RipNAS

['cisco]

Originally Posted by blacsno

+1 I'd add only item about the use of SSD vs. HD. SSD does provide a much improved sound quality! When this little pipe bomb revelation was dropped. It occurred to me that most have no clue on good there current D/A actually is capable of doing! When the SSD is the OS, and the data is on another drive/NAS!

Ken

Thanks Jem666,blacksno about confirming the separation of a mass storage unit from a controller/rip unit. I guess a similar analogy would be an integrated amp to a separate pre and power amp.

Now I need to know what ripper and NAS units you guys recommend? Naim? I guess I could live with a all black unit.

So what is the correct flow chart for such a set-up?

ripper > NAS > Ipad/Itouch or similiar ???

[blacsno]

Originally Posted by 'cisco

Thanks Jem666,blacksno about confirming the separation of a mass storage unit from a controller/rip unit. I guess a similar analogy would be an integrated amp to a separate pre and power amp.

Now I need to know what ripper and NAS units you guys recommend? Naim? I guess I could live with a all black unit.

So what is the correct flow chart for such a set-up?

ripper > NAS > Ipad/Itouch or similiar ???

Well...... this where I can plug my little project in Ye' Ole Workshop section "DIY MS750 Replacement". You listed the other projects but skipped me "sniff.... "! All kidding aside though... What is really needed.....

1.) Win7/OSX..... software that does EAC!! I'll repeat til blue in the face NEVER USE iTunes to rip a CD. Please read dBpoweramp website!

2.) NAS: A re-purposed 5yr PC with home sever installed. This is the cheapest, yet the most powerful method of streaming and ripping available. PERIOD...... After that all other options are compromise solutions with bling-bling!

3.) Use the saving from options "1" and "2" and add. THEN BUY THE BEST D/A CONVERTER YOU AFFORD........

4.) Finally the media player. This where adding the SSD drive pays off big time in a PC/Mac. Here is a little caveat if let laptop love go! Using a traditional PC/Mac add a RME hammerfall sound card.........

Ken

['cisco]

Sorry Ken.....I must have missed that thread....and it's a sticky at that. That was a very impressive DIY.

With that said....this is pretty much Greek to me and way over my head.

But I will read the dBpoweramp site and see why you said " NEVER USE iTunes to rip a CD".

If this gets too complicated maybe I'll just go mainstream and get something like the Olive, Naim, or ??

[enatai252]

I really like the Naim system

I have an HDX in 2 different homes(one is SSD) and both rip to a network connected NAS (qnap 559 pro II) which is elsewhere in the house. The naim solution is simple, great SQ, cool app for iPad control...but more expensive than DIY. Also...the Naim is limited to ripping only CDs...it will play other formats from the NAS or other network shares but not allow them on it's store drive. So if you want hirez than you either download or rip some other way.

For me...I have gone "all in" with naim, including 4 Qutes throughout the houses...and I have yet to demo a solution which beats it in SQ. I do use naim DAC/555PS on one and ARC DAC 8 on the other. I do however rarely put a silver disc in the Naim CDS3 anymore...pity

[Dj_AmTraX]

I played with the Naim system at Cal Audio Show. It got me interested too, but way out of my budget.

['cisco]

enatai252....thanks for your input....the more the merrier

I'm almost afraid to ask what kind of prices we're looking at for the HDX and the HDX -SSD?

[enatai252]

Cisco

Not sure of latest prices...but HDX was around $8k last year when SSD version came out. Add a NAS and it's a complete solution. I chose to upgrade to external DAC which adds cost. Many of the solutions recommended here get you the same functionality...although not quite as simple. There is a lower cost version called unitiserve for closer to $3k...would function very similar to the Ripnas product...would still want separate DAC for ultimate SQ...but it has a DAC included.

With respect to storage in or out of the box...I used the original HDX with internal drives for over a year before SSD version became available...I found getting the DAC into a separate box had biggest improvement in SQ...much more so than getting the storage out. But after setting up my first NAS for the SSD version...I liked it so much I upgraded the old HDX to SSD as well and added a NAS in this home as well.

I will say that I was originally skeptical of the hard drive player concept. But when we bought a vacation home a few years ago...it seemed like a great idea to have a single box that I could rip 600 of my CDs to...and have access to them whenever I came over to the cabin. The HDX fit the bill. My exposure to this system convinced me that hard drive servers provided better SQ and better UI experience. I won't be going back.

I encourage you to demo some "all in one" options, try some UPnP streamers and look into building your own system. And I completely agree with getting the best DAC possible and then go from there.

good luck

['cisco]

Thanks enatai252......at 8K for the HDX ....scratch that from my list.

I'll check out the unitiserve...for that one I can either use the DAC from my C50/MCD500.

[ChrisG]

Originally Posted by 'cisco

Thanks Jem666,blacksno about confirming the separation of a mass storage unit from a controller/rip unit. I guess a similar analogy would be an integrated amp to a separate pre and power amp.

Now I need to know what ripper and NAS units you guys recommend? Naim? I guess I could live with a all black unit.

So what is the correct flow chart for such a set-up?

ripper > NAS > Ipad/Itouch or similiar ???

FWIW, I use a Win7 computer and dBpoweramp to rip my CDs, I used EAC before that and prefer dBpoweramp. I have a LAN in the house and the ripped files are saved on a Windows Home Server. Basically RipNAS is a small PC with dBPoweramp already installed on it.

So if you already have a network at home and a PC just add a NAS or similar and install dBpoweramp and you're good to go if you're using SonoS. Depending on your renderer, you may have to add a music server like JRiver, Asset UPnP. I've used Asset with both a PSA PerfectWave DAC/bridge and now with my Linn and it is rock solid. Personally I like the separates approach.

[Still-One]

Cisco
I am always looking for a new server and this one looks like a winner.

Music Vault Diamond For Sale | AudiogoN

The only problem with most servers out there is the software is so crappy. I doubt this one is much better.

Jim