N-serve connectivity

nserve app on mac or pc?

The nServe app is only used with a UnitiServe or an HDX. You cannot use it and do not need it. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

The nServe app is only used with a UnitiServe or an HDX. You cannot use it and do not need it. 

Precisely.  Delete nServe from your phone, computer, tablet, etc.  The current version of the Naim App is all you want and what you want.

Great and thanks for the feedback. All I need to learn now is how to create playlists as it certainly is not obvious. Also I have just loaded my ITunes MP3 files on my NAS, is this the best quailty I should be using?

Thanks again for all the advice!

John

MP3 files are poor quality and compressed. You want uncompressed files, such as FLAC, WAV or AIFF. 

That would explain the poor quailty then. Which would you recommend and  am I able to convert the MP3 files or do I have to download my CDs and music again?

Thanks again.

John

You cannot convert the MP3 files, so you need to re-rip the CDs. I use dbpoweramp, which is easy to use, and rip to FLAC. There are alternatives, but I have no experience. I suggest you do a bit of research before leaping in, and decide on the format of your metadata before you rip loads of albums.  

John, also using an NDX but with a Synology NAS. I use dpoweramp ripping to WAV sounds great but look at the options.

Playlists are easy to create once you have some ripped music look in the manuel.

I'm afraid that your old iTunes library will be useless for the home hifi.  But you can keep it around for your phone.

Compared to cd quality (what we call LOSSLESS, in formats such as flac, wav or ALAC),  LOSSY formats such as MP3 and AC3 will sound dull and lifeless.  Less soundstage. Etc etc.

So if you've still got those cd's you're going to want to rip them to a lossless format.  Do you have a Mac or PC?

Thanks again guys. That is my next few weekends sorted then and back to ripping. Bart I am using Mac, and will this make a difference? 

John Toon posted:

Thanks again guys. That is my next few weekends sorted then and back to ripping. Bart I am using Mac, and will this make a difference? 

It's quite possible to use iTunes to rip to WAV, although whenever I've tried this I have always had metadata problems with a large percentage of albums. The alternative would be to use dbPoweramp for ripping. You may want to try storing music files in FLAC format too, which isnot supported by iTunes.

Regarding playlists, there are two ways to create and manage them. One is to create them on the Naim app. This is very easy once you've figured it out, and convenient because you've already got the app open to play music, and you can create playlists as you are listening. However, some of us have had issues with these playlists becoming corrupted, so I would now recommend using whatever UPnP server software you put on your NAS to create playlists.

John Toon posted:

Thanks again guys. That is my next few weekends sorted then and back to ripping. Bart I am using Mac, and will this make a difference? 

John hi, on the Mac I use XLD for ripping cd's to flac, and Metadatics for editing the tags (metadata).  dbPoweramp also is available for the Mac, and you could try that as well (for ripping and editing the tags); I've just not used it.  But others here use dbPoweramp on the Mac.  You could rip to AIFF if you didn't want to rip to flac, but honestly flac is the most popular lossless format it seems.

Again, rip the cd on the Mac, edit the metadata, and THEN copy it over to the Downloads folder on your UServe.  Any other questions? People here happy to help!

Thanks Bart, and to all.

Great advice as always and love you guys for your patience.

I am on the case and hopefully will to need to bother you again - for a while at least!

To update you all - The advice and recommendations given were spot and and thank you. I am now happily listening to FLAC files through the NDX and loving it. The sound far exceeds my expectations and I am delighted. I have to say though that i am less delighted with the NAIM iPhone/Ipad app, which I am finding little annoying in certain areas and wondering if anyone else has found the same. For example when you are building a current play list and then accidentally tap a song that plays immediately, rather than just getting added to the play list you are building, the whole play list is discarded and you have to start again. Also does any one know a way to select all songs and play them in randome? It appears the only way is to build an 'all' play list and then play them from the play list in random mode, and of course to this is a marathon tasking considering the thousands of songs you have loaded. Just some niggling points on what is otherwise a good system. Any advice as always would be appreciated.    

I'm so pleased it's now working. I can't help with playlists as I don't use them but one way to improve the sound further is to set your upnp server (as you have a Qnap I imagine you use Asset) to transcode to wav. Give it a go. 

Thanks HungryH. Like the sound of this and wrongly assumed you had to RIP in wav to achieve this. This sound like a bit of a challenge in its self, and where would a numpty go to set up his QNAP server to transcode in wav please? 

Are you using Asset?

LOL might have to phone a friend on that one H......... I will have to connect it to my PC and do a  bit of research for that one. Let you know later!

John

As you have a PC, you can create playists using notepad. You need to list the network location\directory\filename for each of the tracks on the playlist and save the notepad document as a playlist ( i.e. a .m3u) file.

For example, if using a QNAP NAS with Asset the format would be something like:

/share/Multimedia/Music/Directory/filename

The Directory could be the Artist and or Album name depending on how you set up your music files.

John Toon posted:

 I have to say though that i am less delighted with the NAIM iPhone/Ipad app, which I am finding little annoying in certain areas and wondering if anyone else has found the same. For example when you are building a current play list and then accidentally tap a song that plays immediately, rather than just getting added to the play list you are building, the whole play list is discarded and you have to start again. Also does any one know a way to select all songs and play them in randome? It appears the only way is to build an 'all' play list and then play them from the play list in random mode, and of course to this is a marathon tasking considering the thousands of songs you have loaded.

The app can be a little frustrating at times, but mostly it just takes a little time to get used to it. It would be nice to have a back button for those times when you accidentally hit the wrong track. What can help with this is to go to Settings > Other Settings and tick 'Tap for options.' Then when you select a track by accident, you have the chance to change your mind.....and some other options.

To play songs at random, first select the tracks and start them playing. Then open the 'Play Queue' and tap the ... symbol in the top R corner, and hit the random symbol. 

Thanks Chrissu (and SJB) and will give this a go. Just a  shame you cannot go to the Songs file and his random from here, rather than have to elect individual songs. 

Sorry H....connected to my PC and certainly not Asset. I have been using dBpoweramp and see that I could have ripped in Wav....please tell me I do not have to download my 376 CD's again

I'm a bit confused now. In your first post you said you have a Qnap nas. This is where you should put your music. Have you done that?

Yes it is on my QNAP NAS as FLAC files.........

John Toon posted:

Thanks Chrissu (and SJB) and will give this a go. Just a  shame you cannot go to the Songs file and his random from here, rather than have to elect individual songs. 

You don't have to add individual songs, select the whole folder if you want. Then, if you're not already in random mode, select it from the play queue options.