Naim Network Streaming Advice + CD Ripping

The PC-program dBPoweramp CDRipper can rip CD's to WAV and tag them with metadata just like flac files can be tagged.

Copying those files to a NAS will never lose tags because they are part of the file.

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aleg

Many thanks Aleg,

dBPoweramp is one of the ripping tools I have used and although I ripped in WAV I had very little info held in the files and when played through the Unitiqute the artist was unknow as well as some other information.

I am new to this (as well as this forum) so thanks for the advice but I must be doing something wrong when ripping. Do I need to select some different options in dBPoweramp?

Hello ast2312, and welcome.

I wonder why you feel you should be ripping to WAV?

Flac is a lossless compression that SHOULD sound exactly like the original when played back. I say should because some say they can discern a difference between the two rip's but many other cannot. So the point is, can you. I would suggest it worthwhile for you to rip a few albums/tracks to both formats and decide for yourself.

WAV files do not support tags natively, but as Aleg said dbpoweramp can insert them, usually quite basic but maybe adequate. Next can the Qute & NDX read them, again try them and see.

For me, as I am by no means a sound engineer, dbpoweramp has proved to be by far the easiest and therefore best ripping program. There is a set-up guide on their website that as long as you follow it will set-up your machine to obtain bit perfect rips. There are many options that can be changed within the program; I use it exactly as it installs. It also includes a tag editor.

There is a 'sticky' Here. that lists some NAS drives that have been tested and found to work with Naim streamers. Does you NAS work with the Qute?

Hope this helps

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Aleg:
The PC-program dBPoweramp CDRipper can rip CD's to WAV and tag them with metadata just like flac files can be tagged.

aleg

I use dBPoweramp and the statement above is not true in my experience.

/m

quote:

Originally posted by ast2312:
Hi, I am hoping some can help me with my new Naim system. I have ordered a NDX (still awaiting delivery) however I am currently streaming a Unitiqute and am ripping CD's in flac format to a WD Myworldbook NAS to ensure I have good navigation from the ID Tags but feel I should be ripping in WAV. I am really needing help in the following:-
1. Best quality format for CD ripping and how to manage ID tags(I want to use WAV but lose the Metadata and ID tags when loaded on a NAS. Currentlt ripped using Flac which has keep all ID tags in place).
2. Suitable NAS (currently have a WD Myworldbook).
3. Best CD ripping software.

Any help will be much appreciated.

1) FLAC, can be tagged with both metadata and album art
2) Search the forum, somewhere there is a list of NASes that have passed NAIM tests
3) dBPoweramp, easy to use and as good as EAC as long as your CD's are in normal condition.
/mike

quote:

Originally posted by mike_f65:

quote:

Originally posted by Aleg:
The PC-program dBPoweramp CDRipper can rip CD's to WAV and tag them with metadata just like flac files can be tagged.

aleg

I use dBPoweramp and the statement above is not true in my experience.

/m

Hi Mike

DbPoweramp can add tags in both LIST and id3 format, with id3 holding more detail. However, the question is can the renderer read these tags; some I understand only read the LIST version others may not read either I guess.

My system is shut off at the moment so I am unable to check how the Qute handles them, which is why I suggested that the OP tried a few files for himself.

Interestingly, the following is a quote of the reply posted to a question from a user elsewhere.

quote:

You are better off with something other than wave if you want album artist.

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by mike_f65:

quote:

Originally posted by Aleg:
The PC-program dBPoweramp CDRipper can rip CD's to WAV and tag them with metadata just like flac files can be tagged.

aleg

I use dBPoweramp and the statement above is not true in my experience.

/m

Mike

I use dBPoweramp and can definitely state it is true.

Do you use the registered version of the latest release R14, do you install the proper codecs, have you read the manual??

If you don't get the tags, you are doing something wrong.

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aleg

Mike and all

THis is a picture from the tags that are applied by dBPoweramp CDRipper on a CD I ripped yesterday to a single WAV-file with cue-sheet:



All the tags you see were added by dBPoweramp CD Ripper, I did no manual editing. There is even a front cover added as a tag.

