Wanted: CD Rack

Ever took a look in IKEA?

abhi bhai...try out 'the design store' in koramangala. they have some nice cd racks for abt 150 cds...quite high on WAF

Thats why I got the SLIM DEVICES
now the CD's are in the trunks stored away.
Hercule Pirate

herculepirate schrieb:

Thats why I got the SLIM DEVICES now the CD's are in the trunks stored away. Hercule Pirate

Superb idea.
Cheap & Clean.
I should consider this.
I have no space for CD's
Have so many un-opened, no place to put them.
Put them on a HDD and forget about it !

any suggestion on a good HDD based transport ?
dont want to use my regular computer...

Arj schrieb:

any suggestion on a good HDD based transport ? dont want to use my regular computer...

You can use the Squeezebox with a standalone NAS instead of your computer. Else maybe one of the servers from Olive, e.g. Musica, Symphony, etc.?

i already have an airport express. looking at a computer independant option!. any good NAS recommended ?

Mac Mini looks like a really good alternative as it does have a digital out.

herculepirate schrieb:

Thats why I got the SLIM DEVICES now the CD's are in the trunks stored away. Hercule Pirate

You can use the Squeezebox with a standalone NAS instead of your computer. Else maybe one of the servers from Olive, e.g. Musica, Symphony, etc.?

Superb idea. Cheap & Clean. I should consider this. I have no space for CD's Have so many un-opened, no place to put them. Put them on a HDD and forget about it !

I am not sure how it works... !!!
Do we need a separate DAC in this case ??
If yes, how good is the transport compared to a high quality CDP ?

Basically what are the expenditures to migrate from a good CDP to an HDD based media without loosing anything on the sound quality front...please anyone ?

abhi,to compare with your cdp,you would need a separate DAC. although the slimdevices does an excellent job of a transport for most of our setups..

Arj schrieb:

abhi,to compare with your cdp,you would need a separate DAC. although the slimdevices does an excellent job of a transport for most of our setups..

Which basically means transition from Single box CDP to Transport-DAC combo (assuming slim devices is the transport) ??

Did you have an opportunity to compare the slim-devices against a decent transport like yours ?

Hi Guys.
I have spent more months than anyone here researching all possibilities of other front end other than the CDP.
Though the Slim Devices is a great option .. you will killing urself over the music storage...
Slim Devices and others just mention NAS as a good music storage...
But they dont mention the price involved for a NAs..the smallest version can easily runs to 60 K and above...
I dropped the NAS and built a separate server for myself for under 25K....
THere are good options other than the Slim Devices...
1. Sonos ... Stereophile stated that the Sonos with a ML DAC ...he could hardly her any difference from his 'high end' CD T..
didn't go for this because it was had a small storage capacity for my needs and also the music formats supported...
2. Helios...another awesome option which comes with a CDP with a good DAC and also network music with wireless options...
http://www.helios-labs.com/us/products/index.shtml
There are other manufacturers who provide similar kinds of product..u can research it later...
3. if you wanna see what you can build with own hands...chk out ...(hope he blows your mind)
http://jimmyneutron.org/MS-100%20media%20server.htm
this option can simplified ... chassis are available and the components can be assembled by any comp hardware guys...

on Feb 23 I received a advert from Soundsmiths newsletter called Sound Advice about a Media Server called "Vidabox Magnum Media Server"
http://www.vidabox.com/home_servers.php
I am not sure how much it costs but the SAME chassis is available with ....
http://www.origenae.com/en/products_htpc.htm
Ha .. I didn't want to even find out the Cost of the Vidabox...
I hope you get the point...
Software involved can be easily be bought or look for freeware called Meedio..

