Teach me about NAS devices

[KenM10759]

I know next to nothing about storing and accessing digital music files, lets just get that out there. This is not a discussion about video files at all, just music. Most files are WAV, some 24/96 FLAC, no MP-nothing.

What I have now is a (original version) Bluesound Vault with 1TB storage. I got it with some music already on it. I had also ripped some 220 CD's on my PC and stored them on a 300MB USB drive. Now I've copied those files to the Vault and it now has 423GB of the 999GB used up. I do use the Vault for streaming Tidal, and expect someday to have it streaming MQA files as they become available (in music I want to hear.)

Now switch to my cousin, who has a renewed interest in hi-fi and has just realized that the Pandora he's been streaming through his Denon S700 isn't nearly as good as CD's played in his Samsung Blu-Ray player. I've suggested a Bluesound Node or Vault might serve him well, but costs more money than he may have available right now.

So for both of us, I'm wondering if going to a NAS or some other storage for "owned" music is a cheap yet effective tool. The goal would be to have the capabilities of a Bluesound Vault without spending so much money. For myself, something with more capacity than the Vault would be nice, but at a minimum I no longer have anything with enough capacity to backup the Vault. I will always want access to Tidal, and really do not want to have a PC running to play music. I don't have that now and am fine with running the Vault via my Android tablet.

In looking around I see Roon is a well regarded database for managing these sources, but is costly when combined with the price of Tidal Hi-Fi. Are there other options for either of us or is going to multiple Bluesound devices just plain easier in the long run?

Thanks!

 

[lovinthehd]

Why do you store in .wav? Flac would be more efficient.

 

[KenM10759]

All my CD's were ripped that way. Didn't know enough about formats at the time (still don't, really) so I figured keep same format as the original.

 

[lovinthehd]

Was just curious, takes a lot more space to store .wav files. Haven't got a NAS myself, just use a simple external drive to backup my computer. I have about 300GB of music in FLAC from my cd collection. For NAS discussion you might check out this thread or maybe this one.

 

[KenM10759]

OK, I read through those again, as I had done so some time ago. The solutions posted confuse me because all seem to require a computer to be running and are huge drives because it's mostly movies of 20-40GB that have to be stored. With a Tidal subscription I doubt I'll be adding much that isn't vinyl from here on out. Maybe a few CD's and 24/96 downloads, but it could take me another 15-20 years to accumulate as much as I have in the past 30.

I need to keep costs down, so limiting storage size does help. I just don't know what might be available that's as simple as Bluesound's approach (which is a bit pricey.)

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

NAS by itself is not money saving device, but It could provide better data reliability and availability, thus saving money in long run (if you value your time). But it's not same time - don't think of it as backup. I'd highly recommend to look at either Crashplan or Amazon Drive - both around $60/year for unlimited backup data.

Look for music servers built-in into NAS boxes and make sure your existing devices support it.

If I were you and looking to buy a NAS for home, I'd stick to models Asustore, Qnap or my favorite one: https://www.ixsystems.com/freenas-mini/

This is what I know about synology:
http://www.boredsysadmin.com/2015/10/a-bit-of-insight-into-synology-or-why.html

fyi: At home I run a DIY nas to my DIY desktop and repurposed old low power mini-pc as my htpc.

 

[KenM10759]

Thanks BSA.

The more I read the more it becomes apparent that there's no real savings in a NAS. And a lot of work for the computer networking neophyte. It's looking easier to just stay with Bluesound products: I can stay ignorant and just enjoy music. Saving money on it can come from buying used and demo products.

 

[KenM10759]

OK, so I bought a Bluesound Node (N100) for my upstairs guestroom system that my daughter is occupying for now. My cousin bought one for his system, though also went from the Denon S700 receiver to an Anthem MRX710.

On his system he has his Node connected via Ethernet and his PC is on 24/7 in another room. He added a 2TB USB drive and runs his music library off that, which appears as shared drive J: on his network. It seems to function OK.

On my system my Node is connected via wireless LAN and connected to the library of music on my Vault (V500.) While it works fine I want to back it up to a simple 1 or 2TB NAS drive that I can connect to my wireless router via Ethernet.

