NAS/NAs Ripper

[Shanka]

Hi,

I am totally new to this so please bear with me.

I have started looking at these and noticed a large price difference between the two, is a dedicated NAS Ripper worth the extra £500 plus over a normal NAS that i guess I rip to using my laptop.
I am a bit of a technophobe so the ripper option is hugely appealing but is a large differential to pay,what are the other benefits to the ripper ?

I am also assuming that once product is on the NAS a streamer device such as MF M1 Clic just access the NAS/NAS ripper without need for the pc to be on.

I am wanting to transfer 1500-2000 cds, no photos or videos, purely audio application, I guess I will make an initial list of NAS to look at then go to a few dealers to see how much they confuse me and until I understand the ins and outs and once I understand what I am looking for then I can hopefully decide on which way to go.

Any advice hugely appreciated, I have only in the past 2 days understood what a NAS is so please be gentle.

Thanks again for anyone's time in replying

 

[professorhat]

It doesn't look like the MF1 M1 Clic will play music from just any NAS - it needs to be a NAS which will present the music as a Media Server via some onboard software e.g. in the manual it states Windows Media Player can be used on Windows PCs and Twonky Media on Macs. It doesn't mention a NAS, but you'll need something similar running on the NAS, otherwise it won't work. These can be found - I believe Synology's NAS products offer this, as do quite a few others.

On the other hand, some streamers like the Sonos systems are able to just pickup music direct from a share on any NAS. However, you'll also get some all-in-one solutions which have built in storage and ripping facility so everything is built into one box (like the Olive O3HD). You just need to be carfeul in what components you buy to ensure it all works together.

Do you foresee ever wanting to put anything else on this NAS, or is it definitely only going to be music? If definitely just music, I think the all-in-one type music server like the Olive mentioned above would be the best bet - it's simple and designed purely for audio playback. What sort of budget are you looking at for everything?

 

[Shanka]

Hi Prof,

Thanks for response, I think will only be using for music, I did consider video stuff but my virgin box and sony hddr box cover this and if i ever needed more I could always upgrade to a tivo, so purely music.

I require a DAC facility as I listen to a lot of spotify and will also try putting some vinyl copies on there using rega phono mini or something similar.

I like MF gear and the Clic seemed the good option but at this early stage had not considered the Olive so will have a look at these, would the Clic work with one of the ripper machines ?
Do you have a Clic if so what do you think of it ?
By the time I get to purchasing I would hope there will be more similar models and I am aware of Naim's models but I think they will be too steep for me.

On budget I have to say I am just weighing up options but a clic/ NAS ripper would be about £2000 so that would be my limit.

I would be looking to put this through the Caspian amp unless the MF 1 power amps are exceptional but I really don't want to consider this as I know where it can lead !!!!!

Thanks again for your time.

 

[AnotherJoe]

A Qnap NAS that includes Twonky Media Server would be a good choice.

I'd go for a 2-bay so u can get auto-backup from raid-1.

Twonky will work with any streamer that supports DLNA (almost all streamers will).

 

[professorhat]

I like MF gear and the Clic seemed the good option but at this early stage had not considered the Olive so will have a look at these, would the Clic work with one of the ripper machines ?

Well, what I was essentially getting at was moving away from having a separate media streamer and storage e.g. the Clic and the NAS / PC and just getting an all-in-one unit like the Olive - with this you wouldn't need the Clic as the Olive connects directly into your Caspian. That budget puts you in shooting distance of the O4HD - this gives you a top quality DAC, 2 TB of storage and a ripper and a very simple interface through touch screen or your TV (or an iPhone/ iPod / iPad / Android app is also available). You'd still need to connect an external device (like your PC) in to access Spotify though. There are other examples of these types of devices around for that price e.g. Naim UnitiServe (though just noticed this needs a separate DAC).

Do you have a Clic if so what do you think of it ? By the time I get to purchasing I would hope there will be more similar models and I am aware of Naim's models but I think they will be too steep for me. On budget I have to say I am just weighing up options but a clic/ NAS ripper would be about £2000 so that would be my limit.

In terms of my experience, you're way out of my budget here (I have a couple of Sonos ZP90s for streaming Spotify and music stored on my Mac), but it just seemed to me that, if you weren't too "au fait" with NAS and streaming devices and you were looking only for a music based solution, one of these simple all-in-one units might well be the best bet. However, there's certainly a lot of choice out there if you're happy to look at separate storage > streamer > DAC setups.

