UnitiQute: with NAS LaCie Wireless Space / with AP Virgo II?

Posted by: M_B on 07 January 2011

Hi, first of all - great forum - nice and competent Naim lovers here. It looks some folks here (gsh, IanGMT and others) already run the very same combo I'm interested in to buy. Maybe you can educate me (#1 and #6 would be most important to me):

1. Want to setup LaCie NAS as "Wireless Client / Ethernet Extender" - so basically hook it up to the Qute by wire; and connect wireless to my primary router (which is placed somewhere else in my flat). Qutes' own WLAN antenna I'd remove. Thus...
- NAS would stream my FLACs to the Qute in best possible manner
- New music uploads (ripped on my laptop connected wireless to primary router) I'd transfer wireless from laptop over router to NAS
- Web radio stream directly from internet over router over NAS to Qute
- n-Stream app on my iPhone (in my WLAN) could control Qute (which is part of the overall network, although wired)

I know this has partially discussed in another thread already. Just wanted to sum it up and ask if you guys can confirm this works as planned in sum?

2. Heard couple of bad critics re this LaCie. Have you ever run Naim NAS test software on it?

3. Do you know which mediaserver software runs on the LaCie? Can install other or are you happily using it? I understand the structure displayed on the Qute (artist, album, song; also cover art?) is totally up to the tags in the FLAC. So the display/structure is not defined resp. dependent (other than the pure data transfer and play) by/on LaCie or Qute. Correct?

4. So both Qute and NAS would live closely together in my living room. Afaik Qute has no standby mode at all and LaCie only sth like "sleep if no HD access"? Do you have any concerns / infos on excessive power consumption (given both devices would be on 24/7)?

5. Similar question on noise - does th LaCie has a fan or any other bothering noise?

6. Last but not least my current loudspeakers (Audio Physic Virgo II) are quite capable so I'm concerned Qute can't handle them. I only listen to music at "normal" levels (no party) and rooms is average size (currently use a Nait5i and works fine). I'm aware/ok the Qute won't be the "ultimative" driver for my old Virgos, of course. Any serious concerns on sound quality to expect; or damage?

Thanks for your time and cheers, Michael
Posted on: 07 January 2011 by gsh
@1: I am running exactly this same configuration and it works fine.
@2: I did not use the test tool and cannot compare this NAS with others. So I do not know the shortcomings.
The Wireless Space is not exactly quiet. I don't think there is a fan but you can here the drive and especially its activity when writing to it.
There is sort of a standby mode as I can hear it start the drive when I access it after having not used it for a while. I am thinking of putting it into the sideboard the Qute is sitting on.

Biggest issue: had no luck in copying my music (130 GB) from MacBook via USB. Stopped it after 3 days only to find that it only created folders on root level which were empty. Tried it several times with no success. Eventually did it via WiFi then and it took a week. I Use Chronosync now to keep it uptodate. (Reripping all my CDs.)
I found no info on the UPnP server running on the Wireless Space or on a possibility to install another server.
Gottfried
Posted on: 07 January 2011 by Jan-Erik Nordoen
quote:
2. Heard couple of bad critics re this LaCie. Have you ever run Naim NAS test software on it?
Yes, on a Lacie Network Space max 2TB and it passed all tests. I've posted the results of the test in the sticky "NAIM tested Nas drives" thread above (it's the last post)

Jan
Posted on: 07 January 2011 by Jan-Erik Nordoen
quote:
5. Similar question on noise - does the LaCie has a fan or any other bothering noise?
My Space Max is quiet, I have to be really close to notice anything. The blue LED is quite noticeable though. I think it looks good, but others may find it jars with Naim green...
Posted on: 07 January 2011 by gsh
The blue light can be switched off.
Posted on: 07 January 2011 by M_B
Appreciate your quick answers.

@Gottfried: When you say "writing" do you mean if data is written on HD, eg when you copy files to NAS, or edit tags there? That would be ok as long as this noise does not exist when just listening to music (there should be no data written during that procedure, right).

@Jan-Erik: Hm, can we compare anything - in particular the NAIM test - b/w your LaCie Network Space and our LaCie Wireless Space? Given that they have identical HDs etc?
Posted on: 07 January 2011 by Manu
Virgo 2 should be OK, they are not difficult to drive and the Qute amp is quite capable.
You may add a bigger amp later if you have a large room.
Posted on: 09 January 2011 by gsh
[QUOTE]Originally posted by M_B:

@Gottfried: When you say "writing" do you mean if data is written on HD, eg when you copy files to NAS, or edit tags there? That would be ok as long as this noise does not exist when just listening to music (there should be no data written during that procedure, right).

1) I can hear the continuous noise it produces when no music is playing. It is not loud but it is available from 4 meters distance.
2) Besides this there are "clacks" (don't now how you would say in English) when it is searching or doing internal "administrative" work.
All in all it's not a big deal but I don't exactly like it.
Gottfried
Posted on: 10 January 2011 by M_B
Thanks Gottfried. I think I read the same in various LaCie WS reviews; also performance seems to be suboptimal. So I will

1) find another NAS/hybrid device like the LaCie WS (but only found Apple Time Capsule which also seems to have caveats). Any others know?

2) Go "classic" - Regular NAS attached to my router directly and router will forward stram wireless to Qute. To my best understanding there should be NO difference in sound quality compared to wired?