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  • The Computer Audiophile
    The Computer Audiophile

    By The Computer Audiophile •

    The Complete Guide To HiFi UPnP / DLNA Network Audio

    UPnP-DLNA-Thumb.pngIntro

    The following guide was designed for audiophiles. The guide describes UPnP based home audio reproduction, provides use pro and cons of UPnP, examples, and recommendations for successful UPnP audio implementations.

     

    Overview

     

    Network based audio can be delivered using several different protocols and technologies such as UPnP, DAAP (Apple), and Ravenna among others. UPnP is the most common network audio protocol in use today. It's used in both two channel single room systems and whole house network audio distribution. Ironically UPnP is extremely simple for end users and a bear for product producers. The more one digs into the UPnP protocols the more divergent information with common frustration one finds. This guide will not turn a novice into an expert. I hope it will provide all the information computer audiophiles need to understand and enjoy UPnP based audio playback.

    What is UPnP?

     

    Universal Plug and Play consists of several protocols or rules that enable networked hardware devices and software applications to communicate and work together without end user configuration. UPnP devices don't use device drivers, like USB printers and other hardware, for communication and interoperability. Through use of common protocols UPnP devices automatically advertise their services or capabilities enabling auto discovery of devices on a network. UPnP can be seen as a high level framework that has been refined by the UPnP AV architecture for increased performance in audio and video environments.

     

     

     

    What is UPnP AV?

     

    UPnP AV is a refinement of the general UPnP protocols. A main goal of UPnP AV is interoperability between controllers and AV devices. For example enabling audio to flow from a NAS to an audio playback device without intervention from a controller. The descriptions below are tailored for computer audiophiles by referencing audio and music rather than all the media types (video, photos, etc…) UPnP AV can accommodate. The UPnP AV architecture specifies three important devices, each with its own services, for audio playback, the Media Server, Media Renderer, and Control Point.

     

     

    UPnP-AV.png

     

     

     

    1. Media Server

     

    A Media Server is a device that stores content, advertises the availability of this content for streaming across the network, and enables browsing/searching this content from control points. Media Servers can stream content to multiple devices and be controlled by multiple control points simultaneously. Most UPnP AV Media Servers contain three services, a ContentDirectory Service, a ConnectionManager Service, and an AVTransport Service.

     

    a. Content Directory Service enables a control point to browse the Media Server and view information about available music such as metadata (album title, artist, track name, etc…). This service also identifies the data formats supported by the server for its content. Using this information a control point can determine if the playback divide (renderer) is capable of handling the content.

     

    b. Connection Manager Service is what manages Media Server connections to playback devices (renderers). Through this service a control point instructs a Media Server for its next content delivery to a renderer.

     

    c. AV Transport Service is used by a control point for actions including Play, Pause, Stop, Seek, etc… This service also duplicates itself on the Media Server to enable streaming to multiple playback devices simultaneously.

     

    Example - A very common Media Server for computer audiophiles is a network attached storage (NAS) unit. Synology NAS units ship with a Media Server application. When enabled this application advertises the NAS as a UPnP AV Media Server and allows control points to browse music and stream it from the NAS directly to a UPnP AV playback device. The Synology NAS simply broadcasts on the network that it's available. Other UPnP AV devices can then see information about what it contains, what communication protocols it supports, what type of music it can serve, and details such as album, artist, track, etc…

     

     

     

    2. Media Renderer

     

    A Media Renderer is a device that either converts and/or reproduces audio. Computer audiophiles are likely most familiar with renderers as several HiFi companies manufacturer components that render (convert and/or reproduce) audio. A renderer can convert network based audio into another form of digital audio such as S/PDIF and pass this audio along to another non-UPnP AV device or a renderer can convert the network audio into analog for playback. Frequently a renderer is the final device in the UPnP AV chain turning music from streamed content into something audiophiles can hear. Advanced renderers also enable limited control of Play, Pause, Stop, Seek, Volume, etc… Similar to the Media Server a Media Renderer usually contains three services, a Rendering Control Service, a ConnectionManager Service, and an AVTransport Service.

     

    a. Rendering Control Service enables a control point to specify how the renderer operates. This service enables commands such as Volume and Mute.

     

    b. Connection Manager Service, in addition to managing connections to the renderer, enables a control point to read its supported communication protocols and data formats. Using this service a control point can determine what types of music file formats or codecs a renderer supports.

     

    c. AV Transport Service is used by a control point for actions including Play, Pause, Stop, Seek, etc…

     

    Example - The most common Media Renderers for computer audiophiles are made by Linn, Naim, PS Audio, T+A, and other notable HiFi companies. Other non-audiophile type renderers are TVs and game consoles such as Xbox. A Linn DS series renderer accepts music streaming from a Media Server such as a Synology NAS and outputs this music as either an analog or digital signal. Another Media Renderer is the Simple Design Rendu. The Rendu also accepts audi from a Media Server, as directed by a control point, and converts it from Ethernet to S/PDIF output for connection to a DAC.

     

     

     

    3. Control point

     

    A pure Control Point simply acts like an air traffic controller viewing planes ready for takeoff and sending them to a destination. A Control Point is often handheld like an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or Android device. Through the Control Point's user interface, usually an app or web page, end users browse Media Servers and select music for playback. The Control Point then instructs the Server and Renderer. Once playback instructions are given to the UPnP AV devices the Control Point isn't part of the device to device communication. In other words, music streamed from a Media Server doesn't flow through a Control Point on its way to the Media Renderer. This is an important piece of UPnP AV as most standard UPnP devices only communicate with a Control Point by receiving instructions rather than taking the next step in communicating with other UPnP devices outside the communication link from device to Control Point. This is also known as out-of-band communication. The following is an example of a sequence of events between a Control Point, Media Server, and Media Renderer. Computer audiophiles will be especially interested in step "i" as it pertains to gapless playback.

     

    a. Discover AV Devices - The Control Point (CP) automatically discovers Media Servers and Media Renderers on the network.

     

    b. Locate Desired Content - The CP browses the Media Server's available music and receives information about the Server's supported protocols and formats.

     

    c. Get Renderer’s Supported Protocols/Formats - The CP asks for and receives the Renderer's list of supported protocols and formats.

     

    d. Compare/Match Protocols/Formats and Check Playability - Information from both Server and Renderer is compared. The CP then selects the protocol and format supported by both devices.

     

    e. Configure Server/Renderer - The CP informs and Server and Renderer about upcoming connections and the protocol & format to be between devices.

     

    f. Select Desired Content - The user via the CP identifies the specific track, album, playlist, etc… to be delivered from the Server to the Renderer.

     

    g. Start Content Transfer - Selected music is sent directly to the Renderer.

     

    h. Adjust Rendering Characteristics - User can select Play, Pause, Stop, Seek, and Volume, etc… via the CP as the music is playing through the Renderer.

     

    i. Repeat: Select Next Content - This is the critical step for gapless playback. The CP uses the command SetNextAVTRansportURI to identify the next track to be sent from the Server to the Renderer. If a Renderer doesn't support SetNextAVTRansportURI it will not support gapless playback as specified by the UPnP Forum.

     

    J. Cleanup Server/Renderer - The CP closes the communication session between devices.

     

    Example - The most common Control Points are Apple (iOS) and Android devices. The Control Point hardware must also feature Control Point software. A common CP app for iOS is PlugPlayer. PlugPlayer can run through the aforementioned steps with a Synology NAS as the Media Server and Linn DS as the Media Renderer. In my explanation of a Control Point I specified a "pure" Control Point. However, apps like PlugPlayer are more just a Control Point. PlugPlayer can also use an iPhone as the Media Server and Renderer. Or, PlugPlayer can use the Synology NAS as the Server and the iPhone as the Renderer.

     

     

     

    What is DLNA?

