I am in the process of trialling MinimServer and Asset on my Synology NAS as an alternative to the Naim Core, just in case I decide to move away from Naim……
I am in the fortunate position of already owning the NAS device, as with 6 drives it would be very expensive to populate at current prices, especially with SSD’s.
The overall experience cannot be rated as better than OK, the NAS apps being undoubtedly more flexible than the Naim Core, but a serious faff to set up without significant IT and network knowledge whereas the Core pretty much worked out of the box.
Indeed, with current storage prices, a well looked after Core might be the most cost effective option….
If you only use the NAS as a backup you can just use the free bundled music server should the Core fail. It works fine, and would tide you over while you decided on whether or not you needed to add Asset or whatever. No significant configuration required, just enable it in the Synology settings.
It’s true that Minim and Asset require some investment in setting up, particularly Minim. But like all investments what matters is the return and that will vary from individual to individual. The time required to tag my CD collection was non trivial, but the return in terms of ease of accessing my music, particularly an extensive classical section, was more than worthwhile for me. It’s clearly different for others for whom a ready made solution like the Core may be preferable.
BTW my IT knowledge and network skills are rudimentary at best, it’s more a case of logical thinking and careful planning.
I think that’s fair. If you want to save money, use a NAS, but if you want something the household can use to manage and rip music in the event you are hit by the proverbial bus, get something like a Core/Melco/whatever.
Putting sound quality discussion completely aside, a major part of the value of things like a Core is their usability democratises music management for the household. A NAS requires a knowledgeable dictator.
Personally, from experience with some other streamers, I’ve come to realise the NAS+UPnP model is a dead end. Modern streamers and transports can just access the NAS directly and catalogue the music themselves. Now that is both low cost and easy. I would never buy a new streamer today that can’t simply mount a network share directly. Asset and Minimserver hark from an age when streamers were too puny to do anything themselves. In 2026 I say, get rid of that model entirely.
Personally, from experience, I’ve come to realise that a NAS is by far the best way of dealing with local music storage.
Some years ago I was at a dealers to dem some gear and took along a CD of The Mikado to assess the components. This was fed into a Core or similar for ripping and I started to listen with increasing puzzlement as it was a completely different recording of the work. What’s more the dealer was unable to find my version. I resolved then not to go down that route and when I got a 272 quickly added a NAS. I now have several streamers that will serve music without a NAS and all of them are pretty ham-fisted at dealing with classical which is the bulk of my collection. So my NAS still fills that role effectively.
And I wouldn’t rule out buying a dCS product, for example, just because it doesn’t have server software. Each to their own.
Having recently had a Bluesound Node Icon on loan I absolutely disagree. That doesn’t have any DLNA or UPnP support so the only way it can access a NAS is by mounting a share. Adding new files required a re-scan of the share and that could take a while and it just wasn’t as flexible for browsing the music library. I was very happy to give it back and get back to my Naim and Asset
Try a Wiim ultra. Pretty simple streamer to use and set up. Finds my nas easily. And plenty of functionality improvements with FW updates. The look and feel of their app and functions could teach naim a thing or two. And yes, there is plenty of tosh that I don’t use, but my kids love their Wiim connected to their/my nait50s. And yes the Bluesound was a bit primitive when it comes to upnp.
I run MinimServer on a Qnap NAS and the Naim streamer picks it up straight away. The native Qnap DLNA works too but I prefer the way that MinimServer organises the files. Personally and mainly for cost reasons I do not use solid state drives.
Sonos doesn’t either, I have a Sonos Ray connected to my Mac Studio, it only supports SMB shares and requires a rescan of the folders if new music is added to the share.
So you’re recommending an SSD for caching, which will create the highest write load in a consumer environment, but saying the relatively static demands of a music library will cause issues? Perhaps you have that the wrong way round?
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