Help required on dipping my toe in the music server arena!

[admin_exported]

REPOSTED due to wrong forum:

OK, so after hearing the NAIM HDX and being blown away by by its usability I want something similar. So, i'd like some advice on my options, here's the criteria/options:

Budget = £250 - £500 hence, I cant afford the Naim HDX
Sound quality and convenience/usability are of equal importance, this means for me I dont want to use my PC for a music server as I dont want the noise, power consumption, etc

Options:
1. Something like the Cambridge Audio music server would be ideal apart from having to re-rip my entire music collection! (unless it supports external drives?)
2. I could buy an ipod classic and arcam r-doc?
3. Get something like the Naim but cheaper? Like the Linn Sneaky DS and External drive?

So what's my best option for Sound Quality and conveniance?
Also, most of my music is MP3 or WMA in 190 to 320kbps, should I start ripping in FLAC or WAV??

 

[Anonymous]

am I allowed to bump this?
;P

 

[Anonymous]

Do you have a compooter?

 

[Anonymous]

Yipee a reply!

Yes but dont like to leave it on so this is out. I want an elegant solution which looks/opertates like a piece of hifi not a piece of s#!t - sorry thought that was funny

 

[Anonymous]

Squeezebox + NAS?

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds perfect..is it that simple?
i've seen some buffalo 1Tb NAS for about £200 plus the squeezebox = £500ish all in...nice.

Anyone got one?

 

[Anonymous]

You'll need a NAS capable of running Slimserver. I'm not sure exactly which ones (somebody here will have more experience than me) but I know that Qnap are a popular choice with the Squeezebox. This is their cheapest enclosure.

 

[Anonymous]

Coolio.

There is a website, ripcast maybe which has loads preloaded with slimserver...so there you have it!

 

[Anonymous]

I liek the look of the QNAP, very sleek and cheap!
Can I manage with the cheaper slim device without the colour remote?

 

[Anonymous]

Yeh, anything that can run Slimserver. Poking my nose in, I think if you're investing in such a device it's worth spending more. Where enclosures are concerned your paying more for the device rather than the storage. If you're prepared to pay a little (actually alot) more something like a Thecus N5200 or a ReadyNAS NV+ will do, with the added benefit of RAID 5.

 

[Anonymous]

The HDX is a computer with a Mini iTX motherboard, 1.6 Ghz processor via C7 processor, 2 x 400GB Seagate hard-drives, CVS DRL-200 disc drive, and a Burr-Brown "soundcard".

It is in a very nice case, but has an average user-interface, and a high price-tag.

Personally I would use a little laptop, like a netbooks available, as they have the same processor or better, and you have the choice of adding your own DAC and hard-drive. You could also use iTunes, which is my favourite user-interface for computer audio.

A laptop, 1TB hard-drive, and USB DAC won't set you back much.

 

[Anonymous]

hmm, interesting.
I need a netbook so its feasible!
£300 gets a good Eee PC or similar...then a DACmagic and i'm away

Like it!

 

[Anonymous]

My two favourite ways of playing computer music are:

• Mac Mini running iTunes, straight into a DAC, and controlled wireless by iPod Touch (Remote App).
• Laptop on my lap/sofa, streaming iTunes to an Airport Express, feeding a DAC.

However, by taking the approach mentioned above and placing a dedicated laptop on the HiFi rack, you can effectively make a simplified music server. This may be better if lots of people in the house want to play music, as the laptop is static - not out and about with you!

I would simple make iTunes a start-up item, and use the laptop to store music. Once everybody is happy with that you can add music services like Spotify and Last.FM and various radio. You could even use the laptop for downloading music from various sources. If there's a TV nearby perhaps use iPlayer too...

The list goes on because a computer is far more versatile, but needn't be complex or any hassle, if implemented well i.e. simply.

In regards to DACs the Dac Magic may be fine, but there are plenty more to look at too. If it's only USB you need try something professional from Edirol or M-Audio because it will sound as good for less money. However, a Bereford or Dac Magic adds optical inputs too, which could be fed from nearby games consoles, DVD players and Sky boxes - therefore improving the quality of all sources!!

The DAC is an essential "hub" in today's stereo systems with multiple digital sources.