     

    dlna.pngDigital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), like UPnP, is an organization. What computer audiophiles commonly refer to as DLNA is really a set of guidelines, restrictions, or rules for interoperability that are broader but tighter than UPnP. By governing more items on the network the DLNA guidelines create a more restrictive ecosystem. These DLNA guidelines are based on the UPnP architecture v1.0 and UPnP AV. DLNA guidelines identify Device Discovery and Control, and Media Management as key ingredients leveraged from UPnP and UPnP AV respectively. DLNA isn't a subset of UPnP. It mainly differs from UPnP in scope. DLNA's broader scope includes specific file formats or media codecs and content protection. In general a DLNA certified device will work with UPnP devices but not all UPnP devices work with DLNA certified devices. The fact that a device doesn't display the DLNA certified logo doesn't mean it isn't 100% compatible with the DLNA guidelines. Some manufacturers elect not to pursue DLNA certification because of the added cost.

     

    DLNA guidelines separate certified devices into three classes, Home Network Devices, Mobile Handheld Devices, and Home Infrastructure devices. Within the Home and Mobile device class are devices similar to the UPnP AV specified devices. DLNA specifies a Digital Media Server, Digital Media Renderer, and Digital Media Controller nearly identical to UPnP AV's Media Server, Media Renderer, and Control Point. One difference in the Home device class for DLNA is the addition of a Digital Media Player. The DMP functions as a Control Point and Renderer. Both browsing a Media Server and playback are capabilities of the DMP. UPnP AV non-DLNA devices have the same capability but the UPnP Forum doesn't separate the devices into a separate class. The Mobile Handheld DLNA device class includes devices similar to the Home class such as Mobile Digital Media Server and Mobile Digital Media Renderer. The Mobile class also includes a few devices such as an Uploader and Downloader. The capabilities are similar to other devices and cover the Mobile devices, and DLNA Home Infrastructure Devices, in depth is outside the scope of this guide.

     

     

     

     

    UPnP / DLNA In HiFi

     

    UPnP based audio/video has been around for years in mass market products such as TVs and disc players. One of the first HiFi manufacturers to release UPnP products was UK based Linn. In mid 2007 Linn released its Klimax DS network player to a technically unsavvy HiFi marketplace. The original Klimax DS was far from perfect but it was Linn's first network audio product. Plus much of the audio press failed to completely grasp the concept and rated the unit's usability poorly. Since the original Klimax DS release Linn has been on an unwavering UPnP network audio course. Ethernet is Linn's interface of choice no doubt about it. In recent years other HiFi manufactures including T+A, Audio Research, Naim, and dCS to name a few have released UPnP based products. Most manufacturers see UPnP as a good option but not the only option for computer based audio. I think this is the correct approach. UPnP or Ethernet based products aren't for everybody in every situation much the same as USB isn't for everybody all the time. Both interfaces have pros and cons. Neither one will completely kill off the other. UPnP software has slowly improved over the years, but remains far from perfect. Some products install directly on a NAS while others require the Windows operating system on a standard PC. Finding a software solution for a Media Server can be frustrating as each program functions a bit differently and offers different capabilities.

     

    Pros

    • UPnP based network audio is a dream come true for computer audiophiles who can't or won't place a music server or computer in their listening environments.
    • Aesthetically UPnP renderers such as the Linn DS series and dCS Upsampler look far better in a HiFi rack than any standard computer.
    • UPnP renderers and servers connect to networks via varying lengths of ethernet cables rather than USB, FireWire, or Thunderbolt. A single Ethernet cable can typically run 100 meters whereas USB is limited to around 16 feet.
    • Noisy network attached storage units / Media Servers can be place anywhere on the Ethernet network eliminating the possibility of noise creeping into the listening environment.
    • Playback from a UPnP Media Server to a Media Renderer is less prone to bit transparency issues as it doesn't use audio playback software or an operating system's audio engine for audio output. Thus, output modes like WASAPI and ASIO don't apply to UPnP playback.
    • Playback of different sample rates is automatic without the need for additional software as long as the UPnP renderer supports the same rate of the music being played.
    • UPnP Media Servers and Media Renderers usually require far less maintenance or zero updating where as computers running jack of all trades software require user attention more frequently.
    • Easy to electrically isolate Computer and NAS from the audio playback system.

     

     

     

    Cons

    • Network must be stable and robust for UPnP to function correctly at all sample rates.
    • Learning curve can be steep for users unfamiliar with UPnP terminology and networking.
    • An optimized system from network to NAS to Media Server to Media Renderer to Control Point is more likely to require professional setup from dealer than a standard computer based playback system.
    • Ideal configurations are much more complicated than the minimum requirements and much more complicated than music servers such as the Aurender or SOtM sMS-1000.
    • Ripping CDs in most cases still requires a computer because neither Media Server nor Media Renderer can rip these discs.
    • Editing metadata and music library management in most cases requires a computer running the same or similar software one would use for USB based playback.
    • Knowledge of network attached storage units and basic file sharing terminology is highly recommended for continued smooth use and operating of the entire system from CD ripping through final playback.
    • Troubleshooting issues such as dropouts, pops, ticks, lack of remote control, among others is much more complicated than troubleshooting with a locally attached music server.

     

     

     

     

    Recommendations and Examples

     

    UPnP audio playback requires a Media Server, Media Renderer, and Control Point in addition to a solid network infrastructure. The bare minimum requirements for UPnP playback will not lead to a successful or satisfying UPnP implementation. Computer audiophiles could squeak by with something as simple as a wired PC acting as the Server and Control Point sending audio to the Renderer of their choice. This type of configuration doesn't take advantage of UPnP's capabilities and doesn't invite one to use the system frequently. Stepping up to a high quality wired and wireless network and using separate UPnP devices when needed can increase one's enjoyment of his UPnP based audio system greatly. Selecting solid hardware and software, and configuring both correctly can eliminate most of the ills associated with UPnP audio such as pops, ticks, dropouts and unintended gapped playback. The following non-exhaustive list contains examples of Media Servers, Media Renderers, Control Points, and UPnP software. Readers should keep in mind that Media Servers and Control Points require both software and hardware. In addition, not all hardware and software are compatible with each other due to support for specific operating systems or serving and rendering hardware.

     

     

     

    UPnP AV Media Server Hardware

     

    • Synology Network Attached Storage (NAS) - Many NAS units can be UPnP AV Media Servers. I've had great success with Synology hardware and software. Using a NAS as a Media Server enables users to stream directly from the NAS to a Media Renderer. There are caveats to this approach such media servers software's lack of configuration options and possibly more limited support for file formats and navigation menus compared to PC or Mac based Media Server software.
    • Apple Macintosh - With the proper software any Mac can be a UPnP AV Media Server. UPnP Software choices for Mac are more limited compared to Windows based PCs.
    • Windows based PC - With the proper software any PC can be a UPnP AV Media Server.

     

     

     

    UPnP AV Media Server Software

     

    • Synology Media Server built-in application - This application is functional and gets the job done enabling users to stream music directly to HiFi systems. However, it isn't the most configurable, flexible, or thorough server software.
    • JRiver Media Center - JRMC is my favorite server software because it's highly configurable, flexible, thorough, and supports more file formats including DSD/DoP/DoPE than most other servers. Plus, JRiver support and responsiveness to feature requests is unmatched.
    • Illustrate's Asset UPnP - Asset is my second favorite UPnP software. It doesn't support all the formats that JRMC does and the support, while good, isn't as good as JRiver's.
    • MinimServer - This is an upcoming application that was first to support streaming DSD. Installation can be more difficult and frustrating than other UPnP server applications. MinimServer supports more platforms than any other server software. it can be installed directly on NAS units, Macs, PC, and LInux machines. Watch this application in the future for continued improvement. It has great potential.
    • Twonky - Twonky has been around for quite awhile but has been complained about for about as long as it has been around. It has improved over the years but remains inferior to other media server applications.
    • Linn Songbox - A Linn centric app that works well with Linn's Kinsky Control Point software. Songbox enables easy access to a user's iTunes library when installed on a Mac or PC.

     

     

    UPnP AV Control Point Hardware

     

    • Apple iOS based devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) - iOS devices have become a HiFi industry standard for use as Control Points. I use them daily and highly recommend them.
    • Android based devices - Android devices have great flexibility and give users great freedom. But, the UPnP AV Control Point application selection is not as large as iOS devices.
    • Apple Macintosh - With the proper software any Mac can be a UPnP AV Control Point.
    • Windows based PC - With the proper software any Mac can be a UPnP AV Control Point.