 

[tino]

You may not even need a NAS for a M1 Clic. I believe you can use a hard drive plugged directly into the USB port (have a look at the manual on page 16 ... http://www.musicalfidelity.com/products/M1-Series/M1CLiC/M1CLiC-manual.pdf)

However using a NAS of some sort is preferable for security/backup purposes and also ease of use ... a media server offers you better user interface and control possibilities, and no need to have a PC switched on. Whether a NAS ripper e.g. Vortexbox/RipNas etc. is worth it over a standalone NAS it's hard to say but for me it's not worth the expense. If you can use a laptop and a CD drive and some simple ripping software then I think you'll be OK. Depends on how much of a self confessed technophobe you really are

 

[CnoEvil]

Shanka, I like you was/am "network useless". I wanted a solution for ripping that was:
- easy to use
- didn't require tying up a computer (has to be wrestled off my teenagers)
- idiot proof once set up.
- expandable storage

I ended up with one of these: https://www.ripcaster.co.uk/node/644

This is certainly not the cheapest solution, but is one of the simplest. You post the CD into it, and 4 minutes or so later, it spits it back out, ripped/stored/catalogued.
It is pre-configured for UPnP (user plug and play) and uses dbPoweramp/accurip, which ensures a perfect rip or lists any problems it finds.

Ripcaster are a mine of information, and couldn't be more helpful.....they are worth a call regarding all things streaming.

When I went with Linn, my dealer set the whole thing up, all within the cost....and are always there if there is a glitch.

If you need more info, just holler.

 

[Shanka]

Everyone,

Thanks for all your help, there is a lot to digest here and even just reading is making my head go...............

I will get back once I have had a proper look at all your suggestions and let you know where I get to and if you think I am heading down the road or into the wall.

Off for steak and beer

Again thanks, hugely appreciated

 

[SteveR750]

Shanka, have you thought about setting up a PC or Mac to try the streaming water out? For $50 or so you'll get a bit of software that will rip and stream into a DAC and frankly blow you away with it's capable of, never mind for $50. You can rip your CD collection onto a separate HDD which is going to cost you about the same for 1Tb (I have got all my music stored on my laptop HD and backed up on a separate HDD, but most media player can add to a library from any location so you could always have some offline files with our PC wherever you go.

Just a thought perhaps unless you've already tried this of course.

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

Thanks for all the help,where to begin.....

CNO, this is the sort of solution I was looking for and will contact ripcaster but as I may have said and you advise it is a pricey option but simple which I like.
Why is it so much, what extra does it do because you could buy a laptop and NAS for that money.

I will look through the MClic instructions which brings me to Steve, what are the benefits to having on a NAS instead of just a back up hard drive, I don't know !!

Tino,Belive me I am rubbish and I need to do some more thinking, one idea was a Brennan which I thought you could run through a DAC/Clic/Sneaky.This may be mad but running through ideas to get my head right on this.

I had a look at the Olive which is like the Brennan but at the price I think the 4 it is suggested is good budget cd quality so need to put through a DAC which doesn't quite feel right, the next model is too dear.

My thinking is to work out the best back end solution, I have a couple of computery people who confused me terribly with over complicated soultions so sticking with hifi bcause at least I can trust my ears a bit.

On the front had a look at the Sneaky and more questions later but its storage ripping at the moment.

Thanks again for all help, need to get my replies more organised too but thanks everyone so far,thought I would visit my neaest dealers in London next week and maybe PC World but get uptight as I don't really know what they are talking about and then get all Clarksonesque !

Cheers all

 

[Shanka]

Zoneripper is the same as RipNAS, does anyone else do the all in one solution ??

Not really understanding upnp and why I need Twonky which I hope is software.

Just reminding myself of not the nine o'clock news sketch. oh dear......................

 

[Shanka]

Ditched the Brennan , mp3 only, getting there, slowly.

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi, Thanks for all the help,where to begin..... CNO, this is the sort of solution I was looking for and will contact ripcaster but as I may have said and you advise it is a pricey option but simple which I like. Why is it so much, what extra does it do because you could buy a laptop and NAS for that money.

This is probably better answered by Ripcaster, but here are some of the reasons that I believe are pertinant:

- Fanless design, so is silent...big issue for me.
- Uses a quality Teac Drive (costs 3x as much as some other drives).
- Pre- installed dbPoweramp with Accurip, giving secure ripping.
- Uses four metadata services.
- The HDDs used for storage, are the more expensive 2.5" laptop drives, which have lower noise and power consumption.
- The 2 HDDs are mirrored
- Has automatic updating, and Ripcaster can temporarily get access for trouble shooting.

Now some of my info may be a little out-dated, it will give you an idea.....whether this is worth the extra, is up to you to decide. I've been very happy with mine; as well as the helpfulness of Ripcaster (Anna and John, I think).