I have another document that demonstrates the use of Computers as Transport
http://www.imageevent.com/cics

All you guys...hope had a great time reading this and thinking
Bye
HerculePirate
I have another document that demonstrates the use of Computers as Transport
http://www.imageevent.com/cics

If you have small amout of music that runs into a Few hundred GB's then the having a portable HDD can be a great storage option...
But If you music running into TB's then you have to look into other directions
HerculePirate

Hey HP... That is very useful... ... I am browsing those links, to see if I can prep an alternate source, with PC and Wifi.

herculepirate schrieb:

3. if you wanna see what you can build with own hands...chk out ...(hope he blows your mind) http://jimmyneutron.org/MS-100%20media%20server.htm this option can simplified ... chassis are available and the components can be assembled by any comp hardware guys...

this definitely looks great.

Did youy get a chance to check out a Mac Mini ? it has a digital out as well...and option to add on additional HDDs.

http://www.naim-audio.com/products/hdx.html

Arj schrieb:

Did youy get a chance to check out a Mac Mini ? it has a digital out as well...and option to add on additional HDDs.

This guy (well known in the (web) design world) has been writing about his own media center built on Mac mini.

As HP says, building your own HTPC server will work out much cheaper and better than the near-40k Mac mini. I have given it some thought - this seems the cheapest cabinet available:
http://www.theitdepo...=354&product_id=2656 You get fancier ones with a LCD display but thats 15k+. Add a quad-core processor, Nvidia 8800GT type video card, ESI Juli@ sound card and you should have a pretty competent HTPC on your hands.

bhagwan69 schrieb:

http://www.naim-audio.com/products/hdx.html

Another fine music server...
Red Wine Audio modified Olive music server

Somewhat back on topic... I am using a good old Godrej cupboard for my CDs. After termite attack last year which destroyed (at least the covers) of 50+ CDs, I am NEVER using wood again. I think a mini Godrej cupboard (about 5 feet tall) is the best option. Obviously, good security too.

[quote="particlemanAs HP says, building your own HTPC server will work out much cheaper and better than the near-40k Mac mini. I have given it some thought - this seems the cheapest cabinet available:
[url=http://www.theitdepot.com/product.php?cat=5&sub_category_id=354&product_id=2656]http://www.theitdepo...=354&product_id=2656[/url] [/quote]

hey thanks for that link. apparently the macmini is around 30K..about as much as a good transport. need to add a monitor+keyboard +mouse as well nd it arelady come in with a remote .

http://www.theitdepot.com/product.php?cat=60&sub_category_id=343&product_id=2134


the only problem with the mac mini is it has an optical digital out..would have loved it if it was a RCA etc..

Arj schrieb:

hey thanks for that link. apparently the macmini is around 30K..about as much as a good transport. need to add a monitor+keyboard +mouse as well nd it arelady come in with a remote . the only problem with the mac mini is it has an optical digital out..would have loved it if it was a RCA etc..

Sorry but the basic mac mini is pretty weak and I'm sure the price is exclusive of tax. Please see: http://www.apple.co.in/store/flash/macmini/macmini.html
When building the HTPC you can handpick a MUCH better grade of components, especially the sound card. The mac mini's advantage is a neat form factor, great software built in and a free remote.

My own worries have been a) power consumption and b) ventilation. It is a PC after all and needs good cooling, more so than an amp.

Is the squeezebox really a good transport? I use a hard drive based setup using a low end PC with an EMU 0404 sound card as a transport with an external DAC over SPDIF. When we tested, we found Abhi's Bluenote CD player to be a slightly better transport than this sound card.

I'm not sure if the SqueezeBox can better the EMU as a transport as it uses a wall wart while my desktop uses a pretty decent quality high end Switching Power Supply. Anyone willing to get over a squeezebox to test?

Hi Guys
Since Mac Mini is being mentioned quite often...
I would like to keep away from all Apple products...
since you cannot use FLAC
and AAC and WAV and WMA have DRM protection on them,...
I had an issue where all my files with AAC and WAV were deleted from my HDD without even me knowing...
Even though some of them were CD i own and I ripped them using iTunes because i couldnt get tags for them on line on other applications...
Since then i swear by APE and FLAC
never update up itunes software ...always d/l the software and reinstall it...never scan for music...u are gonna repent..

Also the space offered is low......the HDD is too small for my needs...
SLIM DEVICES gives you infinite HDD capabilities..