     

     

     

    UPnP AV Control Point Software

     

    • PlugPlayer - PP has undergone a few updates over the years that have improved its performance and stability nicely. It's still not the most stable app, but it's the most universal UPnP AV Control Point software. It's available for both desktop and mobile platforms.
    • Linn Kinsky - Linn centric. Available for both desktop and mobile platforms.
    • dCS HD - dCS iPad app works with Vivaldi Upsampler. Available for iOS devices only.
    • JRiver Media Center - JRMC is in a unique position because it functions as a Control Point, Media Server, and Renderer if enabled. As a Control Point on the desktop it works exactly like it does when playing music locally to a USB DAC. All the capabilities to edit metadata and curate one's music library are available in JRMC even when used as a Control Point. Here's where things get a little tricky. JRMC can also be controlled by JRemote for iOS. JRemote doesn't become the Control Point rather it's controlling the Control Point. Using JRemote it's possible to send music to multiple zones, control volume and of course select music among many other items. My favorite UPnP AV configuration includes JRemote.
    • Bubble DS - Android based Control Point software developed by a Linn DS user. I haven't used this app
    • Songbook - Has been around for awhile and has expanded to support Linn, Naim, T+A, and other UPnP hardware. Songbook runs on iOS devices and OS X desktops. Bookshelf Apps, the creator of Songbook, also develops similar apps for HiFi customers in need of custom Control Point software. Many HiFi companies using the Stream Unlimited UPnP platform also use a custom version of this app created by Bookshelf Apps.

     

     

    UPnP AV HiFi Media Renderers

     

    • Linn - DS Series
    • T+A - E Series, HV Series
    • Naim Audio - Uniti, ND Series
    • Simple Design - Rendu
    • Audio Research Corporation - Ref DAC
    • dCS Vivaldi - Upsampler
    • PS Audio - PWD w/ Bridge PS Audio PWD

     

     

     

    A successful HiFi UPnP implementation requires a robust and reliable wired and wireless network. I haven't used all makes and models of routers, switches, and wireless access points but I have used some good and some bad equipment over the years. My recommendations are based on experience with products at home and in an enterprise setting, conversations with colleagues, my understanding of the technology, and countless hours of research. Any or all of my recommended network components can be exchanged for something different easily. I can't say if other equipment will work as well, worse, or better than what I'm using, but I can say there are countless ways to achieve the same goal of a robust and reliable network infrastructure. I've settled on a very good combination of products for my own network that I recommend to nearly all UPnP audio users. I created my network to handle relatively high data throughput and simultaneous multi-zone high resolution audio/video streaming. Here is a list of what I use and why I use it, starting from the Internet and working my way inward.

     

     

    My Network

     

    • Internet Service - Comcast Extreme 105 Mbps - I live and work on the Internet and want the fastest connection I can reasonably get to save time and not inhibit any online activity I may need to test. Bring on the highest resolution downloads :~)
    • Modem - Cisco DPC3000 DOCSIS 3.0 - This modem supports Gigabit speed on both the WAN and LAN ports. It has been very solid. I've never had to reboot the modem.
    • Router - Cisco RVS4000 - This router supports Gigabit Ethernet on both the 1 WAN and 4 LAN ports. The web configuration of this router is fairly straight forward with enough features for me to accomplish what I need. I prefer a wired router without wireless capability because wireless is far better implemented by other devices and works better when located based on signal strength rather than proximity to the cable modem.
    • Ethernet Switch - Cisco SG200-26 - I like this Cisco switch because it has enough Gigabit Ethernet ports for my network devices, is highly configurable, has a large backplane, and it supports 802.3ad (Link Aggregation Control Protocol). The SG200-26 also works without any configuration when dropped into a network and plugged-in. This switch has a 38.69 Mpps switching capacity and 52 Gbps forwarding performance. This 52 Gbps forwarding performance is equal to the number of 1 Gbps ports x 2 because full duplex 1 Gbps ports are capable of 1 Gbps each way for a total of 2 Gbps. Some switches and many routers have what is called an over subscribed backplane. These switches may feature 26 ports but only offer forwarding throughput of 10 Gbps. It's cheaper to manufacturer a less capable switch and the companies are guessing the average home user won't put much data through the switch at one time. The chances of my network activities maxing out this Cisco switch are very small. But it's nice to know bandwidth isn't a problem if I have an issue streaming audio. I also like the SG200-26's support of 802.3ad (Link Aggregation Control Protocol). This enables me to connect both 1 Gbps ethernet ports from my Synology DS1812+ NAS to the switch and bond them into a single 2 Gbps (4 Gbps full duplex) port. My music servers only support 1 Gbps connections max so they can't take advantage of the additional bandwidth when pulling music from the NAS. However streaming 24/192 audio to five or six zones simultaneously is another story.
    • Ethernet Switch - Netgear GS108 - I place this switch right outside my listening room because I don't want to run eight individual Ethernet cables from my main Cisco switch to this area. The GS108 is a great performer. The unit has a fanless design as well. This Netgear switch is connected to the Cisco switch rather than through the Cisco router. I prefer to keep my network traffic on the high speed switches rather than send it through a router with questionable performance capabilities beyond its Internet traffic duties.
    • Wireless Access Points - Apple AirPort Extreme & Express- I use two AirPort Extremes in my house and one AirPort Express. The Extremes are set to Bridge mode acting solely as wireless access points with a single Ethernet connection back to my Cisco SG-200-26 switch. I don't believe the wired switching capabilities of the AirPort Extremes are nearly as robust as a Netgear GS108 or Cisco SG-200-26. Apple claims the Extremes have a four port switch, but Apple was unwilling to confirm this in writing or verbally when I asked if it's a true switch or simply a hub. The AirPort Express is configured as a separate wireless network that handles only the traffic from my Dropcams. Each of these cameras sends live audio and HD video back to the Dropcam mothership DVR 24/7/265 and can really slow down a wireless network.

     

     

     

    My main UPnP AV devices are the following, in order of preference. I have several other items running on my network for testing, but don't consider them my main devices or applications.

     

    Media Server Hardware / Software

     

    • CAPS Topanga running JRiver Media Center
    • Intel Next Unit of Computing (NUC) running Asset UPnP
    • Synology DS1812+ NAS running its native Media Server application
    • Synology DS1812+ NAS running MinimServer
    • Note: It's possible to run several Media Server applications on the same Media Server hardware. My Intel NUC runs Twonky, MinimServer, Asset UPnP, and JRMC without issue.

     

     

     

    Control Point Hardware / Software

     

    • Apple iPad running JRemote controlling JRiver Media Center
    • Apple iPad running PlugPlayer

     

     

     

    Here are four recommended UPnP configurations. Each one has its pros and cons. Users must decide for themselves what level of complexity they are comfortable with and what they want to accomplish with a UPnP based system. Some people prefer simple and stable while others prefer cutting edge even if a few issues arise from time to time. These recommendations have components that can be mixed and matched or combined. I highly recommend readers think about their needs first and foremost before settling on hardware and software devices and applications.

     

     

     

    System One

     

    This system is the easiest to use and setup because one computer is the Server, Control Point, CD ripper, library manager, and the network is very basic. The limitations of this system may be lack of disc space that's available to a NAS based system, it requires a powered on computer to steam audio, and may not be able to handle simultaneous high resolution audio streams.

     

    • Media Server - CAPS Topanga running JRiver Media Center and an external USB hard drive for music storage.
    • Control Point - JRiver Media Center running on the CAPS Topanga, but being controlled by JRemote on an iPad. It's much easier to think of JRemote running on the iPad as the Control Point, but that's technically inaccurate.
    • Media Renderer - Users choice of many HiFi components
    • Network - Apple AirPort Extreme connecting to the Internet modem, CAPS Topanga, and Media Renderer via wired Ethernet. The iPad controller connects to the Extreme via WiFi.
    • Misc. - The same CAPS Topanga PC can be used to rip CDs and manage the music library using JRMC. One additional note: A recent update to the JRemote application enables an iPad or iPhone to become a lossless Media Renderer by streaming audio from the JRMC Media Server directly to the iDevice without transcoding into MP3.

