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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
Going back to Hi-fi Buying issue ..a hifi dealer JUST advised an a MELCO N1A HDD MUSIC LIBRARY. It holds 2tb has 2 drives (a bit OTT for my needs) , He then tells me NAS Drive can be unreliable..So this would be a better option. I then asked..seems good but what if the Drives in the MELCO fail? ( Well its been designed by audio folk so it should not.-he replied).. at £1750 (plus i need to add a DAC) seems a very expensive way of doing things.(although I can see why going straight to amp/not using a Nas has its advantages)
Sorry to go off topic with the thread & Forum -But my rips from DBPA have to go Somewhere! and like oggy says If I cant get as good (if not better than my CD PLAYER) I cannot see me using a streamer at all.Research seems to suggest that streamers can sound better than CD. not bothered about 24 Bit.Just getting results from my 16bit red book CDS...
Just out of Interest how do folk streaming find NAS drives in general. and is DLNA That problematic..? With it being a Industry standard..? I apologise and realise its not a Hifi Forum..But interested in How folk stream-with there being so many options and budgets....Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
In all of your posts about what you want, I don't really see the need for a dedicated (hi priced!) streamer for your desires. First, let me be very clear. Listening to your digital CD lossless rips (i.e., 16/44.1 files) will NOT SOUND ANY DIFFERENT from listening to the same tracks played on your CD player (unless something is broken in either your digital file playback system or your CD player). The benefit of digital files over your CDs are:
1. You have a backup of the CDs
2. Easy to search, browse, play randomly, etc. from digital
3. You can create copies for use in other places. I have over 8000 CDs and with the digital copies I can listen to them at home, at the office, and at my weekend cottage (where I"m sitting right now listening to music). I can also create lossy versions of thesse to put on iThings to take on the road with me.
And your use case simply doesn't cry out for the need for a NAS or dedicated streamer. First, I'd avoid the suggestion above (Melco) like the plague. Even if it work fine, I'd never want to use a NAS that has a locked in system. Why would I pay 1750 for the equivalent of a pi-micro computer that is < 100???? Most of these "audiophile" NAS/music items are $100 worth of microcomputer and HDDs in a fancy case!
I've noted before that what you seem to want is just something connected to a single stereo in your home that will play bit perfect lossless files to your stereo and that you can control from the couch. Any inexpensive PC or MAC (many use MAC MINIs) that is basically fanless (quiet) will work. Connect this to any sort of DAC you want (there are lots of good choices at all price ranges). Then you hang any size USB HDD off that computer holding your music, install some sort of music control program on the computer (Asset, LMS, foobar2000, jriver, etc. etc.) and you're good to go. All of that can be a few hundred pounds at most. Don't be intimidated by anyone at a HiFi store telling you that you need a $1,750+ 'audiophile" NAS.
Anyhow. My 2 cents. And if you have money to burn, spend it on speakers. It will make way more difference than the digital transport.Last edited by garym; March 26, 2016, 08:13 PM.Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
I reckon I could put your system Garym together for about £600 maybe even less if buying a good DAC Second hand. Not being a Apple fan (I guess i would have to use an ipad if using a Mac mini)-But there are loads of Mini PCS too.
one thing Iam unsure about Connecting using a Ipad (android pad) via wifi. Would I need another router into the mini mac/pc..? near hifi ( my main hifi is upstairs-...my router /computer Downstairs.) The dealer informs me having a separate router for hi-fi is better... I suppose you pay a premium for having it all in one box-buts its an expensive premium .The beauty of your way you can upgrade to a better DAC-when funds allow...and your not "locked in" to any one system...
Looks like your "2 Cents" may have saved me more than 2 Cents!Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
I don't use apple computers either (just iphone/ipad). My computers are all PCs with windows or LINUX. Being told a separate router is "Better for hi-fi" is nonsense. If he's referring to "sound quality", run, don't walk from that store!
You do of course need to have wifi access where you are sitting. But to use the computer attached to your stereo with a remote (tablet, phone, etc.), both the computer with your music and tablet will need to be connected to the same network. Do you have ethernet running to the room with your stereo? If so, you can connect a wi-fi access point there and use it for extending the wifi access to that room. almost any cheap router can be converted to Access Point only. If you don't have access to your network in the music room, you need to get it there somehow. I've had good luck with something like these (they will either work or not depending on your house wiring):
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
Some of this advice from dealers is sad to hear, and not what I have experienced. It is also not the advice that is on a major manufacturers website.
A work colleague bought a renderer and for his situation, was recommended a powerline adaptor. If a wired Ethernet connection is available (I've sunk CAT 5e cable in walls to various locations in my house - ready for use!), the only other advice I've heard, is the possible use of a switch, such as the Netgear GS 105 / 108, renown for its reliability and readily available for under £20.Last edited by Oggy; March 27, 2016, 03:49 PM.Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
Yes, ethernet cable is by far the preferred solution. The switch is good too for distributing the connection to multiple things in your room, but you have to get the internet *to* the switch first. Of course you can use the switch at the router itself just to create more ports to plug into if the router doesn't have enough. I have several "dumb" switches (I think they are netgear too) that distribute ethernet connected internet all over my house, all connected back to my single router.
