I have for no apparent reason started to experience problems when streaming some mp3s from my Synology DS214 NAS to my various Naim devices (and by problems, I mean that they won’t play). And these are tracks which have previously played without any issues. I say some because I can still play other mp3 tracks. (I have no issues with the vast majority of my music which is in flac format.) I appreciate that this is a fairly random post, but I’m quite at a loss, and my past experience of this forum has been that people are remarkably good at seeing past random. Thanks in anticipation, or at least hope, of some inspiration.
Did you try switching everything off, including your router, then restart your router, then once it has fully restarted, turn on your Synology NAS, then once that has fully restarted turn on your streamers?
What David said 
Thank you both. I hadn’t tried that, but I have now and sadly it hasn’t fixed the problem. What it has however highlighted to me is that the offending mp3 tracks will play on my Unitilite, but not on either of my first generation Qbs nor on my first generation Mu-So. Which just feels even more puzzling to me!
Are these mp3 in “joint stereo” format?
Thanks robert_h. But I’m afraid you will have to explain to me how to analyse the files. My apologies.
Though I should have added that the offending files have previously played OK on the first generation devices.
Has there been a firmware update in between?
I am not absolutely sure about whether there has been a firmware update since the offending mp3’s last played successfully. But I don’t think so.
I also have a DS214, but no problems as described as I don’t have MP3 files.
What software and its rev number are you running, also what UPnP ?
The latest Synology software is 7.1.1-42962 Update 6. That was released in June 23.
As for UPnP (and this is where I suspect the trouble is) are you using Synology’s “Media Server”, the latest rev is 2.0.4-3150, released in January 23.
Unfortunately Media Server is very basic, they used to offer the far far better Minimserver as a 3rd party alternative.
I moved on to the very excellent Asset UPnP as soon as a Synology version became available. This includes regular updates that ensure all MP3, FLAC etc. revisions and bug fixes are covered.
I advise to check what you have and update to the latest software releases, then come back and let’s hear if that’s solved the problem.
To rule out the files themselves, you could copy them on an usb stick and try to play from that device locally.
Use Mp3tag in Windows to show the “Mode” column, which will simply say Mono, Stereo, or Joint Stereo.
Looks like these are all joint stereo apart from the last one, so I’ll try them on the qb.
Many thanks, Robert_h. I have done as you suggested and, taking a sample of 10 mp3s, 6 were stereo mode and 4 were joint stereo mode. Once again, I guess I ought to repeat that they have all previously played OK on the first generation devices.
You’re right, Mike-B, in that I am indeed using media server. I have checked and I am using the latest Synology software and the latest version of media server (And would have been very surprised if I wasn’t because I have tried to be conscientious about keeping up-to-date).
I tried the files, as you suggested Pieto, via a USB stick and they played. BUT, weirdly, each of the tracks had a “false start”. By this, I mean that within the first few seconds, each track momentarily stopped and restarted from the beginning and then played to the end. I have no idea what this is about!
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That sounds like a bad rip.
Try ripping again to see if that gets rid of the false start.
If not best rip using a ripping software packge such as whatever is free on the web,
Or better still, get yourself dBpoweramp, its the best & does everything the Naim Star ripper doesn’t.
Out of interest what are you using to rip ?
I’m the person who created the first post that was linked about the issue, I think at one point Apple Music changed from stereo to joint stereo, it can be set back to stereo in the preferences.
If you can’t re-rip there is a fix using asset in my original post.
dBpoweramp, ripping to FLAC on Azuz USB DVD drive/Dell Windows-11
Originally ripped to WAV, then batch converted all to FLAC
Play from Synology DS214 with Asset UPnP
I don’t have MP3, I might get a copy to check I like the album, but get a FLAC, preferably 24bit, ASAP.
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I suspected so, but it was “addressed” to me as you touched the ‘reply’ tab associated with my post
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