     

     

    SystemOne.png

     

     

     

    System Two

     

    This system should be popular with audiophiles seeking to keep a computer out of their listening rooms and powered off much of the time. This is a classic UPnP AV system with clearly defined Server, Renderer, and Control Point for straight forward use an it's fairly easy to understand the concept. The major benefit is no computer required while playing music. All music is stored on an expandable NAS with redundant drives and sent directly to the HiFi Renderer. Limitations of this system are an acceptable network and Media Server software that isn't flexible and doesn't provide a great menu structure for navigation. The Synology Media Server software also doesn't support DSD streaming. Control Point app PlugPlayer can be finicky and require the app and iPad to be on to continue playing audio in the queue.

     

    • Media Server - Synology NAS running the built-in Media Server UPnP AV / DLNA application.
    • Control Point - iPad running PlugPlayer
    • Media Renderer - Users choice of many HiFi components
    • Network - Apple AirPort Extreme connecting to the Internet modem, Synology NAS, and Media Renderer via wired Ethernet. The iPad controller connects to the Extreme via WiFi.
    • Misc. - A PC running dBpoweramp for CD ripping and JRiver Media Center for curating the music collection, or a Mac running XLD for CD ripping and JRiver Media Center for curating the music collection.

     

     

    SystemTwo.png

     

     

     

    System Three

     

    This system increases in complexity but also flexibility and network performance. Asset UPnP is a great Media Server application with several configuration options and rock solid performance. This system is better than the previous two systems because of Asset UPnP. Browsing and searching the music collection is nice and quick from an iPad. Asset enables the user to specify several folders to watch for new music added to the collection. I use this feature because I keep all my publicly available music in one folder, my private unavailable music in another folder, and other files for testing in several other folders. Asset watches the two important folders whereas the Synology Media Server app can only watch a single folder. Using the Synology app I would have to select the top most folder. Thus, my library would contain all kinds of test files that are named weirdly or have the same track compressed in every format available. Limitations of this system are the PlugPlayer Control Point app, as compared to JRemote, and no DSD streaming support. Users with Renderers from dCS or Linn could install a custom Control Point app on the iPad to enhance the browsing and selection experience and remove PlugPlayer. However, this is still not as good as JRMC with JRemote. The Netgear switch in this system keep all audio traffic local to the switch without routing through the AirPort.

     

    • Media Server - CAPS Topanga or Intel NUC with a mapped drive to the Synology NAS, running Asset UPnP. Asset is configured to watch the appropriate folders on a Synology NAS.
    • Control Point - iPad running PlugPlayer or Custom app from manufacturer.
    • Media Renderer - Users choice of many HiFi components.
    • Network - Apple AirPort Extreme connecting to the Internet modem and a Netgear GS108 switch. The Synology NAS, Asset UPnP PC, and Media Renderer connect to the GS108 via wired Ethernet. The iPad controller connects to the Extreme via WiFi.
    • Misc. - A PC running dBpoweramp for CD ripping and JRiver Media Center for curating the music collection, or a Mac running XLD for CD ripping and JRiver Media Center for curating the music collection. If using a PC the ripping and curating programs can be installed on the Asset UPnP computer.

     

     

    SystemThree.png

     

     

     

    System Four

     

    This system is exactly what I use most often. I don't believe there is anything related to UPnP / DLNA that I can't accomplish with this system. The network is rock solid and very fast. The CAPS server has plenty of power to handle multi zone playback of high resolution audio including DSD. I stress tested this system using one local USB DAC connection and five UPnP Renderers simultaneously. I successfully played 24 bit / 192 kHz high resolution audio in all six zones without the PC or network hiccuping once. The HiFi renderers included a dCS Vivaldi Upsampler, Linn Akurate DSM, Simple Design Rendu Ethernet DAC, and two Simple Design Rendu Ethernet to S/PDIF converters. Using JRemote on my iPad I was able to select each zone, control music selection and playback, and adjust the volume levels of each zone individually. JRiver can also be set to link two or more zones for playback of the same music in the linked zones. This system has similarities with each of the previous systems, but doesn't compromise at any point. Potential pitfalls with this system are all related to complexity of setup and user knowledge of computers and networking. Once setup the system operates wonderfully. However, if a specific Renderer has issues reproducing audio without dropouts, pops, or ticks it is very helpful to have an understanding of each component in the chain, how the components might effect playback, and how to make configuration adjustments. I much prefer this type of system because I can adjust each piece independently. System one using a single PC and a minimally adequate network is easier to use, but lacks ultimate flexibility and performance. System two using the Synology built-in Media Server app is primitive compared to the flexibility of system four. System three has a very nice Media Server but lacks a great Control Point application because of this Media Server application. System four has it all.

     

    Here is a screenshot of JRiver Media Center playing 24 bit / 192 kHz high resolution audio to six zones simultaneously.

     

    • Media Server - CAPS Topanga running JRiver Media Center with a mapped drive to a Synology DS1812+ NAS. JRMC's main library (on the NAS) is used rather than connecting to another library. This NAS doesn't run any UPnP Media Server software. The NAS currently has 16 TB of disk but can be expanded to 108 TB with larger drives and a Synology expansion unit. The NAS runs RAID5 for redundancy and has two USB 3.0 4 TB drives attached directly to it for automated backup of my music collection. As an added layer of backup protection, simply because I can, the DS1812+ backs up over the network to another Synology NAS on a weekly basis. All of this is automatic once configured in the Synology DSM control panel. As mentioned previously the NAS is connected via two Gbps Ethernet cables to a Cisco switch where the ports are bonded into a single port capable of doubling the speed to 2 Gbps.
    • Control Point - Similar to system one, system four pushes the boundaries of the precise definition of a Control Point. According to UPnP AV specifications the CP only sends instructions not music. Here JRMC controls playback but also uses its main library to serve music. If JRMC was set to use another library such as one from an Asset UPnP Server, then it would better fit the definition of a Control Point. In addition to all of this, I use an iPad running JRemote to control JRMC. Again, it's a remote control for the Control Point. For ease of understanding, but never to be written on an exam, readers can think of the CAPS PC with JRMC as the Media Server only and JRemote on an iPad as the Control Point.
    • Media Renderer - Users choice of many HiFi components.
    • Network - I recommend my exact network that is listed and explained extensively in a previous section.
    • Misc. - I rip CDs using my MacBook Pro retina running Parallels with Windows 7 and a USB Blu-ray drive. I use dBpoweramp for CD ripping directly to the Synology DS1812+ NAS. Once the music is on the NAS and imported into the JRiver Media Center library I use JRMC to edit metadata. One additional note: A recent update to the JRemote application enables an iPad or iPhone to become a lossless Media Renderer by streaming audio from the JRMC Media Server directly to the iDevice without transcoding into MP3.

     

     

    SystemFour.png

     

     

     

    Wrap-up

     

    This Complete Guide To High End UPnP / DLNA Network Audio covers important elements for a successful UPnP HiFi implementation. It doesn't explain every last detail or every possible configuration. A book could be written about each step in the UPnP playback chain, but I elected to leave out tedious information of no use to audiophiles. Documents from the UPnP and DLNA organizations were used as reference material when needed. I would like to thank Simple Design for loaning me three Rendu UPnP converters for testing while writing this guide and Matt at JRiver for answering a few questions about UPnP/DLNA.

       

    Links

     

    Apple ex.png

    Asset UPnP ex.png

    Audio Research Corporation ex.png

    Bookshelf Apps ex.png

    Cisco ex.png

    dBpoweramp ex.png

    dCS ex.png

    DLNA ex.png

    JRemote ex.png

    JRiver ex.png

    Linn ex.png

    MinimServer ex.png

    Naim ex.png

    Netgear ex.png

    PlugPlayer ex.png

    PS Audio ex.png

    Simple Design ex.png

    Synology ex.png

    T+A ex.png

    Twonky ex.png

    UPnP ex.png

     

     

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    Superdad
    Just wanted to let you guys know that after quite a lot of tweaking I got my Resolution Audio Cantata working wirelessly with UPnP. Here's my chain:

    Win7 64 bit PC (on 24/7)>foobar2000 UPnP server (from bubbleguuum)>Netgear R4500 (router)>Netgear WNCE4004 (wireless adapter)>RA Cantata

    I'm using UPnPlay as Controller.