The "xisystems" that you (BSA) linked to is nice, but FAR too much capacity...and money (especially that.)

Since it's never going to be anything more than transferring music files (WAV and FLAC, possibly someday MQA) would this unit serve my needs?

Western Digital MyCloud 2TB

The price is more in line with what I think I need. Thanks!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

what do you mean "transferring music files" ? Where are you going to store these music files permanently?

 

[KenM10759]

Bad choice of word. What I mean is I want to copy the 500GB of files from my Bluesound V500 Vault to such a drive, then give the drive to my son to "hold onto" as an "offsite backup copy". He would need a Node or some other affordable means to connect that NAS to his older Denon AVR1912 or even older HK 550ix to be able to "check the data integrity."

As to permanent copy, I don't have the means to spend on a RAID right now, so I'll have to take my chances. It's not a huge collection, relatively speaking, and I have Tidal Hi-Fi streaming should I lose the data.

 

[jinjuku]

I've setup:

Toshiba Canvio 3TB NAS with GBe for $79. Use SMB for file sharing

Quantum Byte Azulle X8300 Cherry Trail CPU with 32GB EMMc storage and 2GB Ram for $169

$30 wireless KB/Track Pad

$40 J River Media Center

$40 Wireless N300 router

All feeding what ever USB DAC the person had.

Use Amazon Cloud Drive for backup. I would say that for $79 the Toshiba was quite the money saver.

 

[KenM10759]

I got the Western Digital MyCloud 2TB today. It cost me a couple hours in my machine shop fixing up a couple of CAT50 holders and altering a new indexable insert milling cutter to fit. The only cost involved in that was a little bit of acetylene to heat one up in order to loosen some set screws that had been WAY overtightened. Payment for the job was the NAS.

Nice.

Question: What kind of DAC can I get that will plug into either the Denon AVR1912 or Harmon Kardon HK550ix? I know that's a wide open question, so what kind of price range is needed for .WAV and .FLAC files?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I've setup:

Toshiba Canvio 3TB NAS with GBe for $79. Use SMB for file sharing

Quantum Byte Azulle X8300 Cherry Trail CPU with 32GB EMMc storage and 2GB Ram for $169

$30 wireless KB/Track Pad

$40 J River Media Center

$40 Wireless N300 router

All feeding what ever USB DAC the person had.

Use Amazon Cloud Drive for backup. I would say that for $79 the Toshiba was quite the money saver.

I'll not address router as it's not directly responsible for media, but why not this :
a) $249 6Tb WD Nas 1gbe nic (this part could be optional with certain streaming media plugins)
b) $30-40 amazon fire stick
c) $0 No need - voice remote included
d) $0 Free Kodi media center
whatever router
Since Stick is HDMI interface - no need for dac

 

[jinjuku]

I'll not address router as it's not directly responsible for media, but why not this :
a) $249 6Tb WD Nas 1gbe nic (this part could be optional with certain streaming media plugins)
b) $30-40 amazon fire stick
c) $0 No need - voice remote included
d) $0 Free Kodi media center
whatever router
Since Stick is HDMI interface - no need for dac

All depends on what you currently have. Also depends on how much flexibility you want. I personally don't like KODI.

But certainly another good option if it meets the need set.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I personally don't like KODI.

Why not? Did you tried it recently?

 

[jinjuku]

Why not? Did you tried it recently?

It was klunky and no OTA support.

 

[slipperybidness]

It was klunky and no OTA support.

Hmmm....did you go through the fusion config wizard?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

It was klunky and no OTA support.

Some say klunky, others highly flexible and extensible
Re:live tv - Yes It does now.
http://kodi.wiki/view/PVR

 

[jinjuku]

I just use J River and I like their UI and JRemote better

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Kodi has very deep UI skin system. If you didn't like Confluence, there are literally hundreds of others.
Kodi official remote app is not great. Agreed. No one is forcing you to use it. I use Yatse app for remote, but most of time just this wireless keyboard:
https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Enhanced-Multimedia-Backlit-Keyboard/dp/B005L2NTTQ
I think I bought it on sale on lenovo site for $30-35

$50 is not that much for media software, but then why, then kodi does everything just as well for free.