 

[cram]

Personally would go with the Squeezebox and NAS solution. Wouldn't get het up on the inclusion of RAID within the NAS box though as I think this is pointless in a home setup.

 

[Anonymous]

Eddie just to be sure, I'm not going against your suggestion there; it's a good one.

The thing is though, I think we're in the early stages of RAID servers in the audiophile world. I know plenty of people on here own them but they need to be suggested as these things go. I have mine stored in a cupboard, running 24/7 - if I didn't have a short term memory I wouldn't know it was there.

 

[Anonymous]

cram:Wouldn't get het up on the inclusion of RAID within the NAS box though as I think this is pointless in a home setup.

Would you care to elaborate?ÿ

 

[cram]

RAID - waste of time at home.

 

[Anonymous]

cram:RAID - waste of time at home.

Would you care to elaborate?ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

I personally don't bother with RAID, I back up manually to a spare USB drive.

My rationale is as follows:

- If the drives develop a fault surely both were manufacturered together and could fail at the same time?

- If an electrical storm provokes the failure won't it knock them both out?

RAID is for servers that require maximum up-time with hot-swappable drives, and such such things beyond my knowledge.

Plugging a second USB drive in manually once per week is cheap and easy; and when not in use it's left in a cupboard not plugged into the mains.

 

[Anonymous]

I work with this:

1) I buy the content.

2) I copy it to my Thecus.

3) I store the bought content at alternative premises.

4) The Thecus is backed up to one of several Lacie NAS units.

Hereby I'm protected from just about anything. The five disc Thecus is invaluable at home because it offers peace of mind and will deal with anything you throw at it. Alternatively get a DROBO which supports up to 2 drive failures.

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

These are all good solutions, but I worry that talking about RAID at this stage could deter newbies in regards to both complexity, acronyms, geekiness, and price.

A USB hard-drive is a concept easy to grasp for somebody who isn't overly interested in computers, and 1TB is under £100. I even saw one in Tesco!

 

[cram]

Octopo:

cram:RAID - waste of time at home.

Would you care to elaborate?

Sure. The common mistake people make about RAID is thinking that they have a backup. ie one of my hard drives has died but I still have my data ergo I have a backup.

The purpose of RAID is redundancy/availability. You typically use it in a business setting to help reduce the threat of downtime. In this setting a hard drive has died but everyone can continue working and don't have to wait for the techies to restore a backup. The array can normally be rebuilt with only a modest hit on performance during the rebuild. You would not use RAID as a replacement for doing a separate backup and storing it elsewhere. The only thing RAID protects you against is hard disk failure.

The cost of implementing RAID is a reduction in available disk space and a reduction in potential maximum disk space within a computer/NAS/SAN etc. The majority of RAID systems also like you to use matched disks (Drobos are one of notable exception to this but they have questionable performance). So make sure you purchase a spare (assuming RAID 5 - disk mirroring and RAID 6 are an even bigger waste in a home) at the sametime that you purchase the rest of the array (cause you could be totally ******** if your array goes down and your make/model of HD is no longer manufactured), So say we had a RAID5 array of 5 1tb disks. You would have just under 4tb of useable space plus you need to purchase a 6th 1tb disk just to be on the safe side.

I would argue that in a home setting whilst backups are important availability is less of an issue - so why sacrifice disk space.

 

[Anonymous]

Octopo:
I work with this:

1) I buy the content.

2) I copy it to my Thecus.

3) I store the bought content at alternative premises.

4) The Thecus is backed up to one of several Lacie NAS units.

So I'm mistaken then. I should swap from a protected 4TB single mount to an unprotected 5TB single mount? Remind me, what's the average lifespan of a heavily used 7,200 rpm drive?

 

[Anonymous]

Cram,

You're obviously clued up on this.

What would you recommend the beginner do for storage / back-up?

 

[cram]

If your happy with your setup then no don't change.

Life span is normally measured in 10,000s of hours. And with respect drives in a home setting they are not usually heavily used.

I am actually a big fan or RAID and have implemented various of flavours in many settings over the years. Normally inconjunction with other redundancy features such as spare power supplies, spare RAM etc. However, I think the benefits in a home setup are dubious and give people a false sense of security. For instance if the RAID controller was to go in your Thecus the chances are you wouldn't be able to recover any data from it.