    This way I'm able to use it similar to the way I've been using my SB Touch.

    Now I'll compare with the Touch to see which of both fares better. Will be using stock USB cable on Touch and Rosewill Cat7 ethernet cable on Cantata.

    Let's see how that goes.

    Best regards

     

     

    I look forward to hearing your impressions! I know the Cantata is a great DAC/CDP just on its own. Jeff did s terrific job with it. And its about the nicest looking PCM1704 DACs still made. I tried to get a friend of mine to buy a Cantata. Would have been perfect for his set-up.

     

    I probably asked you this before, but have you tried it with the RA Pont Neuf USB>Ethernet adapter?

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    wappinghigh

    Oppo can be added to the list of Media render's Chris. I'm doing it right now serving MinimServer via plugplayer. And that includes multichannel. Not DSD though. Wap.

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    Bens993

    How is he getting upnp with an apple router.. I just installed a AirPort Extreme ac to replace my ea4200 linksys and my 24/192 receiver quit finding my synology?? how did you configure the airport.

     

     

     

     

     

    Nice and concise guide Chris. Sure beats piecing together the puzzle from Wikipedia and various UPnP/DLNA product vendors!

     

    A few random questions:

     

    1) Is the Cisco SG200-26 switch you recommend a fanless design? I am looking for a modestly priced managed gigabit switch to replace my old Asante 10/100. But it has to reside in my studio so no fans allowed.

     

    2) You stated that "A recent update to the JRemote application enables an iPad or iPhone to become a lossless Media Renderer by streaming audio from the JRMC Media Server directly to the iDevice without transcoding into MP3."

    I used to have fun sometimes hooking up a Devilsound DAC that Jonathan gave me to my first gen iPad with the Camera Connection Kit (then an iOS update made the iPad query USB power usage and reject the Devilsound; but it still can work with a powered hub).

    If JRemote is allowing iPads to act as a renderer--accepting files up to what resolution?--then how about trying to run that out to a DAC via the CCK USB adapter? That could be VERY cool. An iPad as Control Point and Renderer feeding a high-end DAC!

     

    3) It seems a shame that Apple keeps locking down the DAAP protocol and keeping out third parties, because iTunes is still one of the best library curation/player interfaces. And according to your survey of UPnP AV Media Server software, solutions for OS X are still very thin on the ground. Any thoughts on this, other than waiting for JRiver Mac to mature a bit?

     

    4) Does the Linn Songbox/Kinsky combo work only with Linn renderers? I ask because they have an OS X version and the interface is probably pretty refined.

     

    Thanks again,

    ALEX

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    radiomir

    I'm new to this, and am struggling to understand why you would need a separate media renderer (as shown above) if you were using a media server connected to a DAC.

     

    My ideal system would allow me to manage my library from my iMac using either iTunes+ Audirvana or JRiver for mac, but play the music in a different room, hence the need for a server setup. JRiver would be great if I could confirm that I could get JRiver for mac to sync with iTunes so I could in turn use iTunes to sync with my iDevices (I know there is MCiS for PC version of JRiver, but don't know of anything for Mac). JRiver is appealing to me because I would also like use my iPhone to pull bitperfect music from the media server to listen through various DAC/headphone amps that I would use throughout my home when I wansn't in my main listening room. I think JRiver offers this for iphone capability for PC but I am not sure about mac. Perhaps I could use iTunes home sharing for this function, but I don't know if this is limited in sample rate. Another consideration is that I would like to manage two separate audio libraries (one for me and one for my wife), but have it be easy at listening end to pull from either library.

     

    I have a budget of around $3500 for any combination of NAS, Server, Streamer, and/or DAC (my current Wadia 170 ipod transport plus Cambridge DacMagic DAC will be replaced). At first I was thinking of setting up a NAS and buying either a Mac Mini or something like a Linn Majik DSM to stream to my DAC. I then started thinking of building my own music server using CAPS Zuma as a starting point (I've built a gaming PC before), but based on the setups listed in this article, it appears I would still need a renderer (like a Linn Majik DSM or Naim streamer). Why is this? I would gladly pay for a renderer/network streamer if it had a quality built in DAC, but otherwise I thought I could get better sound buying a quality DAC and using Mac Mini or building a CAPS-like audio only pc/server.

     

    Any thoughts? Also, sorry for the long post. I've been reading this and other sites for a while now and figured I could ask small questions all over or give the big picture in one place. By the way, my amp is the integrated PrimaLuna Dialogue Two and I will soon be replacing my NHT Classic Three speakers with Sonus Faber Venere 2.5, GoldenEar Triton Two, PSB Imagine T2, Revel Performa3 F206, or Nola Contenders - as soon as I can decide.

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    The Computer Audiophile
    I'm new to this, and am struggling to understand why you would need a separate media renderer (as shown above) if you were using a media server connected to a DAC.

     

    My ideal system would allow me to manage my library from my iMac using either iTunes+ Audirvana or JRiver for mac, but play the music in a different room, hence the need for a server setup. JRiver would be great if I could confirm that I could get JRiver for mac to sync with iTunes so I could in turn use iTunes to sync with my iDevices (I know there is MCiS for PC version of JRiver, but don't know of anything for Mac). JRiver is appealing to me because I would also like use my iPhone to pull bitperfect music from the media server to listen through various DAC/headphone amps that I would use throughout my home when I wansn't in my main listening room. I think JRiver offers this for iphone capability for PC but I am not sure about mac. Perhaps I could use iTunes home sharing for this function, but I don't know if this is limited in sample rate. Another consideration is that I would like to manage two separate audio libraries (one for me and one for my wife), but have it be easy at listening end to pull from either library.

     

    I have a budget of around $3500 for any combination of NAS, Server, Streamer, and/or DAC (my current Wadia 170 ipod transport plus Cambridge DacMagic DAC will be replaced). At first I was thinking of setting up a NAS and buying either a Mac Mini or something like a Linn Majik DSM to stream to my DAC. I then started thinking of building my own music server using CAPS Zuma as a starting point (I've built a gaming PC before), but based on the setups listed in this article, it appears I would still need a renderer (like a Linn Majik DSM or Naim streamer). Why is this? I would gladly pay for a renderer/network streamer if it had a quality built in DAC, but otherwise I thought I could get better sound buying a quality DAC and using Mac Mini or building a CAPS-like audio only pc/server.

     

    Any thoughts? Also, sorry for the long post. I've been reading this and other sites for a while now and figured I could ask small questions all over or give the big picture in one place. By the way, my amp is the integrated PrimaLuna Dialogue Two and I will soon be replacing my NHT Classic Three speakers with Sonus Faber Venere 2.5, GoldenEar Triton Two, PSB Imagine T2, Revel Performa3 F206, or Nola Contenders - as soon as I can decide.

    Hi Radiomir - I'm not certain what you're asking but with a few back and forth comments I'm sure we'll get this figured out for you.

     

    You have to have some kind of computer, whether that's a NAS or full computer, for playback. You can stream directly from a NAS to a renderer that contains a DAC or just digital to digital conversion. Or, you can use a direct connection to your DAC from a computer.

     

     

    You don't need a separate renderer if as you said, "you were using a media server connected to a DAC." Renderers come into play when streaming audio over Ethernet or WiFi.

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    radiomir

    Hello and thanks for the response. I guess I am confused because all of the systems outlined in this article show a media server (either NAS with server software or CAPS Topanga) physically connected to a media renderer (Linn picture). I understand why you would need a media renderer in System 2 because there must be something to process the signal from media storage and I'm guessing the NAS lacks enough processing power to handle server and rendering capabilities (and also probably most NAS is not set up with physically pass a decent signal directly to a DAC (Is this correct?). However, I don't quite understand why, if there is a CAPS Topanga (or a Mac Mini, or any other such computer), there also needs to be a separate media renderer like the Linn (giving you two computers, the Topanga and the Linn). What purpose does the media renderer serve in this case?

