Unitiserve question

You can't play CDs over a network, it only works through the SPDIF output. 

Thank you

On the other hand, it only takes about 3 minutes to rip a CD then you can play it, so do you really need to use the US as a player?

I suppose you either can get the Userve for a good price, or that there are other reasons not to go with a nas and rip on a pc. With that setup this should save you a lot of money. And you need a nas anyway to bakup your  music.

Claus

Good point re 3 mins to rip.

I want to get my music or at least my CD rips away from my main PC hard drive as I have too much electronics engineering stuff hanging of that for comfort. I do have a RAID NAS running in a network rack but that is doing other stuff and I really like the idea of keeping the Hi-Fi to it self so to speak.

More like 8 minutes plus 2-3 more for the new rip to 'register' on the network.'

I use my UnitiServe SSD exactly the way you intend to LONDON LAD

Adam, I've never had a rip take anything like as long as 8 minutes. Maybe it takes longer to write to your external NAS?

ChrisSU posted:

Adam, I've never had a rip take anything like as long as 8 minutes. Maybe it takes longer to write to your external NAS?

Possibly - I only used US SSD, so cannot compare. I'm not complaining - the hard job of ripping 1000 CDs is done 

Oh... Another thing - found that with my external NAS an occasional re-scan of the 'store' is needed. Some albums seem to 'disappear', but re-appear after a host scan.

A lot depends on how many CDs you have to rip. If it's a lot, the cost of the US may be worthwhile. As you are obviously comfortable with computer audio, why not just get a separate NAS and rip to that? You can then backup the NAS to a USB drive. If you get the US, you will need to back it up to a NAS anyway. 

Thanks gents

London Lad posted:

I have read here that the general consensus is that the upnp 'output' stream sounds better than the S/PDIF output.

I wouldn't call it a consensus. Some of us here have found that with a little tweaking the S/PDIF output can be lifted to great heights and serve as a reference point for calibrating the sound (resolving network issues) from UPnP playback. It's a neat feature of the much maligned UnitiServe.

I have a very robust network with no problems but I'm interested in the 'little tweaking' aspect ?

You have to smear your ethernet cables with 3 drops of blood from small bats' ambilical cords, precisely at 11:32 

London Lad posted: 

I have read here that the general consensus is that the upnp 'output' stream sounds better than the S/PDIF output.

 

Not sure if you have got slightly confused here.. These are two very different forms and methods of transporting digital audio used in different parts of the audio chain.. Not dissimilar to interconnects and speaker leads. Often you could use both UPnP and SPDIF together in the audio replay chain.. I do.

Simon

Hi Simon,

OK please correct me if I'm wrong.

My system ATM is a NAC N272 / XPS > NAP 250 > Tannoy GRF memories.

I am thinking or buying a US to rip my CD collection as I like the idea of a one box auto ripping solution and don't want to keep my music on my desktop PC for various reasons.

As I understand it, once ripped the music is available to the N272 either via a upnp stream on the network connection or via a direct (optical or coaxial) S/PDIF connection. An un-ripped CD is playable but only via the latter.

My main system is positioned on Fraim on a galleried landing well away from vibration etc. It is also fed by a 'clean' mains spur which I have, so far, managed to keep free of noisy switching power supplies etc. It would be more convenient for me to install a US in another room but I was reluctant to do this as it would preclude the used of the S/PDIF outputs but on reading various posts here and elsewhere the general consensus seems to be that the upnp 'output' sounds better than the S/PDIF. If this is indeed the case then the only downside of having the US away from my main system would be the loss of direct CD playback but I can live with that.

If I'm wrong about this please let me know :-)

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

London Lad posted: 

I have read here that the general consensus is that the upnp 'output' stream sounds better than the S/PDIF output.

 

Not sure if you have got slightly confused here.. These are two very different forms and methods of transporting digital audio used in different parts of the audio chain.. Not dissimilar to interconnects and speaker leads. Often you could use both UPnP and SPDIF together in the audio replay chain.. I do.

Simon

 

I think the OP is specifically referring to the UPNP output vs the S/PDIF output of the UnitiServe.  

I went through a similar thought process when buying my UnitiServe-SSD and found that I preferred the ethernet/network connection vs the S/PDIF one.

Mike Woodcock posted:

 

Jan-Erik Nordoen posted:

London Lad posted:

I have read here that the general consensus is that the upnp 'output' stream sounds better than the S/PDIF output.

I wouldn't call it a consensus. Some of us here have found that with a little tweaking the S/PDIF output can be lifted to great heights and serve as a reference point for calibrating the sound (resolving network issues) from UPnP playback. It's a neat feature of the much maligned UnitiServe.

Jan-Erik - What do you mean by "a little tweaking" of the S/PDIF output?

 

Substituting a linear power supply for the SMPS unit supplied with the UnitiServe lifts the performance substantially and drops the noise floor. There are several on the market, but IME, avoid the Israeli unit.

More info here :

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...94#49436538079876994

I can confirm - an alternative power supply does help. But we cannot discuss it here - forum rules.