OK, I am an old guy who still plays with tubes, but... Time to build a music server. Let me toss out a few tings I think I have learned and see who can confirm or destroy my vision:
Windows is a poor media server. Just not stable or time coherent.
Apple fares far better.
Linux may be a viable alternative.
Not sure I want to store the files on a NAS. None of the protocols , like NFS were designed for streaming. Sure, fast enough to buffer, but is it really the way to go? I don't want to hear any hic-up. If I can't do this at the same QOS as playing a CD in my old NAD with my external Wolfson DAC, then it the technology is not ready for me.
On formats:
As BWF is not a common enough in the consumer world. , it looks like I should base the library on ALAC. I don't want to rip 500 CD's just to get obsoleted. Would it be smarter to archive in WAV? FLAC? Arn't standards great? We have so many to choose from. 🙄
Putting CD's on a disk is the easy part. Tagging and generating skins for those I can't download is the pain.
Server is easy, a decent user interface is not. Sounds like iTunes is the leader fro PC based systems. The Logitec and Sonos looks pretty slick for appliance solutions. ( that I can pay for)
If I were dreaming, I would use a mini-mac for the server and iPad for the user interface. I'm too cheap. No, I don't have an iPhone and could not see icons on that tiny display anyway.
Can't find and USB to USB wireless links that maintain time coherence. Only the expensive SONOS system. I don't have an Ethernet drop where 2 of my 4 audio systems reside.
Windows is a poor media server. Just not stable or time coherent.
Apple fares far better.
Linux may be a viable alternative.
Not sure I want to store the files on a NAS. None of the protocols , like NFS were designed for streaming. Sure, fast enough to buffer, but is it really the way to go? I don't want to hear any hic-up. If I can't do this at the same QOS as playing a CD in my old NAD with my external Wolfson DAC, then it the technology is not ready for me.
On formats:
As BWF is not a common enough in the consumer world. , it looks like I should base the library on ALAC. I don't want to rip 500 CD's just to get obsoleted. Would it be smarter to archive in WAV? FLAC? Arn't standards great? We have so many to choose from. 🙄
Putting CD's on a disk is the easy part. Tagging and generating skins for those I can't download is the pain.
Server is easy, a decent user interface is not. Sounds like iTunes is the leader fro PC based systems. The Logitec and Sonos looks pretty slick for appliance solutions. ( that I can pay for)
If I were dreaming, I would use a mini-mac for the server and iPad for the user interface. I'm too cheap. No, I don't have an iPhone and could not see icons on that tiny display anyway.
Can't find and USB to USB wireless links that maintain time coherence. Only the expensive SONOS system. I don't have an Ethernet drop where 2 of my 4 audio systems reside.