAC/XPS is a classic combo.

Rob

Mort2k posted:

Ian

Out of interest, have you just nabbed an nDAC from ebay today ? Just asking as my mate has sold one to an Ian If so its a great sounding unit.

As for the streaming bit. The ND5 and nDAC/XPS sounds great having used that combo myself. Easy to user and setup. If you dont like/want the naim streamer then have a look at Melco and Innuous as front end options or go DIY with a Pi based solution (if you like that sort of thing). For me coming in new I would look at the Innuous Zen Mark2 - solves the sreaming, ripping and storage in once neat solution. Add a Audioquest streaming cable for about £400 to connect them and you are good for about our 3K budget ?(assuming the 3k does not include the XPS)

Good thing is once you have the DAC you have choice and the nDAC/XPS is a classic combo.

 

Rob

 

Yes, nabbed from ebay today, I have heard from your friend just now I think. 

I had made my mind up to get an ND5 but then started getting cold feet about ripping to a NAS using macbook, software etc. Guess I should just dive in and learn as I go.

One thing that appeals with unitiserve + streamer is it avoids an ethernet switch which I am led to believe can give a significant sound quality improvement, all be it a possibly pricey one! I may of course be waffling b------s!!

Ian

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

Ian

Out of interest, have you just nabbed an nDAC from ebay today ? Just asking as my mate has sold one to an Ian If so its a great sounding unit.

As for the streaming bit. The ND5 and nDAC/XPS sounds great having used that combo myself. Easy to user and setup. If you dont like/want the naim streamer then have a look at Melco and Innuous as front end options or go DIY with a Pi based solution (if you like that sort of thing). For me coming in new I would look at the Innuous Zen Mark2 - solves the sreaming, ripping and storage in once neat solution. Add a Audioquest streaming cable for about £400 to connect them and you are good for about our 3K budget ?(assuming the 3k does not include the XPS)

Good thing is once you have the DAC you have choice and the nDAC/XPS is a classic combo.

 

Rob

 

Yes, nabbed from ebay today, I have heard from your friend just now I think. 

I had made my mind up to get an ND5 but then started getting cold feet about ripping to a NAS using macbook, software etc. Guess I should just dive in and learn as I go.

One thing that appeals with unitiserve + streamer is it avoids an ethernet switch which I am led to believe can give a significant sound quality improvement, all be it a possibly pricey one! I may of course be waffling b------s!!

 

Ian

Ian

great news

bypassing the switch is a good move, avoids noise getting into the system, I am not sure i would choose a Unitiserve through. A newer solution like Melco or innuous will give more future proof, also forgot to mention the option to leverage Roon   

SuffolkIan posted:

ChrisSU posted:

I think the first question you have to answer is, does sound quality matter for web streaming services like Tidal, or will it only ever be a convenience thing for new music discovery? For the latter, your Unitiqute idea, or even a very cheap streamer from Sonos or Yamaha, might suffice. Then a Unitiserve or Core makes sense, in that it has an SPDIF output to play straight into a DAC. The alternative would be to get a Naim streamer, such as an NDX, NDX2 or NDS. I’m not so sure about the NDX2 being better than NDX1/NDAC though, but time will tell!

Sound quality matters to a point, streaming will never be first source. It will be used for music while pottering around the house or if we have guests, as background. However there will be times when I want to listen to some thing that is not a vinyl option, so quality somewhere close to the CDX would be good.

I guess if there is something I really like that is digital format only then I would want to download the highest quality I can. Will unitiqute to dac sound good or is nd5 xs a better choice. 

For me at the moment I think NDX or above is too much for what I will use it for.

 

Although I've never made a direct comparison, I'm pretty sure you'll get better results from an ND5XS into NDAC than you would from a Unitiqute. With replacement models due to come out later this year, now might be a good time to look out for a cheap ND5XS or NDX. 

Mort2k posted:

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

 

....One thing that appeals with unitiserve + streamer is it avoids an ethernet switch which I am led to believe can give a significant sound quality improvement, all be it a possibly pricey one.....

