microRendu (Quest for the All-In-One Killer)

[iwf]

I can't see any thing wrong with this setup apart from JRMC on the PC, requiring it to be on all the time, albeit it's located away from the listening room.

 

As other have suggested I'd go for a NAS. Use the PC and JRMC to rip, tag etc the files, but host them on the NAS.

 

When it comes to playback, the Synology like most of them has DNLA capability. Use that or ROON or JRMC on a headless NUC or Pi, and an IOS app into the microRendu and on to the DAC.

 

I rarely use JRMC for playback, as I also have Sonos and their IOS app brings together my music , Spotify and Qubos, though Critically not my hi res stuff. For critical listening though, I use the Synology app directly into my DNLA receiver. I'm contemplating a MR to take the receiver out of the loop directly into my TEAC DAC.

 

Just can't work out whether the mR or the SonicOrbiter would be enough .

[iwf]

I would greatly appreciate it if you would clarify a few things for me as well as anyone who may stumble across this thread in the future who might be as confused as I, which may be my fault for not being clearer in my original post.

 

 

1.

 

 

To clarify, are you saying a) JRMC shouldn't be used at all, or b) should be install somewhere other than the HTPC? If the latter, where else would it be installed? I'm also a bit confused by "requiring it to be on all the time", but I'll leave that alone.

 

 

2.

 

 

To clarify, what benefits would I gain that would justify the expense of purchasing a NAS vs. an HTPC which a) I already own, b) already runs 24/7, c) already runs JRMC, and d) already contains my music library?

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.

 

 

Are you saying a) I should replace my HTPC with a NAS AND a NUC or Pi? or b) I should replace the HTPC AND microRendu with a NAS AND NUC or Pi? And why would it be superior to the HTPC + microRendu?

 

 

I don't think there much wrong with you set up at all, but JRMC isn't the best of tools to combine local music and cloud services such at tidal , Spotify or Qubos. If all you want to do is play you local music, and you're happy with leaving the PC on, then fine.

 

The NAS is simply a file server, so generally is great for storage, backups, mirrored disks, always on etc. I've been a JRMC user since version 9, and I love it for ripping tagging, organising my music collection.

 

Yet it's limitations for cloud services, led me to using other tools to combine services. Thus when I use my sonos front end I can search my own collection , Spotify and Qubos at the same time. In fact if it wasn't for the hi res limitations of sonos, I wouldn't bother with the rest.

 

ROON running on my NAS straight into the mR would the perfect solution , but my NAS isn't powerful enough.

 

There's nothing redundant in your setup as long as you're happy running the PC all time. If you're not then most of the suggestion mentioned in this thread make sense.