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    The Computer Audiophile
    I guess I am confused because all of the systems outlined in this article show a media server (either NAS with server software or CAPS Topanga) physically connected to a media renderer (Linn picture).

     

    Connected to the same network with an Ethernet cable, not directly connected to the renderer.

     

     

     

     

    I understand why you would need a media renderer in System 2 because there must be something to process the signal from media storage and I'm guessing the NAS lacks enough processing power to handle server and rendering capabilities (and also probably most NAS is not set up with physically pass a decent signal directly to a DAC (Is this correct?).

     

    You need a renderer to reproduce sound. A NAS has no speakers and no Digital to Analog Converter. A NAS can be connected directly to a USB DAC, but the results are not good.

     

     

     

     

     

    However, I don't quite understand why, if there is a CAPS Topanga (or a Mac Mini, or any other such computer), there also needs to be a separate media renderer like the Linn (giving you two computers, the Topanga and the Linn). What purpose does the media renderer serve in this case?

     

    You either need a DAC connected to the Topanga or you need a renderer like the Linn to convert digital audio into analog sound.

     

     

    Are you getting confused as to why I use both a NAS and a Windows computer to feed files to a renderer? I use a NAS for its large storage capacity and a PC for its much better DLNA / UPnP software. If I connect a DAC to the PC it's no longer a DLNA / UPnP based solution rather its just a PC with USB DAC. Sending the audio over Ethernet to the renderer makes it a DLNA / UPnP solution and the user receives all the benefits of such a solution.

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    radiomir

     

    You either need a DAC connected to the Topanga or you need a renderer like the Linn to convert digital audio into analog sound.

     

     

    Ok, this what I wanted to confirm, that a renderer is unnecessary if you have the Topanga (or other PC) connected to a DAC.

     

    The setup I was imagining was a NAS set up as a DLNA/UPnp server connected to an Airport Extreme in one room; then in a different room having a CAPS or Mac Mini in my listening room connected to another Airport Extreme and acting as a streamer, which would then output to a dac, and then on to amplification. I realize now that this is essentially your system 2, except I am using two wireless routers instead of direct ethernet connection and I would be using a PC instead of an renderer like the Linn (which is just an audio specific pc built by an audio company anyway). Also, the PC in my proposed setup would not acting as a server (the NAS would). And so the downside of this, assuming I cannot run JRiver on a NAS, is that without a PC media server, I would be limited to inferior media server software - hence, most of your systems have both a server pc and a renderer. As far as DACs are concerned, if I went with a renderer, the renderer would have a quality built-in DAC or if not, I could bypass that duty to an external DAC. If I didn't use a renderer, I would need an external DAC because a Mac Mini or Topanga's DAC capabilities are not adequate for this application.

     

    So, assuming I have this straight, I guess I'm left with these questions:

     

    1. Are there any sonic benefits to using a renderer instead of a Mac Mini or custom built PC connected to a DAC? Obviously this depends highly on the quality of the components, but is there a general consensus that one method is better all other things being equal?

     

    2. How are the built-in DAC capabilites of renderers in general? Is it more cost effective to spend money on a a renderer, or get a cheaper renderer and a good DAC.

     

    3. Based on my original post, which outlined what I want to do with my system, are there any recommendations on how to setup my system? To recap, I want this solution to allow me to:

     

    • Store music files on a network, to be managed by a computer that will not be in the audio chain
      • Management will be done by iTunes or JRiver for mac on multiple libraries (one for me, one for my wife, maybe one that includes holiday songs)
      • If management is by JRiver, I want libraries to sync between JRiver and iTunes, so I can still add music to iDevices
      • Storage can be by NAS or PC server + external attached storage

       

      [*]Files can be accessed by at least one main room media renderer of some sort (whether a custom PC, Mac Mini, or audio company built renderer like Linn Majik or Bryston BDP) - perhaps more rooms later.

      [*]HD Files can be accessed over network by an iphone to pass along to portable DAC/headphone amp(s).

      [*]Control of playback is easy through iPhone and/or iPad

     

    Hopefully this is all possible. I am eager to get this figured out so I can just listen and stop thinking about it. Again thanks for the help.

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    The Computer Audiophile
    The setup I was imagining was a NAS set up as a DLNA/UPnp server connected to an Airport Extreme in one room; then in a different room having a CAPS or Mac Mini in my listening room connected to another Airport Extreme and acting as a streamer, which would then output to a dac, and then on to amplification.

    I would not use the NAS as a DLNA / UPnP server in this situation. Just map a drive to your NAS from the PC and use iTunes to JRiver Media Center to serve the library even though the music is stored on the NAS.

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    radiomir
    I would not use the NAS as a DLNA / UPnP server in this situation. Just map a drive to your NAS from the PC and use iTunes to JRiver Media Center to serve the library even though the music is stored on the NAS.

     

    Would both the media management computer and the PC have libraries mapped to the same files on the NAS, then? Which one is acting as the server? Also, I am not sure what you mean by "use iTunes to Jriver" to serve the library. Was that supposed to be an "or"? At any rate, I don't want to have to go turn on my media management computer (an iMac in a separate room) every time I want to listen in the main room or use the iphone and headphone amp/dac combo mentioned above. I'm not sure the setup I originally imagined (which you quoted in your recent response) is what I really want. Probably my last response was too long to read through all the way. Sorry! If you can get through it, though, I'd love some recommendations!

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    The Computer Audiophile
    Would both the media management computer and the PC have libraries mapped to the same files on the NAS, then? Which one is acting as the server? Also, I am not sure what you mean by "use iTunes to Jriver" to serve the library. Was that supposed to be an "or"? At any rate, I don't want to have to go turn on my media management computer (an iMac in a separate room) every time I want to listen in the main room or use the iphone and headphone amp/dac combo mentioned above. I'm not sure the setup I originally imagined (which you quoted in your recent response) is what I really want. Probably my last response was too long to read through all the way. Sorry! If you can get through it, though, I'd love some recommendations!

     

    Supposed to be the word OR not TO.

     

    The PC is the media management computer with the main JRiver library. The files reside on the NAS as a storage device only. You could share the files on the NAS via some integrated NAS package if you want.

     

    You can have as many computers as you want map a drive to the NAS if needed.

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    wappinghigh

    I've just got onto a "System 4" type of setup. Running the main Zone OF JRiver on OSX on a Mac Pro. Thanks to a heads up from Paul R. Even got JRiver streaming to on the fly down converted DSD and 24bit files to my Sonos Zones. :) Gee.. does this have potential!!!

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    riotubes

    When using JRemote on iPad, does the use of JRemote or the iPad impose a bit depth/sampling rate limit to what can be streamed (i.e. 24/96kHZ for example) or can this combo be used to stream higher sampling rates?

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    The Computer Audiophile
    When using JRemote on iPad, does the use of JRemote or the iPad impose a bit depth/sampling rate limit to what can be streamed (i.e. 24/96kHZ for example) or can this combo be used to stream higher sampling rates?

    If streaming to a DLNA renderer there is no limit. If streaming back to the iPad I believe JRemote sets a limit.

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    pdf1964
    I've just got onto a "System 4" type of setup. Running the main Zone OF JRiver on OSX on a Mac Pro. Thanks to a heads up from Paul R. Even got JRiver streaming to on the fly down converted DSD and 24bit files to my Sonos Zones. :) Gee.. does this have potential!!!

     

    I am very interested in how you were able to convert DSD files on the fly via DLNA from jRiver. My understanding is that you had to be direct connected via ASIO or WASAPI in order to accomplish this.

     

    Thanks,

    Paul

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    Yann

    Hi there!

     

    Very nice article, it helped me understand the principles of DLNA a lot better!

    I however have a question; all the media renderers mentioned here have a build in amplifier (or am I wrong here?), but I have a perfect stereo at home with an aux input so I'd rather not buy a renderer with an amplifier. Is there any media renderer that would fit in the setups mentioned above that I could plug into the aux input of my stereo?