 

........bypassing the switch is a good move, avoids noise getting into the system..........

I'm not sure I understand your point here - all these devices need a network connection, possibly via a switch. A good quality switch with a decent PSU shouldn't degrade sound quality.

ChrisSU posted:

Mort2k posted:

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

 

....One thing that appeals with unitiserve + streamer is it avoids an ethernet switch which I am led to believe can give a significant sound quality improvement, all be it a possibly pricey one.....

 

........bypassing the switch is a good move, avoids noise getting into the system..........

I'm not sure I understand your point here - all these devices need a network connection, possibly via a switch. A good quality switch with a decent PSU shouldn't degrade sound quality.

Does the uniti serve not allow direct connection into the streamer ? If not then I apologise for mis Info. Also another plus for the Melco/Innuos Options. 

ChrisSU posted:

Mort2k posted:

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

 

....One thing that appeals with unitiserve + streamer is it avoids an ethernet switch which I am led to believe can give a significant sound quality improvement, all be it a possibly pricey one.....

 

........bypassing the switch is a good move, avoids noise getting into the system..........

I'm not sure I understand your point here - all these devices need a network connection, possibly via a switch. A good quality switch with a decent PSU shouldn't degrade sound quality.

I've read a few accounts from hi-fi critics and enthusiasts who have been very confident that doing away with an ethernet switch has given a real sound improvement when compared to direct connection between server and streaming device. 

My knowledge on streaming is shaky at best, however I think from a sound quality point of view I would be better streaming ripped or downloaded media direct from a NAS via a rendering device to a dac and using a separate device to stream via the dac. Both can then be connected direct to the network rather than use an ethernet switch. Hence the thought of usin a unitiserve plus a streamer. If there are better alternatives to a unitiserve then I will investigate further. If I am completely missing something then please do point me in the right direction as streaming is very new so far.

Connecting lots of black boxes I'm very comfortable with, computers and networks are often a mystery, I can however normally work it out in the end!!

Ian

All this streaming is like having a use of a library but you have to pay for it each month by direct debit.  With Cds it is yours to keep after single purchase, the sound quality is at least decent, and now have become cheaper thanks to the competition of streaming!

Mort2k posted:

ChrisSU posted:

Mort2k posted:

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

 

....One thing that appeals with unitiserve + streamer is it avoids an ethernet switch which I am led to believe can give a significant sound quality improvement, all be it a possibly pricey one.....

 

........bypassing the switch is a good move, avoids noise getting into the system..........

I'm not sure I understand your point here - all these devices need a network connection, possibly via a switch. A good quality switch with a decent PSU shouldn't degrade sound quality.

Does the uniti serve not allow direct connection into the streamer ? If not then I apologise for mis Info. Also another plus for the Melco/Innuos Options. 

It does, but both only have a single ethernet port so a switch is required as far as I can work out to connect back to the network??

Ian

I once had a UnitiServe and switched to a Nas and the sound quality improved. There is no issue if you use it on a network - connect the streamer and the dac to a good switch, and the switch to the router, and that’s it. 

Romi posted:

All this streaming is like having a use of a library but you have to pay for it each month by direct debit.  With Cds it is yours to keep after single purchase, the sound quality is at least decent, and now have become cheaper thanks to the competition of streaming!

Not quite true. Only online streaming requires a subscription - like tidal. 

You can stream from a server / Nas with no monthly cost, same a# with your CD. 

Rob

It’s been a long day! You got there before me....

SuffolkIan posted:

ChrisSU posted:

Mort2k posted:

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

 

....One thing that appeals with unitiserve + streamer is it avoids an ethernet switch which I am led to believe can give a significant sound quality improvement, all be it a possibly pricey one.....

 

........bypassing the switch is a good move, avoids noise getting into the system..........

I'm not sure I understand your point here - all these devices need a network connection, possibly via a switch. A good quality switch with a decent PSU shouldn't degrade sound quality.

