New User Unitiserve experience-so far positive

Hi Stebro,

Well done. A simple and brilliant audio renderer.

I have a similar set up...almost. I have the U-serve connected into an Apple Time Machine, (in a different room to my main Naim room) wifi to my ND5 and was up and running within minutes. I also have  a 2TB WD My Book Live as back up, but I do the backup once a month manually, or moore or less frequently depending on my music purchase frenzy.

n-serve just about does all you need to manage your rips and remember the uServe can be the centre of your multiroom streaming system...when you purchase the Muso.

Jason.

Erik has asked me to point out that he thinks you mean *server*.

Jan

Trust Erik. Can you ask Erik to explain the difference between the two.

Jason.

Or does Jan think its time for bed.

Jason.

Hang on a sec, he's off refilling his glass.

Right, this is my chance to head for the sack. I'll read it in the morning.

Tally-ho Erik!

Jason.

OK, the server is the device that delivers the digital data, whereas the renderer is the device that magically transforms it (i.e., renders) into a listenable form. Oh, and there's the control point too. But through the wonder of the inter web, here's what Computer audiophile has to say about them :

1. Media Server 

A Media Server is a device that stores content, advertises the availability of this content for streaming across the network, and enables browsing/searching this content from control points. Media Servers can stream content to multiple devices and be controlled by multiple control points simultaneously. Most UPnP AV Media Servers contain three services, a ContentDirectory Service, a ConnectionManager Service, and an AVTransport Service.

Example - A very common Media Server for computer audiophiles is a network attached storage (NAS) unit. Synology NAS units ship with a Media Server application. When enabled this application advertises the NAS as a UPnP AV Media Server and allows control points to browse music and stream it from the NASdirectly to a UPnP AV playback device. The Synology NAS simply broadcasts on the network that it's available. Other UPnP AV devices can then see information about what it contains, what communication protocols it supports, what type of music it can serve, and details such as album, artist, track, etc… 

2. Media Renderer

A Media Renderer is a device that either converts and/or reproduces audio. Computer audiophiles are likely most familiar with renderers as several HiFi companies manufacturer components that render (convert and/or reproduce) audio. A renderer can convert network based audio into another form of digital audio such asS/PDIF and pass this audio along to another non-UPnP AV device or a renderer can convert the network audio into analog for playback. Frequently a renderer is the final device in the UPnP AV chain turning music from streamed content into something audiophiles can hear. Advanced renderers also enable limited control of Play, Pause, Stop, Seek, Volume, etc… Similar to the Media Server a Media Renderer usually contains three services, a Rendering Control Service, a ConnectionManager Service, and an AVTransport Service.

Example - The most common Media Renderers for computer audiophiles are made by Linn, Naim, PS Audio, T+A, and other notable HiFi companies. Other non-audiophile type renderers are TVs and game consoles such as Xbox. A Linn DS series renderer accepts music streaming from a Media Server such as a SynologyNAS and outputs this music as either an analog or digital signal. Another Media Renderer is the Simple Design Rendu. The Rendu also accepts audi from a Media Server, as directed by a control point, and converts it from Ethernet to S/PDIF output for connection to a DAC. 


3. Control point

A pure Control Point simply acts like an air traffic controller viewing planes ready for takeoff and sending them to a destination. A Control Point is often handheld like an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or Android device. Through the Control Point's user interface, usually an app or web page, end users browse Media Servers and select music for playback. The Control Point then instructs the Server and Renderer. Once playback instructions are given to the UPnP AV devices the Control Point isn't part of the device to device communication. In other words, music streamed from a Media Server doesn't flow through a Control Point on its way to the Media Renderer. This is an important piece of UPnP AV as most standard UPnP devices only communicate with a Control Point by receiving instructions rather than taking the next step in communicating with other UPnP devices outside the communication link from device to Control Point. This is also known as out-of-band communication. The following is an example of a sequence of events between a Control Point, Media Server, and Media Renderer. Computer audiophiles will be especially interested in step "i" as it pertains to gapless playback.


Example - The most common Control Points are Apple (iOS) and Android devices. The Control Point hardware must also feature Control Point software. A common CP app for iOS is PlugPlayer. PlugPlayer can run through the aforementioned steps with a Synology NAS as the Media Server and Linn DS as the Media Renderer. In my explanation of a Control Point I specified a "pure" Control Point. However, apps like PlugPlayer are more just a Control Point. PlugPlayer can also use an iPhone as the Media Server and Renderer. Or, PlugPlayer can use the Synology NAS as the Server and the iPhone as the Renderer. 

So there you go. Pretty cool huh ? Your assignment (should you choose to accept it ): translate the three terms into Norwegian.

Jan

That's good to hear. Are you using it to feed a DAC directly, or as a UPnP server ?

