Embedding Tags in naim WAV rips

I was asked to do a tutorial on embedding metadata tags into naim ripped wavs.

A few caveats.

  • I have only ever done this with rips done on an NS02, I have no doubt therefore this will work with a UServe and an HDX set of rips, but I do not know how the newer platform works including core etc.
  • By doing this yyou are adjusting the original ripped files, this is not a good thing if you are infact still running your HDX etc. Do this on a copy of your rips.
  • If you are still using your server, the easy answer is to use it to convert your files to FLAC, which negates the need to do this.

With that out of the way why would you want to do this?

Well typically its because your server is failing or has failed or you have flogged it. Leaving you with a library of WAVs that you now realise are not seen by other server software. This is because naim use ā€˜side carā€™ files to store relevant ā€˜Metadataā€™ or ā€˜Tagsā€™ for these music files.

Metadata is simple strings of information stored typically within the files itself, or in the case of most wavs and naims implementation in a file that goes along side the music files. Please note, confusion typically comes from file names. File names is not metadata or tags. In reality all your files could be called untitled, but if the meta data is good, servers will pick it up.

Most other server software such as Roon, Audiovarna, various UPNP servers for nases etc cannot read naim side car files. Perhaps some can, but if its not the one you want then you need to adjust the wavs.

Another reason to want to do this is for the purpose of converting those WAVs. If your naim server is gone or dead, then you have a bunch of wavs you might want to be flacs. With no relevant metadata conversion software will struggle to make any sense of those files and you will land up with a mess.

What are we going to do?

Take the FILE NAME of the WAV files and extract from them relevant information to create metadata/tags for those files.

This will then allow other servers to pick those up, or allow you to then go onto convert those files into other formats.

How are we going to do it.

I cannot provide links but you need a piece of software call MP3TAG. Search for it in google it has its own website and its all rather basic and orange! Download and install. Sorry mac peoples this is so far as I can tell windows only.

For the sake of testing folks, I almost insist that you copy over one or two albums from the MQ folder of you naim back up.

Open MP3Tag

Drag the folder of music into the main window, youā€™ll notice that there is no tags in the artist/album/track/name columns.

Select the files that have just been populated.

Goto: convert>File name to tag

Enter this string in the box:

%artist%%album%%dummy%%track% - %title%

PLEASE NOTE . For some reason back slashes are removed from this forum, so that string above is duplicated in the image below, it needs a back slash between the % of artist and album and between % of album and dummy, check the picture

Check under that box now that its picking things up correctly:

Click ok,

Youā€™ll notice it now populates those columns with the correct data. Click the save button.

Now when you run another server over it, it should pick them up just fine. You can do multiple artists folders at a time, I went through my library by artist letter, I noticed MP3tag woul dcrash if you gave it too much at once, that being said a few suns have set since I used it in anger!

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That is awesome. Iā€™m out at the mo but guess what I will be doing this afternoon, when I get home

Thanks for posting this.

I was looking at Songkong yesterday and noticed that is supposed to be able to read the Naim XML and txt files that are created by the older Naim servers.

This should automate metadata creation and populate some of the other tags like genre.

This may be another option.

Thats cool as long as it can then take that info and create embedded tags for you?

I thought you had a Unitiserve? As Gary points out, there is no need to faff around with MP3tag or Songkong as the Unitiserve WAV to FLAC converter will do it for you in a couple of clicks. Unless, that is, you have sold your US before doing thisā€¦or you have a Core which had the WAV to FLAC converter removed.

Thanks @garyi this is much appreciated. Iā€™m Mac so some initial frustration, however Mp3tag have a beta version for Mac which can be accessed by signing up for their newsletter via their website. Will give it a try when I have some time.

I have always used Metadatics for tag editing on my Mac. This has a function ā€œFile Name to Tagsā€, which I guess can do something similar to what @garyi describes, although details of the procedure will no doubt be different. Iā€™ve never used a Naim ripper, so not needed to do this, but could be an alternative for Mac users.

Roger

Hi Chris, Yes that is correct but I have already moved the tracks that I wasnā€™t overly interested in to make way for putting my own stuff on in a download file. The kept inheritance is still on the US though.

Iā€™ve just tried this and it is a lot quicker than waiting for the us to transpose the wac to flac.

Update 20 mins and 2000 plus tracks done.

Excellent piece of kit. Thanks Garyi.

No problem, throw the author of MP3Tag a few quid :slight_smile:

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Most metadata converters, including Metadatics, wonā€™t work on Naim WAVs. Thus the recommendation to do it on the Unitiserve before parting with it. Songkong is a known exception to this, as, it seems, is Garyā€™s method using MP3tag, although I know others who tried this unsuccessfully in the past.

Yes, the US takes its time, although initiating the process takes just a few seconds. The simple solution is to save the rips as FLAC in the first place, but obviously itā€™s too late for that now in your case.

Oh, that seems a shame. Thereā€™s also Amvidia which has the same functionality and can be tried for free I believe, but perhaps this canā€™t import Naim Wavs either. It goes without saying that converting to FLAC first is best of course where a Unitiserve is available.

Roger6

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