Well if its working for you now happy days, but you should consider your future plans.
Are your rips in FLAC? If not get on and convert them now.
It really is just a matter of time.
@garyi why should I convert them and how can I do it? I can see that the firmware version on my Naim UnitiServe is 1.7a SP1, which adds exactly that capability (ripping to FLAC and converting to FLAC)
Best regards,
Nole
@NeilS once again many thanks for the help. Since my Naim UnitiServe is opened, I decided to try to extend its life. I cloned the HDD to new one and I am considering replacing optical drive as well, with the new one, its minor investment.
Do I need to by the exact Teac optical drive? Can I replace it with any other?
Best regards,
Nole
Hi, well in default position the serve will rip to Wav. Wav is notoriously poor with metadata and naim is no exception. Should your device fail you and you don’t have them in flac then you get the fun task of converting those Wavs.
There are ways to do this, but in the end its far easier just to have the rips in Flac. Some say they can hear the difference, I certainly never could when I had an NS02.
Hi Nole,
I don’t think the optical drive is critical to the device’s function, however the Teac was the result of an extensive selection process - many drives handle error correction poorly.
If you select the ripping format as FLAC, the unit will convert the entire music store to FLAC, a process which can take months, depending on the size of the library. Why would you want to do this?
The metadata for the WAV files is stored separately & the software binds it together when playing. The FLAC conversion process embeds the metadata into the actual file, thus making your music collection much more friendly if you migrate it elsewhere. Plus it saves on disc space too.
It is true that the processor needs to decode the FLAC file ‘on the fly’ when listening, hence why some regard WAV as superior. Try some A to B comparisons before taking the plunge & see if you notice any difference.
Regards
Neil.
Also note that should you make any hardware changes to the Unitiserve, you will need to do the restore Naim defaults in the BIOS again.
Hi Neil,
thank you. Sorry to bother you again, I have couple questions:
- How to I change ripping format? Do I need to connect the unit with monitor and do it from there, or there is an app that I can use?
- Speaking about app. I am currently using n-Serve. Is there any better app?
- Regarding hardware changes. In which cases I have to restore BIOS settings to Naim defaults and why? I would like to understand. If I swap between original and cloned HDD and back, it just works in every case.
- Something else came to my mind. If I would clone HDD to SSD, would it work? Would I get any benefits, other than making unit resistant to HDD failures?
- Is there any place to buy HDD image for HDX? I would really like to see that baby works again.
Best regards,
Nole
To save Neil answering everything that is commonly known, the app you want is the Windows DTC and you can get it from the Naim website as part of the firmware update disc. You may need to ask Naim for a copy though as they haven’t put the latest firmware for Unitiserve on their website for some obscure reason. The windows DTC lets you set the ripping and transcoding parameters.
If you use a Mac, then there is also n-serve for Mac. For iPhone or iPad, n-serve for IOS is the only option.
- You can change the ripping format via a monitor using the remote or by Windows DTC (as David says).
- n-Serve is the only app you can use for direct control of these products.
- I have seen some funny results after h/w changes, even like for like (the PCI card in particular) so I just consider it good practice.
- I think I’ve been sailing close to the wind with regard to DIY fixes, but here is a quote from Steve (R&D):
On these products the Hard drive SMART data is used to drive the thermal management of the product. It needs the right drive in it (there are about 4 or so supported drives) and these drives are not easy to get hold of as its tech from 10+ years ago. - Unfortunately not.
Regards
Neil.
Quoting Naim’s @stevesky again, some time ago he said here in the forum that the only DIY fix available if you had a faulty HDD on a HDX was that you could clone the drive from another working HDX. He said the device with the cloned drive would show the wrong identity on the network, but it would work.
Don’t mean to hijack this thread but a related question to a comment by @NeilS above. Previously I was told by a “reputable” source that I cannot substitute a retail Teac DV518GB DVD-ROM drive should my current Teac DV518GB ripping drive ever give up the ghost (“Drives are firmware-specific and must be ordered from Naim”). Was this incorrect? At the time, I bought the replacement Teac drive (identical version) in case my drive went south at some point in the future. Is this still an option? (I am aware of the need to solder the short connector to the drive for the eject switch).
My understanding is that the drives have their offset changed by naim, I may be wrong on that.
@NeilS one last problem. I almost closed my unit, its only left go put back the cover. Before doing that, I wanted to make sure that everything works.
So, I power it on, all good. But, I cant shut down the unit by touching NAIM logo. Hmm, bummer.
Any ideas why? How this “button” works anyway? Is there some kind of photo sensitive component?
Best regards,
Nole
I think it was a Teac DV516GB that we used for a while? We did put custom firmware on a few of the drives, the DRL-200, the Pioneer & one of the Teac slot loaders. Perhaps @Stevesky would be better qualified to answer here.
Regards
Neil.
Just to check, you are touching & holding for a shutdown command (one touch is to eject disc)?
Assuming that the logo touch functions worked before - you didn’t unplug anything else while you were in there?!
Regards
Neil.
Edit: There is a copper foil behind the IR mask on the back of the logo, an IC on the logo PCB detects a change in capacitance when the face of the logo is touched.
I’ve noticed a couple of times recently that if my finger is very dry the US doesn’t respond to touch. Moistening it very slightly seemed to get it working.
Hi @sktn77a
The Teac mech used in Naim streamers has a custom firmware version in it. It’s a mix of how C2 errors are reported to the ripping software + drive spin control is a bit different.
However, putting in a retail spec drive will work and the main issue is that they are a bit noisier and badly damaged CD’s don’t rip as well. It’s always nice to keep kit like this as standard as possible, but of course everything has a finite life, so if it keeps it going for a few more years then why not.
Best wishes
Steve Harris
Software Director
Naim Audio Ltd.
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Thanks Steve. I don’t have any bad CDs (that I am aware of). Only problem I’ve ever had ripping was when the optical drive was on its way out. I’ll keep the backup Teac drive in case the current one ever goes south.
@NeilS Sure I did. I “unplugged” that copper foil by accident 
I fixed it. All good now
Regards,
Nole
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Well done Neil……great support.
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