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    marantzfan

    Wow, for someone just getting into this, your guide is quite a wealth of information. It looks like I have a lot of reading in my future.

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    Thunder240

    This is a fantastic article!

     

    I'm wondering if someone can help me figure it why I can't play 96k or greater audio over my dnla network? Specifically, hi res audio playback leads to a loud pulsating sound. Musical tones from the tracks are still audible, but the pulsating noise that is on top of is so loud that the tracks are entirely unlistenable.

     

    Here are the specifics of my system:

     

    Mac Mini with FireWire 800 external hard drive storing my music library, running OS X 10.6.8

     

    JRiver for Mac 19, configured as a dnla server, serving music as PCM 24 bit

     

    Home network comprised of 3 Airport expresses (offering both 2,4 and 5 GHz networks). One AE is connected by CAT6 to fiber optic modem. The other two AEs are configured to extend the 2.4 GHz network

     

    Renderer is a Sony BDP-S580 connected to one of the two daughter AEs via CAT6 Ethernet. Sony device's interface serves as the control point.

     

    I've done the following already to try to isolate the problem:

     

    - pause music, wait a minute, then unpause. No effect on 192 kHz tracks. 96khz tracks offer a couple seconds of clean playback (< 5 secs) and then pulsing resumes

     

    - Reconfigure the daughter AE that connects the Sony renderer as a network device (no longer extending the WIFI network). Problem remains.

     

    - Test the renderer using a USB flash loaded with hi-res music. It plays the music fine, no pulsating sound.

     

    - Try Twonky in place of JRiver on my Mac Mini as the server software. Problem remains.

     

    - use the Apple Airport Diagnostic tool to search for a channel with minimal noise, and configure all AEs to use that channel. Problem remains

     

    - disconnect the renderer from the AE, configure it for a wifi connection on both 2.4 and 5 GHz nets. Problem remains.

     

    - configure JRiver to stream audio as original rather than PCM 2.4. Renderer does not support ALAC or FLAC playback. Problem remains when playing aiff files.

     

    - playing 48 kHz 24 bit audio. This is interesting. Pulsing is still present but noticeably less than with higher res. pausing a track for a minute or so allows for clean playback for the remainder of the track (presumably because the track has bed sufficiently buffered)

     

     

    The renderer has no problem playing uncompressed CD quality audio over the dnla net.

     

    I strongly suspect the problem is with my network configuration. However, I haven't been able to verify this because I don't have an Ethernet cable that's long enough to facilitate testing other configurations like connecting the renderer to the parent AE. But even if I did have such a cable, my wife would never let me snake Ethernet all over the house, not even to connect the AEs together. In-wall Ethernet runs might be possible, but the cost would be steep.

     

    Any ideas? First, are there some other possibilities that don't involve reconfiguring the network? Second, assuming it is the network, any idea how I can get better performance without using Ethernet runs? Is there a magic setting I can change to allow the AEs to pass clean hi res audio?

     

    Thanks!

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    Thunder240

    Yann, from personal experience, both the Sony BDP S580 and Sony PS3 work fine as renderers, and neither has a built in amp. Either can be connected to a receiver or preamp. The PS3 does not support any hi res audio format, however. And as you can tell from my earlier post, the BDP S580 is designed support hi res PCM audio playback, although I'm having other issues getting that hi res playback to work that may or may not involve the renderer (jury is still out on the cause of the issue). Notwithstanding the limitations on hi res playback, I'm perfectly happy with the BDP S580. Built-in control point interface could be a little nicer, but playback quality is great. I output using SPIDF to my stereo's digital preamp (an Emotiva XDA-1).

     

    Hi there!

     

    Very nice article, it helped me understand the principles of DLNA a lot better!

    I however have a question; all the media renderers mentioned here have a build in amplifier (or am I wrong here?), but I have a perfect stereo at home with an aux input so I'd rather not buy a renderer with an amplifier. Is there any media renderer that would fit in the setups mentioned above that I could plug into the aux input of my stereo?

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    Priaptor

    I am in the process of demoing the MSB UMT+ which uses an OPPO 103 as the renderer and would love to know if anyone has ever gotten an OPPO 103 to work gapless. The inability to do gapless is a non-starter for me, regardless of how good the UMT+ sounds.

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    The Computer Audiophile
    This is a fantastic article!

     

    I'm wondering if someone can help me figure it why I can't play 96k or greater audio over my dnla network? Specifically, hi res audio playback leads to a loud pulsating sound. Musical tones from the tracks are still audible, but the pulsating noise that is on top of is so loud that the tracks are entirely unlistenable.

     

    Here are the specifics of my system:

     

    Mac Mini with FireWire 800 external hard drive storing my music library, running OS X 10.6.8

     

    JRiver for Mac 19, configured as a dnla server, serving music as PCM 24 bit

     

    Home network comprised of 3 Airport expresses (offering both 2,4 and 5 GHz networks). One AE is connected by CAT6 to fiber optic modem. The other two AEs are configured to extend the 2.4 GHz network

     

    Renderer is a Sony BDP-S580 connected to one of the two daughter AEs via CAT6 Ethernet. Sony device's interface serves as the control point.

     

    I've done the following already to try to isolate the problem:

     

    - pause music, wait a minute, then unpause. No effect on 192 kHz tracks. 96khz tracks offer a couple seconds of clean playback (< 5 secs) and then pulsing resumes

     

    - Reconfigure the daughter AE that connects the Sony renderer as a network device (no longer extending the WIFI network). Problem remains.

     

    - Test the renderer using a USB flash loaded with hi-res music. It plays the music fine, no pulsating sound.

     

    - Try Twonky in place of JRiver on my Mac Mini as the server software. Problem remains.

     

    - use the Apple Airport Diagnostic tool to search for a channel with minimal noise, and configure all AEs to use that channel. Problem remains

     

    - disconnect the renderer from the AE, configure it for a wifi connection on both 2.4 and 5 GHz nets. Problem remains.

     

    - configure JRiver to stream audio as original rather than PCM 2.4. Renderer does not support ALAC or FLAC playback. Problem remains when playing aiff files.

     

    - playing 48 kHz 24 bit audio. This is interesting. Pulsing is still present but noticeably less than with higher res. pausing a track for a minute or so allows for clean playback for the remainder of the track (presumably because the track has bed sufficiently buffered)

     

     

    The renderer has no problem playing uncompressed CD quality audio over the dnla net.

     

    I strongly suspect the problem is with my network configuration. However, I haven't been able to verify this because I don't have an Ethernet cable that's long enough to facilitate testing other configurations like connecting the renderer to the parent AE. But even if I did have such a cable, my wife would never let me snake Ethernet all over the house, not even to connect the AEs together. In-wall Ethernet runs might be possible, but the cost would be steep.

     

    Any ideas? First, are there some other possibilities that don't involve reconfiguring the network? Second, assuming it is the network, any idea how I can get better performance without using Ethernet runs? Is there a magic setting I can change to allow the AEs to pass clean hi res audio?

     

    Thanks!

    You fighting an uphill battle trying high resolution via wireless on AE units. I suggest moving the components into one room to wire them with Ethernet for testing. I'd never extend a wireless 802.11n network. Half your bandwidth is lost by the extension.

     

    Can an you draw a crude diagram if your network?

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    Thunder240

    I didn't realize that there's such a loss of bandwidth using "extend a network" mode on the AE! I'll borrow a long ethernet cable from someone for testing, as suggested.

     

    In the mean time, I did some minor reconfiguring. As I previously described, only the 2.4 GHz net is extended. However, now AE#3 joins AE#1's 5 GHz network as a network device, and the Sony renderer plugs into AE#3 using ethernet. The Mac Mini server connects to AE#1 on the 5 GHz network. All of my non-media work is done on the 2.4 GHz network, which is the network that is extended by AE#2, while the 5 GHz network un-extended network is used for DNLA as well streaming other media to the Sony device.

