NAS vs Audio Server

Streaming Audio
1

A topic that I know is new and has not been covered before …at least not by me …today!

Two years ago my music was being served by an Audistore Prestige running in a clean electrical enviroment. This had worked well for me with a microRendu, ultraRendu, SOtM and NUC (running Audiolinux). Howeve, when I bought a Linn Klimax Renew streamer I found that it made NO difference, and neither did streaming flac vs wav. So it all got boxed up and my Synology NAS became my music server.

A few months ago I bought a Meridian 210 streamer which I found worked spectacularly well with my Audio Note 2.1 sig(ish). The Linn Klimax was still excellent, but overall I preferred the 210/AN presentation. So, does flac or wav work better with these boxes …and what about a quiet server??

Well wav is now king of the roost once again, either direct of transcoded via Minimserver or Bubbleupnp. So, will the Prestige II make any difference?

Try 1:
Audiostore Prestige II server;
AC via transformer to protect it from mains borne hash;
Open source Vortexbox OS:
VortexBox SW Version: 2.5
Linux OS Version: Fedora release 25 (Twenty Five)
See below for more detailon WHY.
SBooster 18v LPSU;
Files on 4x500GB USB sticks in USB Hub;
USB cable = Audioquest Green.
Server = Minimserver
Files = WAV

VS
Synology 1812+
Server = Minimserver
Files = FLAC, transcoded to WAV.

Observations:
Listening to the Prestige the music was more detailed and dynamic, and I was tense. These are the effects that from experience I associate with digital noise. It is tricky as in part it seems to be an improvement, but I find it quickly leads to attention drift. That said, there were things goig on at the frequency extremes that I found very good.

The NAS allowed me to relax, and although some detail and bass heft was missing I simply enjoyed it more.

This led to …

Try 2:
Audiostore Prestige II server;
AC via transformer to protect it from mains borne hash;
Open source Vortexbox OS:
VortexBox SW Version: 2.5
Linux OS Version: Fedora release 25 (Twenty Five)
See below for more detailon WHY.
SBooster 18v LPSU;
Files on 4x500GB USB sticks in USB Hub;
Protected from Prestige 5V power by vBus blocker;
Hub powered by SBooster 5v PSU, set to 5.5v and power sent through an LT3045 with 5v 1amp output;
Hub powered via quad star silver interconnect;
USB cable = Audioquest Green.
Server = Minimserver
Files = WAV

VS
Synology 1812+
Server = Minimserver
Files = FLAC, transcoded to WAV.

Observations:
Now this was more like it! The Prestige music was more detailed and dynamic, and I was relaxed. The high end was far more detailed and percussive, with brass having more bite, and the bass felt a tad larger and percussive.

So, the Prestige II is staying …and I am once again listening to WAV; but, I am going to experiment with transcoding from the box, after all I can reclaim space for even more music.

VortexBox SW:
When I bought the VortexBox Prestige I liked its effect. However, for looooong boring reasons, I had all my files on a series of USB sticks. On the official release via their web interface I could only mount 1 USB stick at a time, which was frustrating. So, I decided to run an experiment.

Having backed things up I formatted the HDD and loaded Ubuntu. I then spent a few days closing down all possible Linux Daemons and tweaking the OS to give me the best possible audio. IT WAS PANTS!

Finding the open source version of VortexBox online I downloaded and installed it …MUCH better. But not as good as the official Nova release. However, I could now mount all four USB sticks, so it stayed.

Here I would like to offer much appreciation for Martin who runs Audiostore and is intimately connected with VortexBox. He is superb. Over the years he has sold me a number of items and assisted me with a number of issues, including one that rightly belonged to Sonore. He is one of the good guys in the HiFi world.

2 Likes
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Wow, that’s some collection of components! I wouldn’t have known where to begin trying to test out all the variables - or, perhaps more likely, wouldn’t have had the patience - to establish what worked best.

