I have a copy of XTC’s English Settlement CD which I ripped to my Melco. However I now want to rip the later 2016 re-master of this same CD as it sounds much sharper and clearer. But when I attempt this a warning message is displayed " Existing album may be overwritten" - or words to that effect. So the Melco is not recognising the later pressing as a different album.
I know from a previous episode that proceeding with the ripping when this message is displayed can result in the album when displayed on the Melco App having two track 1’s, two track 2’s etc. In other words the existing album hasn’t been overwritten as such it has just been combined with the new rip into a single album with double the number of tracks.
Is there any way to get the Melco to recognise the new remastered CD as being different and therefore to just rip it as normal? I tried using SongKong to change the album title of the existing rip to English Settlement (2013) thinking that this might do it. But no.
I’m not familiar with SongKong but when I use dBpoweramp, I use the edit tags option where the “embedded” name of the album (or artist) is changed rather than just the file name. You could try both?
Thanks for the replies. No option to change anything before starting ripping.
Here’s what I did anyway. All using SongKong. Tried changing filename of the album in the hope that the 2016 CD would then be recognised as being different. No go. Lost the artwork on the App and still threatened to overwrite. Also when displayed on SongKong there was now an additional album with the same name thayt SongKong said it was unable to access!
So changed filename back again and OK now but still that additional inaccessible album.
So decided to rip anyway despite overwriting warning. Didn’t overwrite after all. Displays on the App as a separate album. BUT, when accessing via SongKong it is all combined as one album! Very strange. Still that additional inaccessible album present.
Anway it works OK (as in it plays fine) and did what I wanted innterms of displaying on the App as a separate album so I suppose the other stuff doesn’t matter.
The Melco strength resides more in the sound, not in the functionalities and user friendliness. The Innuos is much more user friendly.
But some prefer Melco sound vs Innuos, like me or @Gazza for example.
Melco has one advantage: you can directly download albums from Highresaudio and Qobuz, without opening the computer.
It seems to be very CD dependent. I have had this happen, then there are discs where it doesn’t. Bob Marley box sets rip with the set title as well. Then I have three rips of Dire Straits Love Over Gold, original, one with the title followed by 20663 and one 2016.
I was told by Alan Ainslie that it is best to edit the backup disc rather that directly.
I have a heinous last option, rip using legacy Windows Media Player, rename the folder, then rip the second. If needed, rename each folder and load it to Melco from a USB stick.
I was told that too. But the file format that the Melco uses for back is read only on my MacBook and in fact won’t even display anything on the back-up disc when plugged into it. Any way around this? I don’t have a windows PC.
Sorry, I am an Apple agnostic. I have heard other people say the same which seems a bit strange when Melco refuse to provide an app that works on anything other than Apple.
@catswhiskers @PJL @frenchrooster
Can Melco users confirm that Melco only works with Apple IOS products and has no functionality to use Android devices?
I spoke to a couple of Melco dealers yesterday, here in Australia, who were not too switched on, but said the Melco Music Servers would work with my Samsung Tablet!
I dont have any Apple devices, so that is probably a deal breaker wrt getting a Melco, if no Android support, as Ive only just recently bought a new (and expensive) Samsung Tablet.
I was seriously looking at the N50-S38, but Ive found that Melco Dealer support is very poor in Australia wrt their Music Servers.
Download BubbleUPNP to your tablet and this works fine with the Melco. I think someone is getting mixed up by the fact that the stand alone Melco software does not work on Android. The only limitation to this is you need to use the Melco in Bridged mode which has a small effect on overall sound quality
Yes, as far as I know the Melco Music App is only for Apple iOS devices and will not function elsewhere. However, all is not lost here. Other control apps will work, if you look at the Melco website FAQ’s it gives a list I believe. One such is the Linn Kazoo app, which I’ve read that some people actually prefer to use. Some even say it sounds better - but let’s not go there - another time/place perhaps!
It’s a shame you have poor dealer support there. Might be worth dropping an email to Melco to see what they say. Do you mean that there are not many Melco dealers there, or that the one’s that there are do not offer comprehensive support? Having said that I’ve owned Melco’s (first the N100 and now the N50-S38) for around 4 years now with no issues. I’ve emailed Alan Ainslie, who is the UK Melco contact/distributor a few times with questions and received prompt and extremely helpful replies. I don’t see why you couldn’t likewise email him even though you’re not in the UK.
Presumably though there is an official Australian Melco distributor? That would really be your point of contact to deal with issues. Probably far more so than your dealer with something like the Melco. But any dealer there that sells you one is then bound to look after you at least while it’s under warranty - assuming the consumer laws there are similar to UK. So as long as you can find a dealer that is happy to sell you an N50-S38 then I would think you should be OK.