If you want you can even manually add tags from a pre-defined list of tag-types before the ripping starts and they will be added to the rip as well.

You can even review the MetaData lookup from different matches and decide which to use:



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aleg

Ahhhrgghh my eyes!

All, Many thanks for the replies. I have tried to use dBpoweramp again to rip wave format and I still have the same issue, although I can see all the ID Tags when I right click on the saved track. I am starting to think its my NAS drive!!It has Twonky as the Upnp software and I am not sure if this is having an effect. Any suggestions will be further apprecaited.

quote:

Tags but feel I should be ripping in WAV. I am really needing help in the following:-

Why? Flac is smaller which is an advantage when streaming it over a network. The NDX will stream and play WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AAC WMA, Ogg Vorbis and MP3 files and supports gapless playback. If I were you I'd just play your files and enjoy the music.

Convert one or two to WAV and see if it really makes them sound better.
Or if you can discern a difference.

It may save you a lot of time.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter_RN:

...<SNIP>...

Next can the Qute & NDX read them, again try them and see.

...<SNIP>...

Uniti / UnitiQute and NDX are all UPnP *CLIENTS* - they do not read files not extract tags from files nor scan network shares. This is done by the UPnP *SERVER* and the UPnP server passes the taging information out to the Uniti / UnitiQute / NDX as the browseable menus.

So it's down to what your UPnP server supports, not the Uniti / UnitiQute / NDX...

Cheers

Phil

Also bear in mind that according to the NAIM White Paper:

"Uncompressed audio data will always give better results than compressed. Even lossless compression may not reproduce audio with equivalent quality to the uncompressed original as the processing required to uncompress the data increases the computational load. This raises the power supply noise floor, which detracts from the sound quality."

So, if that is the case, to get the best performance you should either rip to an uncompressed format, or at least configure your UPnP Server to convert to an uncompressed format on the fly.

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
Ahhhrgghh my eyes!

Oooops, sorry.

I'll tone down the background with a nice silky grey next time

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aleg

quote:

Originally posted by Phil Harris:

quote:

Originally posted by Peter_RN:

...<SNIP>...

Next can the Qute & NDX read them, again try them and see.

...<SNIP>...

Uniti / UnitiQute and NDX are all UPnP *CLIENTS* - they do not read files not extract tags from files nor scan network shares. This is done by the UPnP *SERVER* and the UPnP server passes the taging information out to the Uniti / UnitiQute / NDX as the browseable menus.

So it's down to what your UPnP server supports, not the Uniti / UnitiQute / NDX...

Cheers

Phil

Phil.... thanks for setting me straight on that. That was the part of the process I have struggled to understand; and obviously not done so correctly.

Apology's to all if I have caused confusion.

Also, that helps me understand where to look for (minor) issues in my system; I had already begun to view my Nas server with suspicion.

Regards
Peter

quote:

Originally posted by likesmusic:
Also bear in mind that according to the NAIM White Paper:

"Uncompressed audio data will always give better results than compressed. Even lossless compression may not reproduce audio with equivalent quality to the uncompressed original as the processing required to uncompress the data increases the computational load. This raises the power supply noise floor, which detracts from the sound quality."

So, if that is the case, to get the best performance you should either rip to an uncompressed format, or at least configure your UPnP Server to convert to an uncompressed format on the fly.

I'm sorry but I'don't care if that comes from Naim HQ - it is still tosh ...

I've no doubt that the earth's magnetic field will affect the noise floor (carpet or parquet flooring?) but I don't think my ears can hear it. I'm more concerned about the recording quality of some of the music produced today.

Flac/ Alac v aiff /wav please no! There is no difference!

And whilst I'm on a rant (it is Friday) if Naim think flac is not as good as aiff why don't they support it on my Uniti?

got that ...right good ... Movin on.

Tog

quote:

Originally posted by Phil Harris:

quote:

Originally posted by Peter_RN:

...<SNIP>...

Next can the Qute & NDX read them, again try them and see.

