Naim Unitilite and NAS QNAP Qnap TS-253A-4G streaming
Posted by: seiko777 on 24 December 2016
You`re welcome to comment!
Good morning and Merry Christmas everyone!
Greeting from Romania! I have bought a great product, Naim UnitiLite, to replace my old Maranyz PM-56 SE which was an old and faithful companion for more than 10 years. The matching is Epos M22 speakers.
I have tested the streaming with an external HDD (WD caviar MyBook edition 10 years old) first on wireless AC matched by my Asus RT-87U router. it was a disaster on playing hifi wavs at 192khz/24 bits quality. Lots of buffering interruptions. I`ve solved the problem by getting on utp cable connection.
Then my idea was to move to some NAS storage with decent processing power and I`ve found QNAP TS-253A-4G with 4K streaming and hardware transcoding and Intel Celeron N3150 Quad-Core. It supports wav, flacs, etc and has audio, video media servers and great apps for playing tracks like Twonky server. There was some minor miss understandings between Naim and Qnap I think related to the fact that naim Upnp recognized the directory structure of Qnap but has problems with wav playing. I`ve solved it by formatting the NAS HDD then everything it is like magic Christmas!
I recommend a quad-core powered NAS with harware transcoding if you want quality on audio streams from HDD.
My questions are:
What software do you recommend for audio ripping to wav/flac format from streaming and one from CD`s?
Please feel free to comment and Merry Christmas to you all!
For ripping: dbPowerAmp
UPnP software: MinimServer. Asset is also popular with Naim users.
Merry Christmas!
Adam
Thank you for the quick answer!
DbPowerAmp looks great but can he convert on-the-fly from streaming?
I`ve found another for streaming: Total Recorder professional 8.6.
What is your opinion?
Unfortunately I have no experience of the Total Recorder. Never even heard that name - is that a server software?
Best if you stick with Asset or MinimServer - both can decode FLAC to WAV if that was your question. Both have been tried and tested with the Naim community.
MinimServer is actually free to download - if you like it and would like to keep it - just make a donation to the developer. I use it as a back up on my QNAP (backup to a Uniti Serve).
I have put above a link to product. It can rip a audio stream up to 192 khz/24 bits wav quality on the fly. Tested on spotify and tidal.
Is that quality (wav 192 khz/24 bits) the best i can obtain on ripping on the fly audio streams?
You also have QNAP! Great! Can you play wavs with his internal network media player? I can`t do it with Naim but on other media servers like MinimServer or Twonky server it works fine.
If I remember correctly QNAP came with Twonky Media Server as well as some othe internal UPnP nonsense pre-installed. Best to leave those alone - just disable them.
Adam Zielinski posted:If I remember correctly QNAP came with Twonky Media Server as well as some othe internal UPnP nonsense pre-installed. Best to leave those alone - just disable them.
Twonky works well with wavs but the GUI is minimal and primite. Plex has modern design but it has higher proccesing demands and, of course, problems with Upnp on Naim. What i don't understand is why Naim UnitiLite has Rooms where you can connect streamers but doesn't recognize them through rooms.
I use Exact Audio Copy (http://www.exactaudiocopy.de) to rip CDs to FLAC.
I use MinimServer as an UPnP server. Quite happy with it. I believe you can instal MinimServer on your NAS.
k
seiko777 posted:Adam Zielinski posted:If I remember correctly QNAP came with Twonky Media Server as well as some othe internal UPnP nonsense pre-installed. Best to leave those alone - just disable them.
Twonky works well with wavs but the GUI is minimal and primite. Plex has modern design but it has higher proccesing demands and, of course, problems with Upnp on Naim. What i don't understand is why Naim UnitiLite has Rooms where you can connect streamers but doesn't recognize them through rooms.
I'm sorry - I don't understand your questions. Can you possibly describe what it is that you are setting up and what problems you've encountered?
Adam Zielinski posted:seiko777 posted:Adam Zielinski posted:If I remember correctly QNAP came with Twonky Media Server as well as some othe internal UPnP nonsense pre-installed. Best to leave those alone - just disable them.
Twonky works well with wavs but the GUI is minimal and primite. Plex has modern design but it has higher proccesing demands and, of course, problems with Upnp on Naim. What i don't understand is why Naim UnitiLite has Rooms where you can connect streamers but doesn't recognize them through rooms.
I'm sorry - I don't understand your questions. Can you possibly describe what it is that you are setting up and what problems you've encountered?
In Naim UnitiLite system menu it has an entry called "Rooms" where when you enter with Naim`s remote it says "searching for streamers...." then "Could not find any streamers, press enter again to search again". Here I can`t find any external streamers, only Naim`s android application can see the "Room" in which appears "Lite" SSID network name and connects to it.
I connect to streamers via Upnp command in Naim and not using "Rooms" command.
. What i don't understand is why Naim UnitiLite has Rooms where you can connect streamers but doesn't recognize them through rooms.
ROOMS feature on a Naim streamer is only used for connecting to other Naim streamers on the same network in a multi-room (sometimes referred to as 'party mode') mode. This enables the same content to be played in different rooms of the house / flat on different Naim streamers in perfect sync. There is a whole section on that in a manual.
When controlling a single streamer it is best to use either a remote control or a Naim app (iOS or Android). Single streamer shows up as a 'room'. You click on that to start interacting with your Uniti.
Kurt L posted:I use Exact Audio Copy (http://www.exactaudiocopy.de) to rip CDs to FLAC.