One of the reasons I enjoyed the Linn KDS on first acquaintance, was its lack of dependence on everything else. Cabling in and out makes a big difference, I couldn’t stand the Linn Silver cables that came with it, for example, and now at Katalyst level, it likes both the Innuos Zenith and the recent EE 8Switch. But it still sounded great in vanilla mode.

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Hi Dave,

Just a sign of much mis-spent time, and a loft full of the detritous. I do have another couple of tweaks I can install, but I think I will stick for the moment

I have a very healthy respect for the Linn KDS, excellent piece of music making kit. In my case I just found that the Audio Note DAC has a way of producing human vocals that just hits me as right. I have not yet heard the Katalyst, but it is on my list.

I found the KDS remarkably immune to most tweaks but I assume you found the Zenith worthwhile?

I am going to resist the audiophile switches. I am sure that in one way or another they improve the sound, I just am going to stick with the Cisco 2960 for the moment.

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Yes, the Zenith was a great addition, replacing a Melco, which, in turn, replaced a Qnap NAS. It’s no doubt aided by the fact that it’s just such a breeze to use. Where I live, we can get regular electricity outages and that caused havoc with the Qnap so ended up adding a UPS, which then terrified the dogs whenever the alarm went off due to (yet another) power failure. The fact that it sounded a lot better was almost a bonus and the Zenith is better still.

Definitely worth listening to a Katalyst KDS, it really is a sensational device. With a Chord Music “loom” it does stuff I never expected digital could ever do.

Probably sensible to leave the whole switch thing to one side, the Cisco is great - I used one prior to the EE - but then again… :wink:

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A friend of mine is a reviewer and he has a Melco server ‘in’ which he is quiet enjoying. It came with an additional LPSU which he has also evaluated. Although he has a selection of DACs none with a USB input so he has arranged to borrow a Chord, and then they offered an Mscalar as well! He is having to draw a definite boundary around the review!

I use a QNAP and a Synology, primarily for business. Its the Synology that is my file server and the one I have been using for hosting Minimserver and Bubbleupnp. However, I spent time yesterday bringing my USBs on the Prestige II up to date, as I have bought more music since I last used them. I still have about 400GB of space over the four sticks so no immediate need to expand, but I did look at the cost of buying some 1TB sticks - the costs have halved in eighteen months.

Although I will very happily listen to a DS3 I decided a few days ago that I am actually pretty satisfied where I am and to concentrate on tweaks:

SBLs - freshly updated with new drive units = My last speakers. Work brilliantly in my room;
SBL XOver - had uprated ones made with uprated components - NOT going active;
300DR - Superb. No need for any more;
Allegri - Yes, the Allegri+ would be a tad better, but I will live without the tad;
Audio Note 2.1 sig(ish) - Best DAC I have heard in my system (more below);
Meridian 210 - Dark horse doe me and works SOOO well with the AN;
LP12/ARO/Dyn/Geddon - This is where my dealer would advise me to spend some money. I know this could be improved upon, BUT I have mainly been digitally capturing LPs for a few years and am happy with the results. So I am sticking.

Audio Switches:
This might tempt me in a while. But having just had a slight uplift from a 2960, and being VERY happy with my SQ, it can wait.

DAC:
Yes the 2.1 could perhaps be upgraded, which is where the Katalyst does nibble at the edges. A friend bought over his AN4.1 Balanced eighteen months ago and we both agreed that in MY system my 2.1 was better. However, in his system the 4.1 is better. That said, in the last eighteen months my system has changed pretty radically:

Focal 1008be IIs (destroyed by cats) —> SBLs
EAR868pl (still with me, but) —> Townshend Allegri
EAR534 —> Naim 300DR.

So, one for a rerun methinks, in due course.

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I would echo how helpful Martin is, particularly because he is not a Naim guru.
I’m waiting patiently for a LPS for my Prestige 2, and the update for the sonicorbiter server from v2.7 to 2.8.
It would be nice to see the website updated for 2020 (My prestige pages not the main site) … but that is me been pernickety.

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