Populating Unitiserve

Russ,

I can't comment on your 1st question, but on the second, take a look at this topic:

https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...02#18320909148646602

I would tell you absolutely NOT to connect a computer's sound card (audio out) to your Naim system. You'd be missing ALL of the magic you're paying for.

If you want to do "simple" - which I get, you'd be much better off ripping to Apple Lossless (ALAC) in itunes, putting them on an ipod and using the Naim ipod cable. Or, if you do have a PC with an optical out, use that into whichever box you end up purchasing.

There are sound cards that can output very good audio and digital audio, the best ones are from LYNX and SOtM, but these are very expensive, and not necessary given either the SU or Uniti can avoid using the computer audio feature entirely.

The goal is to only get the data bits from the computer - and nothing else - and use the Naim's "streamer" - which manages playing the data bits in the right order and, most importantly, at the right time. Then, use the Naim Digital - Analogue converter to turn the well organized digital stream into a signal into the amp. Both the streamer and the DA converter are built into the SU and the Uniti.

But, my advice is to convert that old PC into a VortexBox - its free and actually quite easy, though erases everything on the PC -- use the auto ripper feature in VortexBox, then plug in an ethernet cable from ye olde PC into a $49 ethernet hub, plug another cable into your Naim box, and you're done.

Its potentially highest sound quality option, and you're getting all the of the value out of the Naim kit.

The latest 2TB Unitiserves do allow you to copy your music from a NAS, PC etc directly to the Download folder on the unit. There is a separate Music folder that is for rips done by the Unitiserve and that is best left alone. Thus I always populate my Unitiserves from my NAS units and from downloads from HDTracks.

Using a digital out from your PC to a DAC would work just fine into your Naim equipment, but it could well be pretty ropey just using your analogue out into your pre.

Russ yes you can populate the uServe that way, but only the current (as of a few months ago) 2 tb version.  If you buy a used or demo 1tb version, it does NOT work that way and the only music you can put on it is what you rip with it.

Hope that helps,

Bart

Russ I think that your understanding is correct.  While the uServe will always rip cd's to .wav, the uServe system will play music in many formats. Thus, I am guessing that music files in any of those formats can be placed into the folder for downloaded music.  Naim say, "Native 24bit/192kHz playback and internal architecture with support for hi-resolution audio formats. Plays WAV up to 24bit/192kHz, MP3 both vbr and fbr, FLAC up to 24bit/192kHz, AAC (m4a only), AIFF, ALAC, OGG Vorbis and Windows Media-formatted content files."

Just for clarity but I am sureyou have got it. Unitiserve itself rips to wav in its own folder. Do not try and put anything else into this folder nor try and copy stuff out from it. The Download folder allows one to put in any supported format and I use an assortment of bit depth and sampling frequencies upto 192/24 wav and Flac with no problems at all.

I use two Unitiserves connected via BNC and one connected optically as well as with Ethernet. Remember that there is nothing special about BNC, it is just an attachment technology and I use a cable with BNC on one end and RCA on the other for entry into my DAC. I cannot tell the difference between any of the three connecDevi methods, just use the one that supports your implementation the best. 

I am sure that you would not break anything by copying from that folder but I am sure that it is not arranged for the ease of finding a particular piece of music and the cover art is Naim specific. Given the wide range of competences of the Naim user community it is best to advise people to leave it alone. People might be tempted to remove a track that they do not like and I do not know how Naim willthen resolve a database pointer with no target. 

I'd be surprised if an electrical connection sounded better than a Supernova 6 or Mark Grant optical cable ... with BNCs I'd expect exactly as Lumos hears it ... the same. 

Russ, a colleague of mine uses MG cables (really cheap compared with my Wireworld) ... he lent me one to try ... plugged it in a hour or so ago and I can't hear any difference. I certainly could hear an improvement between an OptiChord and Supernova, but the MG cable is ... well extraordinary for what it costs. 

I wonder if MG's other products are as good? 

I wouldn't spend a fortune on cables in the digital domain, but I'd still buy carefully as some are definitely work better than others. 

Guy,

I have and have used a few MG cables over the years.

Always very good.

BNC to BNC has always sounded better through my ears and system.

Its not just attachment technology.There is no light beam down a digital Coax cable.

Stu.

Interesting ... I paid 5 times as much for the Supernova which is an excellent cable ... and I can't tell the difference. MG does a mains distro that looks pretty good too ... no filtering just looks well made at a sensible price. Looks similar to the one I saw Naim use ... hence the interest. 

I remember years ago saying to you try a MG cable.

Stu

> BNC to BNC has always sounded better through my ears and system.

I think it is system dependent ... if you use digital out from a computer then it injects lots of noise. So an optical interface (a good one) really helps. 

A hiFace does some galvanic isolation and kills the noise so will enable a BNC to BNC to work at its best, Should give a really good result and I'm sure it does. 

The MF V-Link sounds much better with optical ... why? Because it isn't as good as the hiFace when it comes dumping the rubbish and just sending the music. M2Tech are very good when it comes to USB/S-PDIF ... I honestly don't think you beat a hiFace, but you can certainly pay a lot more something that just does the same thing. 

The other hiFace advantage is it is not limited to 96KHz and will do 192 KHz, which my system can't ... mind you no HMHB recording available in super high resolution yet ... Nigel has to practice a bit more on his guitar before they do that. 

With a Naim CDP as transport again the BNC to BNC will be first class. 

There is no low grade switch mode PS to deal with - a good quality linear from Naim. 

The Toslink comes in to own when you go straight from a computer sound card to a DAC ... not sure if UnitiServe counts as a computer, but .... well I think it would be pretty close. However, surely the US is intended to use Ethernet and serve over UPnP so not sure Naim has focused much on its S/PDIF beyond putting a decent sound card in it. 

I get there in the end