Editing metadata

Posted by: Mick Roberts on 07 May 2015

I have recently bought a Unitiserve SSD and ripped all my CDs. Elgar's First Symphony is playing. I found it on n-serve via Composers - Edward Elgar. Then I noticed that the second symphony did not appear in the list. Scrolling down the albums it turned up as "Symphony Number 2" with Artist - Sir Edward Elgar. No other fields are assigned, so I cannot add Composer, Conductor, Performer etc.. Both discs are Leonard Slatkin, London Symphony Orchestra, RCA. Is there any way to edit the metadata so the information is consistent?

 

Thanks, Mick

Posted on: 07 May 2015 by DrMark

I have used mp3tag with very good success - not sure if that is available on the Unitiserve platform (?) - don't let the name scare you, it is not mp3 specific (my files are FLAC)

Posted on: 07 May 2015 by Bart

Hi Mick -- Editing of the metadata of music you've ripped to your Store with the UnitiServe must be edited with n-Serve (iOS or OS X) (or the Naim Desktop Client for Windows).  If you try to edit with third-party software, you run into a permissions problem, as the Naim Servers make the files read-only (as edits would interfere with the metadata system they use for rips).

 

If you can't do the edits you want within the Naim system, the next best thing to do would be to bypass it and rip the cd on a computer, edit the data as you wish, and then put the album into your Downloads directory. 

 

I have found the Naim system sufficient for pop/rock etc., but not nearly as flexible or wide-ranging as is available with other servers (Asset, MinimServer, etc.) where more options are available. 

 

As for Classical . . . I've yet to find the perfect solution as to whether I want to sort by composer, conductor, soloist, orchestra, etc etc.  Artist view is typically my go-to screen to pick what I want to listen to, but who do I name as the artist??  No clear approach.  This has been discussed many times, and we all seem to have our own work-arounds, but no one system is good for all for classical for each of us.   That's not a Naim problem . . . it happens with all servers and tagging systems.  But the more flexible systems give us each more options. 

 

NB -- You may not have access to ALL of the fields your uServe supports by default.  Go into the UPNP Settings menu of the server (I use n-Serve for OS X; use that or the desktop client for windows) and be sure to enable all of the "Allowable Music Views" so that on the app you use for playback (n-Serve or the Naim App) will show them all.