MicroRendu - MAC mini, Sonic Tranporter, NAS or???...

[carsten s chr]

Hi!...[emoji6]

 

What's the best way implementing the MicroRendu - sound quality as the most important factor?...

 

Every input will be highly appreciated!...[emoji482]

[theppd]

Hi Carsten!

I'm in the same situation trying to find the best server for my uR. Yet got no answer in this thread. It seams that nobody bothered yet to compare)

At the moment I use my MacBook Pro + Roon via WiFi over Airport Exptreme and I'm pretty happy but have to decide pretty soon whether to get a MacMini to use it headless with Airport Extreme over LAN or to get the Sonic Tranporter. Yet and based on it's functionality I prefer the idea of MacMini

[vortecjr]

Hi Carsten!

I'm in the same situation trying to find the best server for my uR. Yet got no answer in this thread. It seams that nobody bothered yet to compare)

At the moment I use my MacBook Pro + Roon via WiFi over Airport Exptreme and I'm pretty happy but have to decide pretty soon whether to get a MacMini to use it headless with Airport Extreme over LAN or to get the Sonic Tranporter. Yet and based on it's functionality I prefer the idea of MacMini

 

Why do you want to get away from the MacBook Pro?

[theppd]

Why do you want to get away from the MacBook Pro?

 

Well, now I have to carry an external USB drive where my music stored, which makes it not that portable and I have to be extra-careful to move the laptop around. But that bit of freedom costs around $1k which makes me think.

[earnmyturns]

Well, now I have to carry an external USB drive where my music stored, which makes it not that portable and I have to be extra-careful to move the laptop around. But that bit of freedom costs around $1k which makes me think.

When I got seriously into digital audio over two years ago, I got a Synology NAS (DS411slim, now superseded by newer models) and two WD Red 1TB drives for it for a total cost of $500. This is connected with CAT 6 to my router. My various Ethernet streamers since then (Naim UnitiQute, SOtM sMS-100, and currently microRendu and Sonicorbiter SE) have all also been connected with CAT 6 to the router. I control play through UPnP/DLNA with the Android app BubbleUPnP (a few $). I use a Macbook Air and an external LG CD drive to rip CDs into FLAC with the free XLD app, and I use the (again a few $) Mac app Metadatics to correct metadata. I also buy FLAC albums, some hi-res, from HDtracks and Bandcamp mainly. I've been very happy with this setup, which does not use Macs on the audio data path. The biggest SQ improvements I've had, besides major changes in DACs and amps, were the introduction of Bel Canto mLink USB>S/PDIF isolators/reclockers, and most recently the microRendu. The NAS/Ethernet part of the setup just works, just with the occasional software update for the NAS and other apps. I've made sure that the NAS has minimal services enabled, no access from outside my home network, and that my router has a pretty tight firewall setup, mainly for security and reliability.

[Astralark]

I wish a music server can feed signal to mR directly. I mean mR is attached to music server but not router. That kind of music server has access to Wifi and can have remote control.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[JohnSwenson]

I wish a music server can feed signal to mR directly. I mean mR is attached to music server but not router. That kind of music server has access to Wifi and can have remote control.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

 

The thing is this sort of thing still needs a network, a DHCP server at least as well as WiFi access point besides the drives and whatever audio server you want to use. This can certainly be put in one box but it is not something a large number of people want so there are not a large number of them as off the shelf predefined boxes.

 

You could do it with a SonicTransporter with a traditional home router plugged into it. The router can be set to administer its own LAN and WiFi segment. It doesn't HAVE to have internet connectivity (although it helps set things up). You can plug the microRendu into one of the ports on the router and use the WiFi to connect a tablet etc for control.

 

John S.

[Astralark]

The thing is this sort of thing still needs a network, a DHCP server at least as well as WiFi access point besides the drives and whatever audio server you want to use. This can certainly be put in one box but it is not something a large number of people want so there are not a large number of them as off the shelf predefined boxes.

 

You could do it with a SonicTransporter with a traditional home router plugged into it. The router can be set to administer its own LAN and WiFi segment. It doesn't HAVE to have internet connectivity (although it helps set things up). You can plug the microRendu into one of the ports on the router and use the WiFi to connect a tablet etc for control.

 

John S.

 

Thanks john. I can understand now. The router is in the digital chain, as well as music server (and NAS). They are more like dCS design to separate upsampling and clock etc. My problem is that they can be separated but all these could be in a box to save space at least. The interconnections matters and power supplies matter as well which contribute to each parts (especially NAS and router are not audiophile grade).