@daleyb, Remind us of what your internet connection is in the music room itself, if any?Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
I've had a number of friends go the powerline route, with great results. I rewired my house on completely independent circuits, Hi-Fi on its' own spur, so yes, hardwire from router to switches - very handy for ripping to the NAS upstairs from the laptop downstairs.
I put a lot of thought into running connections around the house, and totally failed to anticipate the introduction of Smart TVs!Last edited by Oggy; March 27, 2016, 05:07 PM.Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
Same for me! But luckily, everywhere I have a TV I also have a networked music player that needed a connection. So all I had to add for the TVs/Rokus etc. was a dumb switch to convert the one ethernet outlet into several.
edit: the only place I didn't put ethernet was my wife's giant walk in closet (who'd of thought this? We have audio (synched together *or* separate streams, in kitchen, breakfast room, dining room, living room, master bedroom, bathroom,....but closet????). She later decided that she wants to hear internet radio in there too. So I'm using a ethernet over powerplug there with great results.Last edited by garym; March 27, 2016, 05:39 PM.Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
"@daleyb, Remind us of what your internet connection is in the music room itself, if any?"
I have a telephone Socket near to my HIFI.(I dont ever use it though-but it works..)Maybe I could use this Straight to the Mini pc..? I have/ used a plug Socket TP LINK (wireless) With my phone for Internet in the same room to boost Signal and it works really well, so wired should be even better.But sure you will all agree wired is more stable where music is concerned..I think it wasn't just Just sound / Interference .Iam using Fibre Optic Broadband which Can cut out if Someone at home Makes a Call. The dealer advised another router (on another Network)-But iam not sure it would disturb music streaming anyway..(if i was going to use a standalone streamer I was going to use TP LINK /ETHERNET-Wired to plug socket.)
I have a smart T.V. downstairs and would like to get my music on this too (via a Soundbar.) WMP via my computer picked up my Music (with artwork) in Windows Library ( I then closed this due to it Interfering with DBPA ripping)...Since then I just use my rips from DBPA/FLAC > usb Into T.V- sounds Quite good.It shows no artwork though-But that a compatibility thing with the T.V. (smart TVs aint that Smart! )
Dont Know if any other folk use it But Bubble Upnp is a good App to use (I use it on my "Smartphone")..Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
we're probably into british english vs american english at this point. Telephone sockets in the US are not internet. Do you mean that you have some sort of DSL modem/Router that gets its internet via the phone lines? is that what your downstairs router is connected to? If so, that DSL connected Router could be your internet. Anyhow, now we're getting far removed from the purpose of this forum. I'd say, you need to somehow have a single network in your home that works via ethernet or wifi to all the places you need internet connections. This is something you need independent of how you get music into your playback system.Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
In the U.K. we have Internet via Telephone Sockets mainly mine as adsl adaptor that splits Phone/modem.This is pretty standard over here. (modem connects to router-phone to phone.) So upstairs the unused phone line could be properly used to mini P.C. via ethernet (may not need another router). Never knew it was different in the U.S...
P.S. dell do a mini pc for £189. its window 10, only 32 GBSSD (not that would matter for my use) Its small and I reckon would do the Job.Comment
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Re: Naming/paths/Comps/Folders
got it. Yes, you could use that phone/internet connection to get internet to the music room. If you have bad wifi there in the room, my advice would be to connect a wireless AP to that internet/phone connection (or almost any old router with wifi (use the regular ports, NOT the internet port that would normally be connected to your modem), but be sure to turn OFF the DHCP server in this router (you only want ONE router in your home providing DHCP). This WIFI Access Point (or router) will also have extra ethernet ports and you can plug PC into one of these.
the dell minipc would work fine. One option, you could install Logitech Media Server on this, including the plugin for "local player" (this is squeezelite, the player for your digital files). Then you can get an LMS controller that works on your brand of smart phone. You can add a USB DAC to the minipc now or in the future. Anyhow, LMS is free. Download from here:
Another option (what I use) is to install the Vortebox OS on your dell miniPC. This makes it a headless server you can control from any other computer or smartphone/tablet. This also installs LMS and squeezelite, but is all tweaked from the beginning to be an audio server. See:
http://wiki.vortexbox.org/installation_guide
p.s. for VB, it can work with additional USB drives attached but requires more special setup rather than being plug and play. Not hard but a bit computer geeky to do. For simplicity with VB, i'd have a drive put in the PC that can hold my OS and all my music. In my setups, my drive is a 4TB single drive.
If you go the LMS route, there are good forums for help on install and use:
forums.slimdevices.com
vortexbox.org
Last edited by garym; March 28, 2016, 01:14 PM.Comment
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