AirPort Time Capsule vs Synology for music

[theppd]

Hello everyone!

I've been thinking of getting my music Network Attached and wondering, is there anyone who has compared these two devices in terms of sound quality? Both connected via LAN port or Wi-Fi?

 

My current setup is Wireless Airport Extreme + USB attached storage > Wi-Fi > Macbook Pro retina > AQ Diamond USB > Uptone Regen > Auralic Vega... The player I use currently is Roon which outperformed my recently beloved Audirvana.

 

I've been reading that the LAN attached storage gives an extra sound quality compared to Wi-Fi or directly connected one...

[Audio_ELF]

In terms of sound quality (my experience is) there is no difference between different NAS devices (including the Airport Extreme used as a NAS). However a Synology or QNAP offers functionality such as backup facilities which might make life easier for you. In addition you may be able to run Roon Server on a QNAP (and maybe a Synology) NAS in the future.

[ericuco]

The Synology software (DSM) has the Apple Time Machine software(?) built-in so all you have to flip the switch and it starts backing up your Mac. I have been using it (Synology DS115j) for over a year now this way. When my wife's MBP crapped out, we bought a replacement, connected it to the Synology & everything was restored.

 

As Eloise mentioned, the Synology (or QNAP) can be used for other things as well making it a very flexible solution. I run a Linux music server and store all my music on the Synology which works great. The Linux server just sees the Synology as a network drive. I also rip & download music to a Win laptop and then copy the files to the Synology, again, the Win laptop sees the Synology as a network drive.

 

In other words, I have the Synology connected to a Mac, Win laptop & Linux music server and all co-exist wonderfully. That said, I primarily use the file server piece of the Synology and not any of the applications except for the back-up feature which allows you to connect an external HDD in order to back-up everything.

[tranz]

Have a 500GB timecapsule collecting dust if interested.

 

For pure storage it is unlikely to make a difference except in cost. But a NAS can function as a UPnP or OHMedia server if you ever want to go down that road. Then again, your current computer can do that as well.

[theppd]

Thank you everyone for the answers!

The reason why I'm not really interested in a NAS is because I don't use backups or any kind of software those provide. All of my work files stored in the cloud. And what would be really useful is a wifi extended NAS (just like the Time Capsule) it will extend my corridor-based wifi network to my listening room (which will extend my internet connection + I'm gonna be able to directly connect it via LAN 2 Lightning adapter to my MBP Music Server). Otherwise (using NAS only and if I connect it via LAN cable to my MBP) I'm not gonna be able to connect it to the Internet, which is useless because the one and only internet access point is located 18m away. That's why buying the Time Capsule would suite my needs and I'm happy that those are equal sound-wise.

[wgscott]

I have USB drives plugged into my airport extreme, which is the functional equivalent of a "time capsule". You just mount the disk on your computer, and can play music files through iTunes or Audirvana Plus (the latter offers the advantage of memory play, so there shouldn't be any streaming glitches). I do it this way on my secondary music systems, and it works well. It shouldn't make any difference in sound quality, especially if you are using Audirvana for memory play, except it offers additional electrical isolation vs. and external hard drive connected via USB or firewire.

[theppd]

Yes I do use a USB drive directly attached to my Airport Extreme which is available on my MBP via Wifi now. But the others constantly reporting that there is an advantage in sound quality between direct connected LAN vs any other connection.

[wgscott]

Try the cheap way first. There is a lot of mythology associated with all of this.

 

I can play music this way from a copy of my music library 15 miles away, or 3,000 miles away when I am traveling. It sounds exactly the same. If you buffer it on the receiving end, you are immune to small interruptions. Once the data is loaded into your computer's memory, it makes no difference whatsoever where it came from. The player software has no knowledge of its origin.