Did you guys even chk the jimmyneutron link?????? (i thought there will be a big WOW on that one)..go thru his process of building an awesome looking server...

HerculePirate

Sorry for Hi Jacking ur Thread.
HerculePirate

And the hijacking continues...
HerculePirate, I was searching my web history like crazy and I finally found it -- HTPC on a budget:
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001107.html
What do you think?

for audio i would prefer a digital streaming which bypasses the soundcard (its anyway going to be a dedicated PC)..liked the Sonos actually from what i read since it can also read from a NAS directly which means there is no need for a PC to be connected...and that lokks like a great idea.

but considering the hassle i seem to be drifting back to a CD transport !

the olive is too expensive..will wait for those to fall

Macmini is a bit on the expensve side but would have been nice if it had a SPDIF via Coax. u can alwyas put a higher capacity USB/Firewire HDD to it ! i anyway have quite a few albums in apple lossless.

Particle man..
Awesome...I'd say I would def go for it....
Its great...
but I would need at least 3 HDD Bays...1 for software and 2 for the Music storage....
Arj spoke about bypass of soundcard...
If you draw data from the Network card or wirelessly it should not matter....
you also may not have thought of the ease of music delivery....making playlists and also physical damage to disc's and various other pro's...If you think about it I don't think you would ever think of the CDT
Thanks Particleman....good work...
Where do you get that kind of chassis???
I would rid the fans for sure....too much noise for later...if the server is in the same room as the player...
what say???
I loved the Antec cabinet that was mentioned here...4 HDD Bays is great...
chk these links too
http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/Content/Jukebox-Server.html
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT6488801276.html

Hercule pirate

Sorry for Hi Jacking ur Thread. HerculePirate

And the hijacking continues...

Ok guys, I feel you guys are discussing something way more significant/serious than the actual title of this thread so I generously donate this thread to you guys...जो करना है करो...

BTW, अगर इजाजत हो...
I finally ordered for a wall-mount CD rack (expandable in future) from Design Store (Koramangala) .
Thanks Soulforged bhai.. .

Guys you can continue Slimdevices Vs squeezebox vs macmini vs olive vs hdd vs htpc vs @#$&*@^*($%^&*%$&^%$%@#$#.....

From whatever little I know of this -
Request servers. One of the very first company to start with music servers.
They have some good audiophile servers.

http://www.request.com/products/musicservers.asp

One of my client uses his mac mini which is connected to the Slim devices transporter and finally to the Scarlatti Dac.

There are quite a few people who find this config outperform a lot of high end cd players/transports.

One drawback though, the mac mini has the least preferred interface - optical.

Regards
SNV

SNV schrieb:

One of my client uses his mac mini which is connected to the Slim devices transporter and finally to the Scarlatti Dac.

in this case mac mini is providing the storage and it is the transporter which is providing transport duties to the dac. that would be via ethernet..

Arj schrieb:

SNV schrieb: One of my client uses his mac mini which is connected to the Slim devices transporter and finally to the Scarlatti Dac. in this case mac mini is providing the storage and it is the transporter which is providing transport duties to the dac. that would be via ethernet..

Arj sir, the transporter's dig out is connected to the dac's dig input using an AES cable.

Also, the transporter has a world clock in. So the clocks on the transporter and the scarlatti dac are synced to improve performance, transporter is being used as the slave.

Regards
SNV

oh ok..and how is the mac mini connected to the transporter ?

Arj schrieb:

oh ok..and how is the mac mini connected to the transporter ?

Dear Arj,

The mac has a digital out, unfortunately optical.
Optical out of mac into optical in of the transporter.

Regards
SNV

There is a config that i personally want to try.

Use the apple ipod alongwith the wadia 170 (approx USD 400) as a transport - http://www.wadia.com/products/170i/170iTransport_home.htm

Wadia and Apple have some sort of a tie up, wherein apple has offered them access codes.

The wadia itransport takes raw digital data from the ipod bypassing its dac.

