I have been working my way through my CD collection, but am finding the ripping software to be variable in the extreme, and quite frustrating.
Metadata searches often fail to find albums which I would think to be quite popu!ar, yet happily find albums from 50 - 60 years ago.
I just (half an hour ago) loaded Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds, original version, and it found the track data but no cover image for disc 1, but I able to find either tracks or cover image for disc 2. Disc 2 plays fine.
It couldn’t find a cover image for Tomita’s Snowflakes Are Dancing, either, and on a couple of occasions found cover i.ages but no tracks for other CDs.
The large majority of CD ripped this far have gone ok, and I can live with those which have failed due to errors, but the inconsistencies are really bugging me.
Am I alone in this, or are others experiencing similar faults, please? Is there a solution? I am up to date with software upgrades.
It’s been 2 years that did my ripping job (lockdown #1) and my later edition of the war of the worlds ripped fine. So no issues with later versions?. I may have had 1 or 2 no-shows for coverart or track list, but these were obscure CD’s so I could somehow understand. But maybe I was just lucky, or the metadata internet site just more responsive…
One of the main databases used by the unity/HDX went down several years ago. Things haven’t been the same since. I have some CD cover art that was fine when originally ripped 10 years ago but mysteriously changed down the road to an incorrect image (?!)
There was a firmware update 1.7c for the the Unitiserve/HDX that resolved the problems of AMG going offline.
The Star (and Core) never used AMG, but the metadata providers change their APIs from time to time and Naim has to chase after those. I don’t know where they are with the Star ripping firmware, but they will no doubt sort it if it needs sorting.
Having said that, my experience with metadata providers on my UnitiCore is that there is always the occasional CD that produces no results and it’s not only new releases that suffer from that. If it’s the odd couple then editing the metadata (using the Naim app) is the way to go. If it’s a lot that fail for several days and restarting everything including the router doesn’t resolve it, then seeking help from Naim support or here (or both) is probably indicated.
With CDs and downloads becoming increasingly obsolete as streaming services take over as the primary way most people access music, I can’t help wondering what incentive there is for these online databases to be maintained. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a steady decline in their quality and availability if demand is reduced.
Ok, thanks, I’ll try contacting Nai m support.
My firmware is 3.8.0.5355, which is up to date?
So, apart from a couple of CD which it has failed completely to rip, I can put up with the covers which it hasn’t found, and eventually to d out how to change metadata, as I am struggling how to insert found images,despite having instructions,but will persevere.
FWIW, I experienced dodgy rips with first iTunes and then latterly with a Naim UnitiServe - incorrect metadata searches, database cross corruption, artwork incorrect or not found at all etc., etc.
There are numerous threads on the forum, and the internet in general, both describing the issues and suggesting many and various remedies which, for my experience, usually failed to correct much if anything ranging from automated database rescans to hairy direct editing of the database/indices.
I solved the problem by migrating to a dedicated server, in my case Innuos although other servers are available. This is a dedicated database server, in this case for music files, built using standard IT hardware and software components, albeit tuned for appropriate SQ and performance and, not unsurprisingly, it just works……
Hifi manufacturers are not noted for their software, devops, etc, as illustrated by many posts here and selecting the right horses for courses would appear to be the least problematic approach.
Just my tanner’s worth,
KR, J
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