I've read a few accounts from hi-fi critics and enthusiasts who have been very confident that doing away with an ethernet switch has given a real sound improvement when compared to direct connection between server and streaming device. 

My knowledge on streaming is shaky at best, however I think from a sound quality point of view I would be better streaming ripped or downloaded media direct from a NAS via a rendering device to a dac and using a separate device to stream via the dac. Both can then be connected direct to the network rather than use an ethernet switch. Hence the thought of usin a unitiserve plus a streamer. If there are better alternatives to a unitiserve then I will investigate further. If I am completely missing something then please do point me in the right direction as streaming is very new so far.

Connecting lots of black boxes I'm very comfortable with, computers and networks are often a mystery, I can however normally work it out in the end!!

 

Ian

Ian 

options are ( for local streaming, ie music in wav or flac format ‘ripped’ and stored locally)

A). NAS into switch. + Streamer into switch + streamer into DAC. 

This option has you rip the CD using a computer and software like dbpoweramp. 

B) unitiserve or core into into DAC.

Same result just you don’t need the computer to rip and removes network  switch 

C) allinOne streamer/ripper/Nas (Melco or Innuos for example) direct into DAC. 

This option removes the switch, computer and software. Also gives options for the likes of Roon for a nice control front end. It’s simpler and cost eff3ctive  

If if you want to add streaming from internet sources ( Tidal) the using the above Options as a base 

A) pick a streamer with integration - ND5 will do Tidal and Spotify

B) need a separate device into DAC

C) included. 

Rob

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

Ian

Out of interest, have you just nabbed an nDAC from ebay today ? Just asking as my mate has sold one to an Ian If so its a great sounding unit.

Yes, nabbed from ebay today, I have heard from your friend just now I think. 

I had made my mind up to get an ND5 but then started getting cold feet about ripping to a NAS using macbook, software etc. Guess I should just dive in and learn as I go.

Ian

Ian, I have used Mac hardware/software to rip over 1000 CD's to my NAS, and have used it with both a ND5 XS and NDX without any issue at all. I do use dBpoweramp's ripping software to a Synology NAS.

Good luck with your journey.

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

ChrisSU posted:

Mort2k posted:

SuffolkIan posted:

Mort2k posted:

 

....One thing that appeals with unitiserve + streamer is it avoids an ethernet switch which I am led to believe can give a significant sound quality improvement, all be it a possibly pricey one.....

 

........bypassing the switch is a good move, avoids noise getting into the system..........

I'm not sure I understand your point here - all these devices need a network connection, possibly via a switch. A good quality switch with a decent PSU shouldn't degrade sound quality.

Does the uniti serve not allow direct connection into the streamer ? If not then I apologise for mis Info. Also another plus for the Melco/Innuos Options. 

It does, but both only have a single ethernet port so a switch is required as far as I can work out to connect back to the network??

Ian

The Unitiserve, and its successor, the Core, have an Ethernet connection, allowing them to be used as UPnP servers to play music to your streamer over your network. Unlike a regular NAS, they also have an SPDIF output. This allows them to play directly to a DAC. The DACs built into Naim streamers can accept this connection too, as they have SPDIF inputs, although this then makes the streamer section redundant, so it might be more cost effective to invest in a standalone DAC instead. In any event, both the streamer and server (Unitiserve, Core or NAS) will likely use a network connection. Depending on your network configuration, in may well be that you use a switch to provide suitable ports to connect all your devices, but I am still at a loss to understand exactly why this switch is being singled out as a problem here?

Romi posted:

All this streaming is like having a use of a library but you have to pay for it each month by direct debit.  With Cds it is yours to keep after single purchase, the sound quality is at least decent, and now have become cheaper thanks to the competition of streaming!

The OP is looking for a solution that will enable him to rip his CDs and stream them. Web streaming is just an addon facility for many, enabling you to limit your CD purchases to albums that you know you will like.