When I had my HDX SSD I would rip CD’s onto my computer and then store them onto a USB stick and plug it into my HDX for playback. It worked but was a time consuming process and when I picked up a ND555 the files were organized differently and the ND555 couldn’t read them.
I was recently given a rather large CD collection and thought of picking up a Uniti Core to rip and store the CD’s for playback through the ND555. Or should I just save the money and rip them like i had done before with my computer into a USB stick?
Why were you using a computer to rip when you had the HDX?
The ND555 should be able to see the files if they were ripped with proper metadata added. Were you browsing then under the Server Input/Local Music rather than through the USB input?
Rip and store on a Naim uniti or older HDX and play back via the ND555 - amuse yourself as to whether u rip in flac or wav to see if the ND555 sees a difference
The CD mechanism on the HDX stopped working. It could see the files but they were an organized mess. When I put them on the USB stick now, I put them each in a separate folder which seems to organize them better.
If you use any decent ripping software there will be metadata added to the files which contains track, album, genre and other searchable info as well as album artwork. This is what streamers normally read, not folders. That’s why you should be viewing the files in the server input on your ND555.
Why not rip them on the computer and then put them on a nas? You can also transfer the files from the usb sticks to the nas and have everything in one place.
I have thought about it, but is a bit intimidating to me on how it all works. My computer isn’t connected to any sort of network in the house. It’s on another floor in the house and so i would need to connect that to the computer, rip my cds, and then connect it to the ND555. Anytime I would need to rip a CD I would then have to take the NAS to the computer and fill it again. At least that is my view on how it works. That’s what I did with my USB stick. The Uniti Core seems like it would just sit on a shelf and when I had time, rip the CD’s in, and access them through the Naim App. Am I looking at this all wrong? Technology is not my strongest suit.
Are you saying that your computer has no network connection at all? You don’t use it for internet access? I suggest that it would be worth addressing this so that you can use the computer for ripping. Then you can either use it for music storage or a NAS. All transfers would then be over your network.
That’s correct. I live on a farm and don’t have the best networking for internet. I connect the desktop computer to the internet via a usb stick that picks up the wireless signal in the house. It isn’t hardwired in.
If you are wanting a simple solution then the Core is excellent and o think the cost is reasonable in the context of nd555
I started originally with a nas (a qnap I think) working with a unitiqute. Attached to my mac I had to rip onto my Mac and then drag and drop onto the nas. Really painful and I am not someone who likes tech and computers
Then got a unitiserve (predecessor to core) which was massively better
Then a few years later a Core. Which was the simplest ever thing to use - album art and metadata can be sorted on your phone / iPad direct form the Naim app which is the simplest thing ever (even thought very occasionally it refuses to accept a bit of album art)
But I was seduced by Melco things at greater expense - which require me to use a computer again (to sort out metadata and buy separate software to do so) and which are, I find, very non user friendly
So am currently pondering going back to core for its ease of use even if it drops a little behind the Melco sound quality wise
Some people find using a nas really simple and cannot understand why anyone would not agree. But those of us who are not very computer literate find a nas very painful to use and would be better off with a core (funds permitting of course)
Tim , I have always struggled with messing about with computers to rip and store music and have been using a Core since they were released.
I find it so easy rip a CD and edit as required using my iPad the editing has improved considerably since it’s release.
Also when I purchased my Core I only had a wired connection available close to the equipment rack so it needed to be quiet in operation. The Core with a SSD is silent during replay and only ever makes any noise when ripping a CD.
Not sure this works for the ND555 but with my nDac I sometimes use my iPad to play music:
The iPad is filled with music from my iMac, then I connect the iPad directly to the nDac and use the iPad Music App to select and play the desired album / playlist / tracks.
This would work fine even without any network connection.
And the sound quality is very enjoyable.
You can’t connect an iPad directly to the ND555. You could use AirPlay, but obviously that needs a network. Possibly best to stick the music on a USB drive and connect it directly to the ND555.
Great, thank you everyone. I have an internet connection at the hifi which runs from a router to the ND555. I like what I hear about the ease of transferring CD’s and kind of a one stop move fort that. I’m going to talk to the dealer today to make sure I’m not missing anything. He’s out of my state but has sold me a lot this year. Thanks again!
