LIV ZEN Vortexbox server

Posted by: maze on 01 April 2014

I would like to hear your thoughts on these servers. My main concern is how would it be connected to my 172 streamer, via Ethernet?

I owned a unitiserve but it was not a happy marriage, too many breaking down issues for me but like the idea of an easy ripper/storer.

Posted on: 01 April 2014 by Audioneophyte

Nas to us to network to 172 for best sound

 

your us should be a tank and not have breakdown issues... If there is a problem it should be serviced...  Mine gets a LOT of use and I have had no breakdown issues.

Posted on: 01 April 2014 by maze
Originally Posted by Audioneophyte:

Nas to us to network to 172 for best sound

 

your us should be a tank and not have breakdown issues... If there is a problem it should be serviced...  Mine gets a LOT of use and I have had no breakdown issues.

I no longer have userve, it went back to naim to fix, lasted a few weeks and started giving issues again.

I am looking for a simple ripping/storing facility that doesn't involve hours of sitting at a pc swapping files around.

Posted on: 01 April 2014 by Bart

Maze the vortexbox server would be connected exactly the same as the uServe was, assuming that you were using the uServe as a UPnP server.  If that's the case -- yes just via ethernet to your home network's router or switch.

 

If you were using the s/pdif digital output of the uServe direct into the back of the 172 . . . well then it looks like the ZEN does not work that way.  You need to use it as a server, connecting both the 172 and the ZEN to your home network.

 

Hope that helps,

Bart

Posted on: 01 April 2014 by maze
Originally Posted by Bart:

Maze the vortexbox server would be connected exactly the same as the uServe was, assuming that you were using the uServe as a UPnP server.  If that's the case -- yes just via ethernet to your home network's router or switch.

 

If you were using the s/pdif digital output of the uServe direct into the back of the 172 . . . well then it looks like the ZEN does not work that way.  You need to use it as a server, connecting both the 172 and the ZEN to your home network.

 

Hope that helps,

Bart

Thanks, Bart that's what I thought. I was hoping someone could comment on their robustness or not. As you know I had lots of issues with userve.

Posted on: 01 April 2014 by Badlands78

Hi, I've only had the Zen vortexbox (3tb) for two weeks, but so far so good. Super easy to use, I've ripped about 500 cd's so far into it and am using with unitiqute 2. I was worried as I am not particularly comfortable with IT, but its been a toddle, and can't recommend it enough. Only issue I have is with compilations, which is where lack of IT knowledge comes in, but I will tackle this when I have more time and energy!

Posted on: 01 April 2014 by Narooma

I've been using a VortexBox for about 6 months now without any problems at all. I'm not very IT literate but the VB really is plug and play - power it up, connect by ethernet to your router or switch and off you go. Pop in a CD and it is automatically ripped to FLAC. You can interact with the VB very simply through your Mac/PC using the web interface if you wish, I've only done this to create a USB back-up. So, VortexBox highly recommended - but I would still have bought a Unitiserve if I could have afforded one!

Posted on: 07 April 2014 by Simon Rae
I can't comment on the Vortexbox hardware, but I have the software running on my own box and it had been running faultlessly for over 18 months (there have been a few upgrades in that time, but no failures). Ripping can be slow, but reliable. It gets along with my unitilite very well. I have about 900 albums on it, and have no concerns. Backing it up is simply a question of plugging in a large enough usb device and leaving it to it. Very simple to use and it's free (open source)!