Naim database portability

Posted by: Bill_nyc on 04 November 2018

I have been using a Naim UnitiServe for about eight years. My classical music (~500 CD's) is stored in WAV format, using the UnitiServe's database for metadata. Presumably at some point I will need or want to replace the UnitiServe. When I do, I'd like to have the option of going with any brand. In case I go with a non-Naim music player, is there any way to port the music short of backing up the music into FLAC format? I'd like to avoid re-reripping all my classical CD's.

Posted on: 07 November 2018 by ChrisSU

Jan-Erik Nordoen posted:
ChrisSU posted:
> If you want to use the Naim CD rips in any other circumstances you will need them to be converted to FLAC on the UnitiServe before trying to use them. <
One exception, I've found, is Roon. I've copied all my UnitiServe WAV files onto a 2TB hard disk of the Intel NUC I use for Roon Core. No issues at all.

I believe Roon has its own way of applying metadata enabled by default, rather than reading the tags on the actual files, so I can believe that it would cope with Naim WAVs.

Posted on: 08 November 2018 by blythe

ChrisSU posted:
If it helps, here's a screenshot of N-Serve showing the relevant settings page. When you select 'Transcoding' a description of the different options appears in the box at the bottom.

I have mine set to "Native" in that setting.
The next setting field down is "Transcode Media Types" and it's there that I have set FLAC to "True" so that it's only FLAC files which are transcoded to WAV on playback.

Posted on: 08 November 2018 by Bill_nyc

Thanks, that was very helpful. I had missed the "Transcode Media Types" step.

Posted on: 08 November 2018 by nbpf

Jan-Erik Nordoen posted:
ChrisSU posted:
> If you want to use the Naim CD rips in any other circumstances you will need them to be converted to FLAC on the UnitiServe before trying to use them. <
...
Bonus: playback from the Roon Core (via USB into an Intona USB isolator then a Metrum Pavane DAC) betters playback from the UnitiServe (via S/PDIF into same DAC). Clarity improves as does smoothness ; violins benefit noticeably. No loss of musical engagement moving from the UnitiServe to the NUC.
...

... and if you run a low-latency kernel on the NUC you might achieve even better sound quality!

Posted on: 08 November 2018 by ChrisSU

blythe posted:
ChrisSU posted:
If it helps, here's a screenshot of N-Serve showing the relevant settings page. When you select 'Transcoding' a description of the different options appears in the box at the bottom.
I have mine set to "Native" in that setting.
The next setting field down is "Transcode Media Types" and it's there that I have set FLAC to "True" so that it's only FLAC files which are transcoded to WAV on playback.

I've never bothered to change any of the 'Transcode Media Types' settings, but with 'Transcoding' set to 'Decode', everything plays as WAV, and any Hi-Res stuff plays at the correct rate, so I don't have the appetite for more head scratching! If in doubt, you can always check the streamer display to make sure the expected format/bit rate is playing.