In other words, are you using it as a media renderer, or a media server.

In answer to the questions above--and without getting caught up in terminology which I may use incorrectly--my Unitiserve is connected by coax cable to a DAC (and of course the DAC is connected to a pre amp and that to a power amp which drives my ProAc Response 3.5 speakers).  As I mentioned, the US gets its internet connection through an ethernet cable connected to a power adaptor and so far it's worked faultlessly.  My WD MyCloud backup drive is plugged into a router and appears in the Naim Desktop Client software. I don't know if I'm more excited about the Unitiserve itself or the feeling of accomplishment that I was able to set everything up despite being a relative computer novice (which also is a positive statement about the Unitiserve).

The whole thing is great stebro, but when the Back Up function was added in an update a couple of years ago, that was the icing on the cake for me.

There are other ways to do the same thing, but for me the simplicity of Unitiserve added to the nServe/nStream functionality is what makes it so good.

Enjoy the good feeling!

Well done! I think you deserve a special 'I did it myself' badge. I had half the Forum helping me.... 

Hi Stebro,  glad it's working out for well for you. Out of interest which version of the US did you end up buying?

best regards Steve

Based on my dealer's strong recommendation, I got the 2TB version.  The dealer said they had encountered networking problems with the solid state model that did not exist on the 2TB.  Everything is now backed up, which alleviates my concerns about hard drive crashes.  It's great that the US backup is in what I would call a standard format so I can see the albums when I open the backup drive using my desktop.  The Olive I had previously used a proprietary backup system that was incompatible with other products so, after loading hundreds of CDs on the Olive and backing them up, all was lost.

I have a question on another topic.  I asked before but just want to confirm the answer.  I burned hundreds of CDs onto my desktop using iTunes.  I loaded them onto a 64 GB memory stick for use in my car. I inserted the memory stick in my US and it works fine and all the albums show up on my iPad.  My question is about the sound quality of the iTunes music on the memory stick and played through the US.  I haven't had a chance to do a direct comparison but  I'm wondering what people think.

I've done the USB stick / drive vs HDD comparison and prefer the HDD rendition. USB seems thinner with a layer of what I can only describe as digital glare, that didn't encourage long-term listening.

With the 2 TB U/S (good choice) you can copy your iTunes-ripped files onto the Downloads section of the U/S hard drive, giving your a further comparison point. You can then drive yourself to the point of madness comparing three versions against each other. The best comparison method, IME, is to simply live with one method for a few days, then switch to another for a few days. Then see which you prefer. The quick A/B method is notoriously subject to second-listening bias, unless you happen to be comparing something truly outstanding. Sound quality differences between different methods of delivering the identical file tend to be small (IME) compared to differences that one might hear, for example, between different DACs.

I use an ND5 renderer

Very good Jason. I note that the Norwegian term is (wait for it ) : renderer.

I was slightly disappointed, expecting at least an additional *en* which would have made it almost unpronouncable. Still, I find consolation in kontrollpunktet.

Your humble serveren,

Jan

(apologies Stebro for thread diversion)

Originally Posted by Jasonf:

I use an ND5 renderer

Very good Jason. I note that the Norwegian term is (wait for it ) : renderer.

 

I was slightly disappointed, expecting at least an additional *en*. Still, I find consolation in kontrollpunktet.

 

Your humble serveren,

 

Jan

 

(apologies Stebro for thread diversion)

Not 'reindeerer'?

Done--profile updated with system details.  By the way, I bought the Auralic DAC at the same time as the Unitiserve after auditioning several models in the store (my choice came down to the Cary 100, Cary 100T (tube model) and Auralic.  Those outside the U.S.A. may not be familar with Cary, which is made in North Carolina.  It was a tough decision but I got the Auralic, which sounded great has has received rave reviews.  So far, it sounds very bright in my system.  High notes in particular are kind of shrill.  From reviews I've read, the Auralic takes many hours to break in so I'm hoping it improves.  The store where I bought it does not have a customer friendly return policy so I may have to take a loss if it continues to bother me.  I should have tried to borrow the floor sample to audition at home but I didn't do that.

There are a few variables that could lead to a difference in sound quality:

1.  usb stick vs. internal hdd storage of the files

2.  iTunes ripper vs. uServe's ripper

3.  <whatever format you had iTunes rip TP> vs. wav or flac as ripped by uServe

To me, variable #3 is most likely to lead to discernible differences if iTunes was set to rip to a lossy format (AAC).  You should be able to hear the superiority of flac or wav vs. a 128kbps aac rip, for example, if your system is relatively revealing.  As the bitrate goes up, AAC sounds more and more like lossless.  

Steve this is at the limits of my knowledge, but I do not believe that there is any "upsampling" going on when converting a lossy aac or mp3 to wav or flac.