pointers needed - new home built music server system

[3Dee]

I have a home network workgroup with Sfast Fibre BB, and this has a big XPS desktop which I use for work and other stuff. I also have a Sony Android tablet that I use currently to control an old Dell XPS laptop/ Jriver server driving my Devialet 400 amps with files kept on a QNAP TS 453 mini.

 

I decided to bite the bullet and invest in a WServer2012 Essentials based system with AO & Jriver, so set about building a system with HD-Plex H5 chassis, Linear PS, Xeon CPU, Samsung SSD, JCat USB card, PPA SATA III (coming soon) cable, and probably the Gigabyte Z97 Mobo upgraded with PPA's OXCO clock. I can obviously run WS2012 in minimal GUI or std mode I presume.

 

So, as I have only just started to configure all this, and I am aware that some prefer a dual PC type of arrangement for music serving, but now I am delving into an area I am not familiar with, as I had originally intended just to replace the Dell XPS with the H5. There is also much mentioned in the AO blurb about having dual networks,

 

but how important is this?

Is it optimal betwix NAS and server (I presume)?

Is this just for dual PC arrangements?

Should I use my work PC as control PC (not optimised since it does other stuff)?

etc etc

 

Given all the equipment I have above can anyone (who has done this before) suggest some config & options and how it might affect SQ?

 

This music server will mostly be used for music, but I might have a go at using it to serve the telly later (or might just use an app on the QNAP), but not sure yet - music first!

 

Hope someone with experience in this will take the trouble to make some suggestions!

 

Thanks in advance!

[ericuco]

For a dual computer setup, you might want to look at what Sonore just announced:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f26-sonore-sponsored/sonore-sonicorbiter-se-ethernet-universal-serial-bus-industry-standard-cables-connectors-and-communications-protocols-between-computers-and-electronic-devices-and-optical-output-27028/

 

The reason for the second computer is that it can be low powered (few watts), quiet (no spinning HDD, fans), inexpensive and small footprint.

 

With the Sonore unit, just plug one end into your network (Ethernet coming in) and on the other end a USB cable to your DAC. You can select the various options using a browser. And no need for JCat USB card in your main server since everything is connected via Ethernet.

 

Obviously, you can build your own computer instead of going with the Sonore unit but given it is already configured & ready to go, hard to beat.

[rn701]

Take a look at JRiver library sharing. You can use your work pc to rip/organize and a second playback pc running jriver and sharing th work pc main library.

 

The work/library pc just serves up files and the playback pc plays it, applies any dsp, etc.

[randytsuch]

I think most people using two PCs have a "control PC" and a "audio PC", running Jplay.

Jplay supports a dual PC mode that is supposed to sound better than running everything in one PC.

HQPlayer has a similar setup available, replace the term "audio PC" with "NAA", where the NAA can be a low powered appliance

[3Dee]

Interesting...

 

Ok so since I have this HD-plex H5 thingy almost built, it was intended that this would 'serve' the music to the DAC which is built into the Devialet Amp via USB. The original intention was to run JRIVER core server on this, and use my work beast PC to fiddle around with ripping and setting up playlists etc using JRiver as a client. Then use my Sony Tablet app as a controller. But am I missing something here?

 

The three main elements here are:

The HD-Plex Music server hware

The QNAP NAS

The Devialet DAC

 

with optional bits being:

 

Sony Tablet with JRiver app (I also have Roon)

My Work/Home PC (has JRiver)

The old XPS 12 laptop

 

I note that the QNAP NAS has two ethernet ports so could support bridging

It seems to make sense that the NAS has a dedicate Ethernet port to serve the files to the MServer? Right or wrong?

 

Should I be looking at JPlay etc?

 

Just looking for the optimal configuration give whayt I can play with, before doing the final setup on the MServer

 

Thoughts would be appreciated....

[randytsuch]

I note that the QNAP NAS has two ethernet ports so could support bridging

It seems to make sense that the NAS has a dedicate Ethernet port to serve the files to the MServer? Right or wrong?

.

Makes sense to me, but I don't use a NAS so have no experience here.

 

Should I be looking at JPlay etc?

 

That's up to you.

http://jplay.eu/download/

You can evaluate it for free. I think eval the version does not include all features, and it will go silent every few minutes.

If I was you, I would give it a spin after you get you new music server running, and see if you like it.

If you do, you could consider a dual PC setup.

 

There's an active jplay forum where you can get jpaly specific help if you need it.

 

Randy