Drobo NAS any body using this for streaming???

I know nothing about the Drobo NAS you mention, it’s probably fine, but if you intend to run a music server on it, I would check that this is going to work properly. I would stick with known servers such as Asset or Minimserver as they are tried and tested, and very well supported by their developers. 

Personally, I don’t see the need for 5 bays, but perhaps you have other uses for it besides music?

This is to be a general NAS for me ......... for a large video/picture/music/archive - the Drobo is excellent for flexibility - backup and really good support for varying hard drives which are hot swapable. I am just not sure about the naim angle.........

Richieroo posted:

Hi it is a while since anything has been posted  ..... I want to use a 5N2 for streaming to NDS - I use windows for folder structures .... I am interested if anybody has recent practical experience.

I have no experience with the Drobos but I personally would not use a NAS for running a UPnP or a Roon server. I would use the Drobo (or another NAS) as a file server and storage solution (this is what they have been made for) and run MinimServer, Asset or a Roon server on a small dedicated computer like a Raspberry Pi, a fitPC fitlet2 or a NUC. You would neeed at least a fitlet2 or a NUC to run a Roon server but for a UPnP server a Raspberry Pi is enough and, in my view, much better than a NAS. It also depends a little bit on the size of your music collection, of course.  

My largest concern with drobo is the technology is proprietary. I had one back in the day that went south and perhaps they have come on about. Super super expensive as well.

Lots of options in this arena for basically beer change, you could even set a server up dedicated purely to music.

I agree with Gary, I think there is a lot to be said having a separate media server from your NAS(s).. it’s what I mostly do... I run Bubble, Asset, and Minim on a RPi.. and let my NAS be what their name says.. simply network attached storage.. I don’t run any apps on them.. and I have had no problem over the last 15 years of regular streaming.

I don't know Drobo.  Many here use QNAP or Synology.  I just picked up a brand called Asustor and really like it.  I run Minimserver on the NAS and it works great.  

I see no problem combining this function, although from what I have heard of roon I definitely would do that separate.  

Can anybody who prefers to run a server on a RPi or other device, rather than on a NAS, explain exactly what is better about this arrangement? Is it sound quality, reliability, functionality, or what?

For me it’s reliability and performance... SQ can be marginally improved with different TCP stacks and OS but I don’t tend to bother now, as since I now use an external DAC to the streamer transport any stream flow optimisation and resultant protocol stack noise coupling  is largely removed from the equation.

ChrisSU posted:

Can anybody who prefers to run a server on a RPi or other device, rather than on a NAS, explain exactly what is better about this arrangement? Is it sound quality, reliability, functionality, or what?

For me, the reasons for not running MinimServer on a NAS or on a router are:

1. Flexibility: I have only partial control on the OS of a NAS or of a router. When do they receive software OS updates? Does the new OS still support MinimServer? Does it override my MinimServer setup? I do not want my UPnP server to be at the mercy of a OS than I do not fully control. Thus, I do not see any point in running it on a NAS or on a router.

2. Reliability: What if the NAS stops working? With MinimServer running on a RPi I can make regular images of the micro SD card of the RPi. If the system stops working, I just copy the last image on a fresh SD card and insert it into a new RPi. In less than 20 minutes I have my system up and running again.

3. Portability: I can easily bring an RPi running MinimServer and a 2TB USB drive with me when I visit my dealer or a friend for a short demo. I would not want to carry a NAS with me.

4. Separation of concerns: This is perhaps more a matter of principles and personal preferences. I tend to dislike systems that have to be configured and maintained via web interfaces and, where possible, I tend to promote architechtures that implement a clearcut separation of concerns. We spend a lot of time and money on dedicated audio components. Why not to run the source of our enjoyment on a small dedicated device under a minimal installation?    

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

For me it’s reliability and performance... SQ can be marginally improved with different TCP stacks and OS but I don’t tend to bother now, as since I now use an external DAC to the streamer transport any stream flow optimisation and resultant protocol stack noise coupling  is largely removed from the equation.

Thanks, Simon, having recently jumped on the external DAC bandwagon, perhaps I'll stick with what I've got.

Simon, would you be willing to reveal what your external dac is? I gather your transport is an RPI with Bubble/asset.

dknk posted:

Simon, would you be willing to reveal what your external dac is? I gather your transport is an RPI with Bubble/asset.

That has to be the worst kept secret on the entire web!

The DAC that dare not speak its name.

Ok, forum search (which i should have done before asking) seems to point to... wait for it....and I'll say it out loud..."Chord Hugo" and not Hugo 2..

Or you could have just checked Simon’s profile.