On the wadia transport you are offered a digital coax output to be connected to a dac.

Wanna try this someday. I have recommended this to my client, instead of using the mac mini.

Regards
SNV

thats a nice option sonically. only problem is that you are limited by the ipods 160GB.
also only the latest ipods work with it..so if you have an older ipod, its of no use
from what i could read, a NAS storage + a sonos zone player might be a good idea. the Sonos can read direcly from the NAS (hence no need for a pc to be connected) and you can use EAC to rip cds instead of itunes

The ipod will have limitations with regard to space, no doubt.
But still wanna try this config to see how it sounds.

Sir, excuse my ignorance, but what is NAS & EAC.
My knowledge is very limited when it comes to things that are related to computers.
I couldnt comprehend half the things Hercule Pirate has mentioned on this thread. (No offense to you HP)

Regards
SNV

None taken SNV

NAS: Network attached storage..
A device that holds Hard drives in a particular configuration where in a hard drive can be backed up into another Hard drive....ensuring data is backed up at all times and none is lost in case of any failures.
a costly option for sure...
http://www.netgear.com/Products/Storage/ReadyNASNVPlus.aspx

EAC: Exact Audio Copy
a software(...freeware btw) that is the best in the world that encodes your CD into an exact audio copy in any format of your choice..WAV or FLAC or any lossless format you would like
www.exactaudiocopy.de/
there are a few setting which need to be done to ensure an exact copy.. i can pass it on if interested...
pm
Hercule Pirate

SNV schrieb:

From whatever little I know of this - Request servers. One of the very first company to start with music servers. They have some good audiophile servers. http://www.request.com/products/musicservers.asp One of my client uses his mac mini which is connected to the Slim devices transporter and finally to the Scarlatti Dac. There are quite a few people who find this config outperform a lot of high end cd players/transports. One drawback though, the mac mini has the least preferred interface - optical. Regards SNV

Why not use ethernet between the mac mini and transporter? The mac mini spdif output will be terrible... worse than any dedicated sound card as its hardwired onto the noisy motherboard.

The request S series looks interesting. The rest are run of the mill crap.

Dear roc,

Tell me, can I just use a cat 5 cable between the mac and the dac.
Does one have to do any settings on the mac for audio to be transferred via the cat 5.

Regards
SNV

herculepirate schrieb:

None taken SNV NAS: Network attached storage.. A device that holds Hard drives in a particular configuration where in a hard drive can be backed up into another Hard drive....ensuring data is backed up at all times and none is lost in case of any failures. a costly option for sure... http://www.netgear.com/Products/Storage/ReadyNASNVPlus.aspx EAC: Exact Audio Copy a software(...freeware btw) that is the best in the world that encodes your CD into an exact audio copy in any format of your choice..WAV or FLAC or any lossless format you would like www.exactaudiocopy.de/ there are a few setting which need to be done to ensure an exact copy.. i can pass it on if interested... pm Hercule Pirate

Thanks for educating me HP.

Regards
SNV

SNV
if you ever end up using a catV cable for audio please use Avaya Systimax or a siemens shielded catV. very good cables. I had used them for an experiment earlier using rca to catV balun connectors.

I have used molex, dlink, amp and others...not upto scratch as the above mentioned.

manek.

Manek schrieb:

SNV if you ever end up using a catV cable for audio please use Avaya Systimax or a siemens shielded catV. very good cables. I had used them for an experiment earlier using rca to catV balun connectors. I have used molex, dlink, amp and others...not upto scratch as the above mentioned. manek.

Thanks Manek,

Kindly let me know where could i source these 2 cables. Also which one of the 2 would you prefer.

Sorry for snatchin your thread abhi.

