Recommendations on NAS drive for Superuniti?

Posted by: Md Maj on 14 May 2012

Hiya all, complete newbie here. Will be buying a Superuniti after I flog off most of my conventional hifi (non-naim). I would like to try and understand the whole concept a little better? What NAS drives do you recommend and why? Kind regards 

Posted on: 14 May 2012 by Phil Harris

 

If you're looking for a one box NAS solution then I'd suggest the NetGear ReadyNAS Duo V2 ... £130 (ish) plus two drives of whatever size you require.

 

Small, unobtrusive, well built, reliable and a simple but effective UPnP server.

 

Phil

 

Posted on: 14 May 2012 by Klout10
Originally Posted by Phil Harris:

 

If you're looking for a one box NAS solution then I'd suggest the NetGear ReadyNAS Duo V2 ... £130 (ish) plus two drives of whatever size you require.

 

Small, unobtrusive, well built, reliable and a simple but effective UPnP server.

 

Phil

 

Phil,

 

Will this NAS also work well with an HDX? I'm in doubt if I should convert my 2x400GB version to an SSD...

Regards,

Michel

Posted on: 14 May 2012 by Phil Harris
Originally Posted by Klout10:
 

Will this NAS also work well with an HDX? I'm in doubt if I should convert my 2x400GB version to an SSD...

Regards,

Michel

 

We're using those units with HDXs on our "Future Of HiFi" events and they work very well assuming that you set up a shared folder to use as a store that isn't being accessed by the units own UPnP server - in fact if you're using it from an HDX then I would turn off the ReadyNASs own UPnP server.

 

Phil

 

Posted on: 14 May 2012 by Bonner

Hi Phil - do you know which UPnP software the ReadyNas uses? Thought it was Twonky but can't find any reference to it in the product manual online.

 

Thanks

Posted on: 14 May 2012 by Phil Harris
Originally Posted by Bonner:

Hi Phil - do you know which UPnP software the ReadyNas uses? Thought it was Twonky but can't find any reference to it in the product manual online.

 

Thanks

 

I believe it used to be their own loosely based on Twonky but on the V2 units I don't know.

 

Phil 

Posted on: 14 May 2012 by McGhie
I have a ReadyNAS Duo (not v.2). It's in its box in the loft as I could not stand the fan noise (caveat emptor: google this before you buy one). While I lived with it I initially used the supplied Ready DLNA software, which I didn't like (can't remember why, it was a while ago and I only used it briefly) and paid for a ReadyNAS version of Twonky to replace it. This was an improvement on the supplied software but at a cost and I still found it lacked some of the features found in Asset. Unless you're putting the thing well out of earshot, or v.2 solves the noisy fan issue, I'd look for a quieter NAS, or do what I did once I'd lost patience with the noisy NAS. I now have an HP ProLiant MicroServer, which is much better specified (and quieter) and you can install what you want on it. With the £100 cashback offer it cost me around the same as the ReadyNAS Duo. I ran VortexBox on it for 9 months but earlier this year upgraded to Windows Home Server 2011 and the WHS2011 version of Asset. Very happy with what I have now. Cheers Ian
Posted on: 14 May 2012 by Phil Harris
Originally Posted by McGhie:
I have a ReadyNAS Duo (not v.2). It's in its box in the loft as I could not stand the fan noise (caveat emptor: google this before you buy one). While I lived with it I initially used the supplied Ready DLNA software, which I didn't like (can't remember why, it was a while ago and I only used it briefly) and paid for a ReadyNAS version of Twonky to replace it. This was an improvement on the supplied software but at a cost and I still found it lacked some of the features found in Asset. Unless you're putting the thing well out of earshot, or v.2 solves the noisy fan issue, I'd look for a quieter NAS, or do what I did once I'd lost patience with the noisy NAS. I now have an HP ProLiant MicroServer, which is much better specified (and quieter) and you can install what you want on it. With the £100 cashback offer it cost me around the same as the ReadyNAS Duo. I ran VortexBox on it for 9 months but earlier this year upgraded to Windows Home Server 2011 and the WHS2011 version of Asset. Very happy with what I have now. Cheers Ian

 

I've heard that some of the V1 units were noisy but we have about a dozen of them here with various people and other than them bringing the fans on at full speed when first booting then all ours are pretty quiet ... the V2's have a much larger single fan on the back panel and we have no issues using those in the same room when we're demoing kit.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