...<SNIP>...

Uniti / UnitiQute and NDX are all UPnP *CLIENTS* - they do not read files not extract tags from files nor scan network shares. This is done by the UPnP *SERVER* and the UPnP server passes the taging information out to the Uniti / UnitiQute / NDX as the browseable menus.

So it's down to what your UPnP server supports, not the Uniti / UnitiQute / NDX...

Cheers

Phil

This arises a new question - which server supports this?

quote:

Originally posted by Tog:

quote:

Originally posted by likesmusic:
Also bear in mind that according to the NAIM White Paper:

"Uncompressed audio data will always give better results than compressed. Even lossless compression may not reproduce audio with equivalent quality to the uncompressed original as the processing required to uncompress the data increases the computational load. This raises the power supply noise floor, which detracts from the sound quality."

So, if that is the case, to get the best performance you should either rip to an uncompressed format, or at least configure your UPnP Server to convert to an uncompressed format on the fly.

I'm sorry but I'don't care if that comes from Naim HQ - it is still tosh ...

I've no doubt that the earth's magnetic field will affect the noise floor (carpet or parquet flooring?) but I don't think my ears can hear it. I'm more concerned about the recording quality of some of the music produced today.

Flac/ Alac v aiff /wav please no! There is no difference!

And whilst I'm on a rant (it is Friday) if Naim think flac is not as good as aiff why don't they support it on my Uniti?

got that ...right good ... Movin on.

Tog

Uhh, gapless AIFF playback is supported on NDX, and so will soon be supported on Uniti family products...!

Aleg,

Can you describe what settings you make in dBpower amp for ripping. The reason I ask is that have now got a Netgear ReadyNAS and still not being able to transfer all ID Tags and have to navigate via 'Folders' instead of being able to search for 'Album' or 'Artist'. I must still be doing some wrong and just wanted to rule out as much as possible. I am also looking atthe Upnp set-up with support from Netgear. Many thanks, Andrew

quote:

Originally posted by ast2312:
Aleg,

Can you describe what settings you make in dBpower amp for ripping. The reason I ask is that have now got a Netgear ReadyNAS and still not being able to transfer all ID Tags and have to navigate via 'Folders' instead of being able to search for 'Album' or 'Artist'. I must still be doing some wrong and just wanted to rule out as much as possible. I am also looking atthe Upnp set-up with support from Netgear. Many thanks, Andrew

Andrew

It is pretty much default. It is also difficult to show all settings, but I have a few screen images of the most important settings. The first two from the CDRipper and the last two from the general configuration of dBPoweramp Converter:






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aleg

Thanks Aleg - a great help and will try now. I am determined to crack this!! Andrew

Those screen shots give me a headache. I like to tweak as much as the next guy but whew...this computer related music business is beginning to feel more like a chore than fun. It has GOT to get easier to get very high quality sound from digital hard disk.
When you see this you begin to understand both Sooloos and Naim's expense and start thinking that it might not be all that pricey after all.

There is a 'dBpoweramp CD ripper set-up guide' on their website. It only takes a few minutes to configure it to suit. It lets you do many things that I doubt Soloos or Naim allow - control the directory structure your files end up in for one thing, and how they are tagged for another. If you need any help, questions left on the forum will usually be answered by the author of the software promptly.

You have not used a Sooloos I take it. the relational data base is second to none and the access speed is instantaneous...and I mean instantaneous.

quote:

Originally posted by realhifi:
Those screen shots give me a headache. I like to tweak as much as the next guy but whew...this computer related music business is beginning to feel more like a chore than fun. It has GOT to get easier to get very high quality sound from digital hard disk.
When you see this you begin to understand both Sooloos and Naim's expense and start thinking that it might not be all that pricey after all.

It looks worse than it is.

Most is all default setting, and once you really understand what it is all about, there is no problem whatsoever at all to set it up.

After that, just put in your CD and say Rip, there is nothing else to be done.

But as some may understand, when there is something to troubleshoot there is usually a lot more effort required.

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aleg