Regards
SNV

abhi.pani schrieb:

Ok guys, I feel you guys are discussing something way more significant/serious than the actual title of this thread so I generously donate this thread to you guys...जो करना है करो... BTW, अगर इजाजत हो... I finally ordered for a wall-mount CD rack (expandable in future) from Design Store (Koramangala) . Thanks Soulforged bhai.. . Guys you can continue Slimdevices Vs squeezebox vs macmini vs olive vs hdd vs htpc vs @#$&*@^*($%^&*%$&^%$%@#$#..... :KR

Thanks, abhi, very gracious of you. Sorry for the derailment of the thread. I would honestly be very interested in seeing the CD rack if it would be possible to take photos of it. I assume it is an "open" rack? I guess that is okay for dust-free houses but for me that is a problem so still using a Godrej. If anyone can share info on a closed, lockable solution that would be appreciated.

herculepirate schrieb:

Particle man.. Awesome...I'd say I would def go for it.... Its great... but I would need at least 3 HDD Bays...1 for software and 2 for the Music storage.... Arj spoke about bypass of soundcard... If you draw data from the Network card or wirelessly it should not matter.... you also may not have thought of the ease of music delivery....making playlists and also physical damage to disc's and various other pro's...If you think about it I don't think you would ever think of the CDT Thanks Particleman....good work... Where do you get that kind of chassis??? I would rid the fans for sure....too much noise for later...if the server is in the same room as the player... what say??? I loved the Antec cabinet that was mentioned here...4 HDD Bays is great... chk these links too http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/Content/Jukebox-Server.html http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT6488801276.html Hercule pirate

Thanks, HP, appreciate it. Bypassing the soundcard would be nice but too expensive (i.e. getting the DAC). I was thinking of an HTPC only solution, not HTPC as transport. Thats why I mentioned ESI Juli@, a competent sound card, so that good audio quality is maintained. The fans are fairly silent so I don't think it should be much of a problem. Antec makes good case fans.

About better cases, unfortunately it then gets too expensive. You get the nicer Antec cases with a LCD display, etc. but that runs 15k+ while the case I mentioned is <7k.

Speaking of Linux, it would be nice to see the Coreboot project get to mass market. Imagine booting up in less than 5 seconds: http://www.coreboot.org/Welcome_to_coreboot

One more thing - you need not have 3 HDDs. You could have the OS loaded on a solid state 20GB drive. No moving parts, less wear and tear. And you don't need much software. Then, data could all go on a RAID pair of 500GB drives or even 1TB drives.

A closing thought (sorry, Abhi, for this runaway train of a thread): Not entirely sure I would be happy replacing all CDs with a music server. Yes the convenience is incredible. But I would miss the liner notes which are a very important thing for me. Of course, you can get the cover art embedded in the media file...

SNV schrieb:

Dear roc, Tell me, can I just use a cat 5 cable between the mac and the dac. Does one have to do any settings on the mac for audio to be transferred via the cat 5. Regards SNV

Not the DAC. You can connect the Mac Mini to the transporter via ethernet. The dac will be connected to the transporter in the usual way. Also I assume you are talking about the Slimdevices Transporter here.

Let me know if anyone needs MEEDIO the HTPC software...I have it...
mainly because MEEDIO was bought over by yahoo and they stopped distributing the freeware
HerculePirate
my apologies ABHI...I was the one who started it

SNV
any decent office lan cabling guy would be able to get a couple for you.

You get plenum(teflon,PE insulation) and non-plenum(pvc insulation), Shielded and non shielded variety for both and solid core copper at 26-24 AWG.

they dont do a bad job as interconnects either, using one twisted pair out of the four soldered to an RCA. They take forever to burn-in but once they do there are pretty decent.

Manek.

reignofchaos schrieb:

SNV schrieb: Dear roc, Tell me, can I just use a cat 5 cable between the mac and the dac. Does one have to do any settings on the mac for audio to be transferred via the cat 5. Regards SNV Not the DAC. You can connect the Mac Mini to the transporter via ethernet. The dac will be connected to the transporter in the usual way. Also I assume you are talking about the Slimdevices Transporter here.

Sorry about the typo. I meant the transporter and not the dac.
Yes it is the slim devices transporter.
Coming back to my point - Do you have to do any settings on the mac while playing itunes to transfer data via the cat5. Or is it a simple plug and play (auto detect)

Regards
SNV