Ripping options

Streaming Audio
1

My MacBook Pro is on its last legs …
I use it with dbpoweramp to rip my cds to a NAS.
What are my options? I am considering:

  1. A cd drive to plug into my Mac Mini
  2. Naim core
  3. Innuos or Melco
  4. Subscribe to a streaming service

I’ve not decided on a budget yet and it’s a couple of years since I listened to Core / Melco demo. Any suggestions welcome. …

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If you already have a Mac Mini then I’d just buy a decent external CD drive and continue to use DBpoweramp. This would certainly keep you going while you research / audition the more expensive options. I bought a secondhand D2 LaCie DVD/CD read / writer off ebay (around £15 I think it was) and it has been fine…

%24_3

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Thanks … seems to be a sensible short to medium fix

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You missed out rip on any computer, windows or Mac, then save to your NAS or other preferred location.

It can be beneficial for the ripping machine to be separate from the store or playing machine, so you can rip at same time as playing with absolutely no risk of adverse effect. There are two other important considerations, for which this lends itself (though other solutions can, too):

  1. make sure the metadata is right, doing this immediately after ripping: it is vital for some library software or players, and so much easier to do just one two albums st a time. A computer is probably easier for this than other devices.

  2. It is important to keep a backup of everything - unless you rely on ripping process again in the event of loss, a real hassle if you have a large ripped collection, that woul best be a copy on another drive not connected to the network - and if you want the best security not even kept in the same location. What I do is after copying a rip to my music store I leave if also on the laptop used for ripping, then every few months copy all since last time onto a separate USB hard disk kept elsewhere.

As for the gear named, the Core, Innuos and Melco can all be used differently from a NAS, in that they can perform the rendering function within the store, and feed a DAC directly, not streaming music over a network. From comments by users on this and the old Naim forum I’m not sure that the Core measures up the the other two for that, but with any of them could be worth exploring.

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If you are using dbpoweramps then the accurate rip feature allows you to use any “old” cd ripper. Maybe you want one that will last but you don’t need to spend too much.

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I have a 4 bay NAS acting as my Asset music server, and a 2 bay NAS attached to my Macmini as a direct copy of my music. I am just upgrading the 2 bay storage so will be able to keep a couple of copies off site.

However, since ditching Twonky I note that Asset appears not quite as rapid when searching for music.

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Good points IB.
In the past I ripped on my lap top then copied the files to my 4 bay NAS. I then copy the files to my 2 bay NAS, which I sometimes use as the music server.

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