I use MinimServer as an UPnP server. Quite happy with it. I believe you can instal MinimServer on your NAS.
k
Yes I`ve installed MinimServer and Twonky as Upnp servers on my NAS and it works. Twonky sees even the wavs metadata correctly but the graphical interface and facilities are medieval. not like Plex or Tidal.
As for ripping I wanted to try some stream ripping softs if someone has that experience with Tidal Streaming. I see that DbPowerAmp is not a stream ripper.
Other software for network media players, like Plex, has anyone tried, eventually on NAS?
Thank you for your comments!
Adam Zielinski posted:ROOMS feature on a Naim streamer is only used for connecting to other Naim streamers on the same network in a multi-room (sometimes referred to as 'party mode') mode. This enables the same content to be played in different rooms of the house / flat on different Naim streamers in perfect sync. There is a whole section on that in a manual.
When controlling a single streamer it is best to use either a remote control or a Naim app (iOS or Android). Single streamer shows up as a 'room'. You click on that to start interacting with your Uniti.
On Upnp mode from Naim UnitiLite I can see the Nas, the MinimServer, Twonky and Plex and able to navigate to folders of each through Naim.
On the NAS directory I can`t play wavs error "cannot read this file type" (probably some incompability of reading folder structure). On other twoo`s i can play the same wavs.
I hope you realise it is most likely illegal for you to rip Tidal streams so that you can keep it on your local server.
Adam Zielinski posted:I hope you realise it is most likely illegal for you to rip Tidal streams so that you can keep it on your local server.
I realize, but isn`t the same with CD ripping and storing them on hdd? Who knows what you do with your saved wavs?
seiko777 posted:Adam Zielinski posted:ROOMS feature on a Naim streamer is only used for connecting to other Naim streamers on the same network in a multi-room (sometimes referred to as 'party mode') mode. This enables the same content to be played in different rooms of the house / flat on different Naim streamers in perfect sync. There is a whole section on that in a manual.
When controlling a single streamer it is best to use either a remote control or a Naim app (iOS or Android). Single streamer shows up as a 'room'. You click on that to start interacting with your Uniti.
On Upnp mode from Naim UnitiLite I can see the Nas, the MinimServer, Twonky and Plex and able to navigate to folders of each through Naim.
On the NAS directory I can`t play wavs error "cannot read this file type" (probably some incompability of reading folder structure). On other twoo`s i can play the same wavs.
That is correct - Naim streamers will not pull files from a server, they need to be 'served' to it via a UPnP software.
So whilst you will 'see' your NAS from an app, it's not to be used.
Use any of the UPnP seevers you have installed. Why you need so many is beyond me actually...
As long i keep the music for my self, not for commercial purposes, it should be no problem. Even Oracle let you install and use database software for home using and study.
seiko777 posted:Adam Zielinski posted:I hope you realise it is most likely illegal for you to rip Tidal streams so that you can keep it on your local server.
I realize, but isn`t the same with CD ripping and storing them on hdd? Who knows what you do with your saved wavs?
It's not the same.
If you own a CD, ripping it and storing for personal use is permitted in the EU (in the UK they have some odd interpretation of that directive). By the same token borrowing a CD from a friend, ripping it and keeping the rip is actually illegal.
With Tidal you do not own a copy that is being streamed to your device - you merely rent it via a monthly fee for unlimited streaming. But you do not own a copy. I'd imagine this would be a legal argument used.
seiko777 posted:As long i keep the music for my self, not for commercial purposes, it should be no problem. Even Oracle let you install and use database software for home using and study.
As i wrote - it is not the same. You need to pay to an artist and a producer to listen to the music. Ripping without paying is a blatant act of piracy, that deprives working artists from one of their main sources of income.
Yes it`s true. tidal rents you streaming for a fee per month. You can download the streamed flacs as files for 8 euros/album.
So in UK it`s legal to rip an owned CD and keep it personally. In UE i think is not legal.
I don`t like to rip music for the reason of not buying the album. The reason is to have my music at best quality in digital format not on degrading discs like CD`s.
I don`t like and I didn`t encourage piracy. I just want CD like quality music on digital storage.
Other way round - it is legal in the EU. Technically speaking it is illegal in the UK (well it's a stupid High Court judgement), but one could argue what is more important - a local interpretation or an EU one.
Implementing the Copyright Directive, most EU Member States have introduced a private copying exception which allows end users to make copies of protected works 'for private use and for ends that are neither directly nor indirectly commercial’, without the need to obtain permission from rightsholders.
Actually i understand the law in the UK is not now clear cut, there was an EU ruling I think last year, or possibly the year before, that effectively outlawed the right of the individual to rip or copy their own physical media, which had previously been permitted if you retained the original media and it was for personal use only... therefore private copying is now legally a copyright infringement in the U.K.. see the advisory from the HMG website.
https://www.gov.uk/government/...te-copying-exception
but is everyone ignoring this? I suspect many are...
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Actually i understand the law in the UK is not now clear cut, there was an EU ruling I think last year, or possibly the year before, that effectively outlawed the right of the individual to rip or copy their own physical media, which had previously been permitted if you retained the original media and it was for personal use only...
That was only applicable to the UK as I undestand it - 17.07.205 High Court judgement more or less outlawed personal ripping in the UK. The arguments used are 'debatable' to say the least... 
I agree with digitalizing your own cd/dvd in the purpose of personal using and preserving their quality. It is a normal EU directive. In US is legal to rip Cd`s for personal use.
It is specific to the UK, as the UK does not operate a funding system for lost copyright revenue, and the HMG kegal stance is quite clear in the attached link.
"On the 17 July 2015 a further judgment was issued quashing the exception, with the effect that acts of private copying which would have fallen under the exception, now constitute acts of infringement."