     

    I imagine that under this configuration the 802.11n 5GHz net ought to be able operate at high bandwidth. The good news is that I can play 44.1 kHz 24 bit music with no pulsing. The bad news is that 96 kHz music (in either 16 or 24 bit-depths) still gives me the awful pulsing sound. The weired thing is that when I use the Sony device to stream Netflix, it reports bandwidths of 7-10 Mbps, and the stream looks great, no choppiness. This ought to be more than enough bandwidth for a 96 kHz 24 bit audio stream (which uncompressed is ~ 4.8 MBps).

     

    Does this make any sense?

     

    See diagram of current configuration:home_network.jpg

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    The Computer Audiophile

    Terrific, thanks for the diagram. Now I have a much better picture of what's going on.

     

    To be honest I don't thing you can ever make this setup stream 96 kHz content without issues. Neflix says what it says about bandwidth, but keep in mind it's very unscientific and Netflix movies stream at incredibly lossy rates. I use Netflix as well and laugh at its Super HD label. If you want apples to apples you could convert your 96 or 192 content to very lossy MP3 and I bet it would stream just fine. It's still 96 or 192 but most of the information is gone. That's how Netflix works.

     

    Looking at your network most engineers would say it must work because the bandwidth is there (1+1=2 type of thing). However, in practice you're fighting an uphill battle. Variables like running both 2.4 and 5 GHz network on one AE, Mac connected via wireless, and Renderer connected via wireless can't help the situation.

     

    Edit: Just looked again and see the renderer is running via Ethernet to the AE. This is good but doesn't change my opinion.

     

    Here is what I would do in your situation.

     

    I'm guessing your AE1 is acting as the router between the WAN and LAN. That's not ideal but probably not a show stopper if it's got two Ethernet ports.

     

    1. Purchase a real Ethernet switch like the Netgear GS108 or GS105. Place this on the LAN port of your AE1.

     

    2. Purchase Neatgear XAVB5101 power line networking units to connect the Mac Mini and Renderer to the switch via wired Ethernet. I believe you can run a one-to-many configuration where you have a single XAVB5101 at the switch connecting to two XAVB5101s (one at Mac and one at renderer).

     

     

    Another way to try this is to connect the Mac and Renderer via Ethernet to an AE directly and let the AE handle all the wireless traffic. It sound weird but the wireless implementations in computers and renderers are usually subpar compared to dedicated wireless devices. You can also look at my article about Airport Extremes using 802.11ac. There is a configuration similar to what I described above that would work for you. it all comes down to what you want to spend to make it work.

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    Thunder240

    Chris, thank you very much for these two suggested configurations. Both make sense to me, and I see no reason I couldn't try them both out, especially if I buy the components off Amazon so that I can return if I'm not satisfied.

     

    Let me ask you a few questions about them:

     

    - Under configuration 1, I'm passing digital audio through the power lines in my wall rather than over wifi. How likely am I to pick up line noise? Is it fair to assume that any line noise I pick up is less than I'm currently getting on the 5 GHz RF band? I imagine with or without line noise, you believe the sound quality is still superior to downsampling my music to 48 kHz, or else you wouldn't have bothered to suggest it!

     

    - Would it work to plug one of those XAVB5101 devices into an a power line conditioner? Even if the conditioner doesn't do anything to improve the signal, it would actually be easier for me this way, at least in the room where the renderer is located, since I already have a Panamax in my audio rig, and I don't have any spare wall outlets in that room.

     

    - As you noted in your EDIT, my renderer is currently running off Ethernet into AE3. So the only difference between the current configuration and configuration 2 is that I now run the Mac Mini off Ethernet into one if the AEs, correct?

     

    - I don't actually have a need for the 2.4 GHz network. I set up two networks because I thought I'd be better off isolating my media traffic from my non-media traffic. If you think it would actually improve performance to put all traffic (media and non-media) onto a single network, either 2.4 or 5, I can do that, except that I'd still need to run AE2 in "extend a network" mode. Assuming for a moment that I don't end up running configuration 1, do you think I'm better off keeping two simultaneous wifi networks and running the DNLA on the un-extended wifi network, or consolidating to a single extended network?

     

    Thanks again. This is incredibly helpful.

     

    Terrific, thanks for the diagram. Now I have a much better picture of what's going on.

     

    To be honest I don't thing you can ever make this setup stream 96 kHz content without issues. Neflix says what it says about bandwidth, but keep in mind it's very unscientific and Netflix movies stream at incredibly lossy rates. I use Netflix as well and laugh at its Super HD label. If you want apples to apples you could convert your 96 or 192 content to very lossy MP3 and I bet it would stream just fine. It's still 96 or 192 but most of the information is gone. That's how Netflix works.

     

    Looking at your network most engineers would say it must work because the bandwidth is there (1+1=2 type of thing). However, in practice you're fighting an uphill battle. Variables like running both 2.4 and 5 GHz network on one AE, Mac connected via wireless, and Renderer connected via wireless can't help the situation.

     

    Edit: Just looked again and see the renderer is running via Ethernet to the AE. This is good but doesn't change my opinion.

     

    Here is what I would do in your situation.

     

    I'm guessing your AE1 is acting as the router between the WAN and LAN. That's not ideal but probably not a show stopper if it's got two Ethernet ports.

     

    1. Purchase a real Ethernet switch like the Netgear GS108 or GS105. Place this on the LAN port of your AE1.

     

    2. Purchase Neatgear XAVB5101 power line networking units to connect the Mac Mini and Renderer to the switch via wired Ethernet. I believe you can run a one-to-many configuration where you have a single XAVB5101 at the switch connecting to two XAVB5101s (one at Mac and one at renderer).

     

     

    Another way to try this is to connect the Mac and Renderer via Ethernet to an AE directly and let the AE handle all the wireless traffic. It sound weird but the wireless implementations in computers and renderers are usually subpar compared to dedicated wireless devices. You can also look at my article about Airport Extremes using 802.11ac. There is a configuration similar to what I described above that would work for you. it all comes down to what you want to spend to make it work.

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    The Computer Audiophile

    - Under configuration 1, I'm passing digital audio through the power lines in my wall rather than over wifi. How likely am I to pick up line noise? Is it fair to assume that any line noise I pick up is less than I'm currently getting on the 5 GHz RF band? I imagine with or without line noise, you believe the sound quality is still superior to downsampling my music to 48 kHz, or else you wouldn't have bothered to suggest it!

     

    - Would it work to plug one of those XAVB5101 devices into an a power line conditioner? Even if the conditioner doesn't do anything to improve the signal, it would actually be easier for me this way, at least in the room where the renderer is located, since I already have a Panamax in my audio rig, and I don't have any spare wall outlets in that room.

     

    - As you noted in your EDIT, my renderer is currently running off Ethernet into AE3. So the only difference between the current configuration and configuration 2 is that I now run the Mac Mini off Ethernet into one if the AEs, correct?

     

    - I don't actually have a need for the 2.4 GHz network. I set up two networks because I thought I'd be better off isolating my media traffic from my non-media traffic. If you think it would actually improve performance to put all traffic (media and non-media) onto a single network, either 2.4 or 5, I can do that, except that I'd still need to run AE2 in "extend a network" mode. Assuming for a moment that I don't end up running configuration 1, do you think I'm better off keeping two simultaneous wifi networks and running the DNLA on the un-extended wifi network, or consolidating to a single extended network?

     

    Thanks again. This is incredibly helpful.

     

    I don't think you're picking up any line noise using the power line adapters because Ethernet is galvanically isolated as long as you use regular cat6 cables like you're using. You can also get Ethernet isolators if you have noise issues. Baaske makes them, but the price has shot up recently.

     

    I don't have experience using power line networking with a line conditioner. I suppose it all spends on how the conditioner works. If it has some crazy isolation / separation of some sort it may not even pass the Ethernet signal. You could always get a power strip liberator to give you another outlet on the wall if needed.

     

    Correct about the Mac Mini moving to Ethernet as the only change for Config 2.

     

    Just because the AE can run dual mode 2.4 and 5 GHz doesn't mean it works best that way. I'm skeptical that you're getting the best performance setup this way. The AEs are really good but they are not enterprise class. I would try everything on one network. You can also download the Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector to check your network.

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