Posted on: 14 May 2012 by McGhie
OK - maybe NetGear resolved this then with the bigger (slower) fan in v.2. I recall when I was googling the issue while impacted by it, reading various accounts of how other users had 'modified' their ReadyNAS Duos by removing the supplied fan, snipping the grill at the back off, attaching some sort of funnel and then rigging up a larger fan and running it slower. Besides invalidating the warranty, this sounded like a lot of effort to result in a butchered but quieter NAS, with a fan hanging out of the back!
Posted on: 14 May 2012 by rjstaines

I had a V1 in a ventilated cupboard in same room - fan speed usually 1300-1600 rpm, audible.  Now have V2 in same cupboard, fan speed is 800 rpm not audible.

I can recommend the Duo V2.

Roger

Posted on: 14 May 2012 by Md Maj

Thanks for the replies fellas. I really hate fan noise that would just kill me. I had the misfortune of buying a Thinkpad and the noise was terrible. 

Posted on: 15 May 2012 by gmischol

So if you want something really silent go for Assetnas or if you want to rip your cds directly with the Nas take the Ripnas. They are more expensive than most NAS but I have two Assetnas ( one for my music with the HDX, the other as backup). Both are sitting on the fraim and they are dead quiet

Google Assetnas and you will find them.

Posted on: 15 May 2012 by gmischol

Just forget to say, the Assetnas are fanless.

Posted on: 06 September 2012 by revmis
Originally Posted by McGhie:
I have a ReadyNAS Duo (not v.2). It's in its box in the loft as I could not stand the fan noise (caveat emptor: google this before you buy one). While I lived with it I initially used the supplied Ready DLNA software, which I didn't like (can't remember why, it was a while ago and I only used it briefly) and paid for a ReadyNAS version of Twonky to replace it. This was an improvement on the supplied software but at a cost and I still found it lacked some of the features found in Asset. Unless you're putting the thing well out of earshot, or v.2 solves the noisy fan issue, I'd look for a quieter NAS, or do what I did once I'd lost patience with the noisy NAS. I now have an HP ProLiant MicroServer, which is much better specified (and quieter) and you can install what you want on it. With the £100 cashback offer it cost me around the same as the ReadyNAS Duo. I ran VortexBox on it for 9 months but earlier this year upgraded to Windows Home Server 2011 and the WHS2011 version of Asset. Very happy with what I have now. Cheers Ian

@McGhie: I search the forum and find this info. I am thinking to build a server based on the exact system you describe here: HP Proliant Microserver with FreeNas.

May I ask what is your experience using this HP little server?Any issue with album art, cover, track skipping, some folder cannot be read...?

I intend to build the Nas not for music streaming, but also storage, HD streaming, photostation...so a Vortexbox may not be adequate.

 

Thanks in advance

Posted on: 07 September 2012 by McGhie

Hi

 

I use my MicroServer for three main purposes:

 

  • Streaming music
  • Storing/sharing files
  • Backup

 

Vortexbox does an adequate job of the first of these, and ran fine on my MicroServer for 9 months.  I don't think it will do video streaming though, and it is not designed for storage or backup (though you do have access to the file system so you can copy files to/from the box).

 

I have since installed Windows Home Server 2011 on it, which is designed for storage, backup and media streaming.  I have installed an add-in for improved music streaming: Asset UPnP - I don't use the supplied Windows Media Center.  I switched to WHS 2011 because I prefer Asset over VortexBox for streaming (it has better features and handles Wav).  I'm sure that WHS 2011 can be used for video streaming (natively or by installing other applications), but I don't do video streaming - someone else may be able to advise on this.

 

WHS 2011 has been running on my MicroServer faultlessly for over six months now and I am very pleased with it.  I have not experienced any of the issues that you refer to (I rip/tag Wav files directly to the server via my PC using dBpoweramp and stream from the server using Asset UPnP for WHS 2011 and the server shares a gigabit switch with my PC and my SU - the setup is flawless).

 

I haven't used FreeNAS, so I can't really comment on it.  I believe that it is designed for storage rather than streaming but that plugins are available, some of which might cover your additional requirements.  It would be best to get feedback on FreeNAS from someone who has actually used it for the purposes you list.  My personal recommendation would be to go for WHS 2011 - I have not looked back.

 

Cheers

Ian