 

[Shanka]

Been looking at lots of stuff online and these seem the best solution , anyone techie I have mentioned to get apoplectic at the price but ease ,lack of swearing and potential man/machine violence has a price and maybe thats it.

Will speak to these chaps and see what they say, thanks again for the response.

 

[CnoEvil]

Been looking at lots of stuff online and these seem the best solution , anyone techie I have mentioned to get apoplectic at the price but ease ,lack of swearing and potential man/machine violence has a price and maybe thats it. Will speak to these chaps and see what they say, thanks again for the response.

....zackly so; straight out of the Cno handbook for Luddites.

 

[tino]

Shanka ... have a look at these links (click on the links below) and see what you think ...

http://www.excito.com/node/9

http://www.excito.com/content/features

 

[Shanka]

Hi Tino,

Thanks for the link, I hope I am right that this is a NAS,what advantage over others, it looks very tidy and quiet, this is where I am really out of my depth, sorry

 

[tino]

Hi Tino, Thanks for the link, I hope I am right that this is a NAS,what advantage over others, it looks very tidy and quiet, this is where I am really out of my depth, sorry

I was hoping that if you read the blurb, and came out the other side relatively unfazed ... then that would be a good start. It's a compact and fanless (almost no noise), home server and NAS drive, and can act as a music server for a wide range of music devices e.g., Squeezebox, iTunes, DLNA (for most network music players, televisions etc.). It's a little bit more expensive than other NAS drives and doesn't offer more than 1 disc drive as standard, but it has a very intuitive and easy to use interface by all accounts and is a very well supported product should you need help. The manuals and instructions are particularly clear and easy to get your head around ... http://download.excito.net/web/B3/Getting_Started_eng.pdf.

You originally asked about ripping and all in one NAS + CD rippers ... I think one of those would cost you about £600 and upwards for a 500GB disc version. A NAS drive on its own would cost around £300, and assuming you had a computer with a CD drive you could very easily rip the CDs yourself and copy to the NAS drive ... it really is quite easy even for a technophobe.

 

[CnoEvil]

Given my glowing description of the RipNas, have a gander at this (in the interest of balance):
http://forums.linn.co.uk/bb/showthread.php?tid=15955

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

Thanks for both replies, have been away but looking into this again, I still need to speak to ripcaster but your link cno gives me a few pointers, I wonder if the zoneripper has the same issues.

These are still the only two purpose built rippers I can find and both similar price points so I would only expect cheaper solutions if available to be less reliable.

If I was to go down the other 'fiddly' route it would then be worth having a look/listen to the Sneaky which is available at a good price from Superfi but I still like the ease of operation of the MF Clic.

I need to get out and get playing,thanks again for your advice.

 

[CnoEvil]

There is a third option: https://www.ripcaster.co.uk/node/308

When I looked into this, the RipNas was the better option, unless you wanted to rip DVDs. The AVA RS3 may have since been improved, but Ripcaster should steer you right.

Any dealings I've had with Ripcaster, have led me to believe that they have great customer service.

 

[shooter]

Hi, I am totally new to this so please bear with me. I have started looking at these and noticed a large price difference between the two, is a dedicated NAS Ripper worth the extra £500 plus over a normal NAS that i guess I rip to using my laptop. I am a bit of a technophobe so the ripper option is hugely appealing but is a large differential to pay,what are the other benefits to the ripper ? I am also assuming that once product is on the NAS a streamer device such as MF M1 Clic just access the NAS/NAS ripper without need for the pc to be on.

How about a Synology NAS. They can be AirPlay enabled, so stream direct from the NAS to an Apple TV or possibly AEX, use optical out to a DAC, use iPad or iPod to control. No iTunes running, no PC on

Edit: Synology NAS also supports SSD. Totally silent playback, no HD noise or internal PC whir. *Itsalltherage*

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

Thanks for more advice, I don't have any Apple stuff so a bit clueless about anything related to airplay, express,i thingies etc......

Had a look at squeeze box touch as many seem to use this as an option but not sure if you play through this or from your NAS via a dac ?

As per Cno's advice I have contacted Ripcaster and going down to have a look and chat as seeing things work in action may lift some of the fog.

At present the M1 Clic + NAS ripper is the easiest option to me but just too costly, if it gets much more complicated I fear I will just have some expensive dust collectors.

Thanks again for all advice, very helpful even the confusing stuff.

 

[big1986ben]

I would look at vortexbox. Does all you want and you can install it on an old pc / cheap new one.

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

That looks very interesting, I can just rip cd's through this and connect via m1 clic,will investigate more, why would I need old pc ?

Thanks, another good call :cheers: