Best standalone music server?

LOL, must be my old piece of junk pc
Still 18 minutes to rip in flac....but it did find the metadata.......

The the Bluesound recommendations are what the Op wants.  No pc required, great sound, the Internet Radio made easy

Well I went my way after all...lol
Just bought a Bluesound VAULT2
So we will see, was a very fair price I thought and worth a trial
Now what do the few people who have this use as an app on android?

Please post about your experience with the interface and metadata. I have been thinking about getting a Vault2 myself, and have seen some negative comments about the interface. Perhaps the bugs are worked out now.

will let you know when its here and i have some run time on it!

So here we are now and a very happy owner of the bluesound vault2 which fills my want list at every step!
so easy to use even my wife can handle it, i am controlling it via the bluos app in android and no issues at all, it found my network and home computer in seconds, i did not have to do a single thing!
busy ripping cds to it AND adding already ripped music to its library.
sound quality?
played same cd three diff ways, from my already ripped music files on the home pc, from a ripped file direct to the vault and the original cd through my esoteric.
tbh........possibly the esoteric had a little more warmth and feel but that may also be as it is running through cardas balanced connects whereas the vault only has rca although i am using a pair of mit terminator 2 connects on it.
all in all SO FAR.....very satisfied indeed!

My experience has been that they are all quite sonically lacking, even  B&W's and the new one. I've tried about everything, and truly believe it is not the equipment, but the terrible mixes available for mass consumption.

uberwaltz,

I recognize it's your decision but CDs will be eliminated as a medium very soon so I wouldn't place too much importance on finding a unit that can rip CDs. Many of us use TIDAL HiFi to listen to over 35 million songs in RedBook CD quality for $20/month.  I haven't purchased a CD in over a year and don't plan to. Have you tried to purchase a new car with a CD changer or even a CD player in it?  The auto manufacturers know we won't be using CDs much longer.

TIDAL recently introduced MQA tracks to their collection and once they expand their MQA titles, game over for CDs. Make sure whichever music server you select integrates with TIDAL in a seamless manner.

If you don't want to fuss with a computer to rip your CDs, you can use a service such as MusicShifter to rip your CDs for .69 cents per CD. MusicShifter returns your original CDs along with your music ripped in FLAC (lossless) format on DVDs, about 7 CDs per DVD. Their rips sound as good if not better than rips I make using DBPoweramp. You'll also have your CDs archived to DVDs so you can sell your CDs while they still have some value.

You will need a computer to copy the songs from the MusicShifter DVDs to your music server hard drive or a NAS. This is a trivial copy operation assuming you have a computer with a DVD drive on the same network as your music server.

Many A'gon members have suggested an Aurender music server. It's a great music server with terrific TIDAL integration but you'll still need a DAC. With MQA at our doorstep you owe it to yourself to audition MQA Studio tracks with a good MQA DAC to see whether you'll want an MQA DAC.

 

I fail to see how cds will be eliminated anytime soon, sure they said that about vinyl too....
However regardless of that i am just old fashioned
When I have stumped up $10 or $15 or $20 for an album, well I WANT an album physically not some download, I am the same with movies.
That aspect of my mentality will never change I am afraid.
As I said already have my solution right along the lines I envisaged and for now I could not be more happy.
My toe into the digital world but no way will I be selling the Esoteric any time soon......

I use an MIT MAGNUM DIGITAL COAX cable into my Krell Vanguard DAC...far better than any spinner I've ever heard.  Preserving the music and hearing it all again for the first time.

FYI, gets Signal Cable Reference Digital Power Cord with Furutech C7 Termination.  Tremendous improvement across the board for $119!

Well had this vault2 for about 4 days now and have 3500 songs loaded and out of those just 15 got dumped into unknown due to bad metadata, and nearly all of those were really old obscure tracks so a great job as far as i am concerned. Quickly fixed with mp3tag on the pc manualy entering the id3 tags.
Sound quality? Soundstage and vocals are excellent, bass is a little overblown tbh compared to the same track played on the esoteric but not something that makes me want to run screaming from the room!
All in all I would say I got exactly what i paid for and wanted!

@uberwaltz just curious are you ripping your cd's as flac or mp3s?

I agree about the non demise of CDs. They have to be the cheapest way to get new music. Second hand CDs in charity shops or on Amazon, can be had for almost nothing.

 I don't agree that Tidal or Q bus subscriptions are cheap either, particularly when they are 20, pounds, euros or dollars. That makes a UK sub about 20 percent higher than a UK one, rip off.

@jond 
All cd,s have been ripped as flac, that is the default setting for the vault although you can change it in the menu of the bluos app if you wanted too.
existing music i downloaded to it had been ripped as wma files on my pc.
the beauty of the vault to me is it DOES NOT CARE what file format, flac, wma, mp3 etc. it takes them all and plays them all with zero errors.
And DAVID12, agreed that I am never going to pay for an overpriced subscription, the only online stuff i use now and again is spotify and pandora and all the internet radio stations. I buy most of my cd,s on ebay or amazon at around $3.29 to $3.99 free shipping or scour the flea markets when in the mood at $1 to $2 a pop.
Not ready to embrace the idea of "buying" music that I cannot actually hold in my hands just yet.......

Sorry but you guys are wrong about Tidal its the total opposite of a rip off. Think of it this way how much do you spend a month on cds? In my heyday of buying cds I would easily spend $100 a month. Now for $20 I have essentially 250,000 or however many titles are on Tidal, probably more for the price of two $10 cds. I see that as a bargain as do most who've tried it and its cd quality and now some hi-rez stuff as well.

@jond 
Everybody is entitled to their choices
Mine as I have stated is to have something tangible in my hands when I have paid good money for it.
Now just as an example, I bought some cd,s say and I decided I did not like them, well I am going to rip them to flac files anyway and then resell them.
And that is a choice I get by buying cd,s, to resell or not, at least I have an option.
I have nothing against anybody who chooses to go completely digital at all, it is just not my nature and that will NEVER change...lol.
I am sure Tidal has some good stuff on it but I am also very happy with my cd collection and the physical hunt for said cd,s on flea markets and the like

uberwaltz of course you are entitled,  sorry I was just objecting to the characterization of Tidal as a ripoff. I should point out that this statement:

"Now just as an example, I bought some cd,s say and I decided I did not like them, well I am going to rip them to flac files anyway and then resell them.
And that is a choice I get by buying cd,s, to resell or not, at least I have an option."

Pretty much makes my point for me if you think about it , but I am certainly not here to argue glad you're enjoying your new vault so much! Cheers!

@jond

Of course I get your point, in fact I would have to concede the logic of it if all you want to do is browse without owning as this is exactly what the wife does with tv using Netflix and Amazon Prime for about $22 a month for the pair. And yes she watches some garbage that would never ever consider buying!
However most of my music cd purchases are well researched and I do not end up selling many. Yes I now have them stored on the vault and majority of the cd,s are now boxed up and hidden.
I would say "never" is a word never to use...lol
So who knows maybe I will check Tidal out one day but its one step at a time for this old fart!

As I said earlier I did think the bass was a little overblown from the vault but this was using the rca outputs.
I changed to the coax dig out feeding into the dig in of my esoteric and tbh I truly cannot tell them apart now.
My guess is the analog outs of the vault are not up to par but going digital out is the way to go.

@david12
Interesting question...lol
I am from England and we used to do this all the time the old school way, vinyl to cassette and never gave it another thought,
Honestly do not know the rules here in the usa but i know it happens on such a massive scale it would most likely be impossible to police

There is no arguing that CD sales at retail outlets has dropped off significantly over the last 5 years. That maybe stabilizing and perhaps reversed in the future due to the the paradigm shifts occurring in the music industry.

With the improvement in recording technology, artists can record quality material in their homes and acquire pressings to sell direct to the customer; cutting out the middleman and regaining lost revenue. Here is a link discussing the trend.

https://www.thebalance.com/direct-to-fan-marketing-2460358

I have a headless, modified Mac Mini as music server (Amarra). If I decide to move to a standalone music server, I would look seriously at the Bluesound or Aurender. Best sound I get though is a CD in my Esoteric K-03.

Neal from Sound Science makes a great product with personalized service just a phone call away.   He logs into the Music Vaults remotely, sets everything up, trouble shoots and trains owners on proper use of his products.

Yes Neal at Sound Science is first rate and his systems are also first rate! 

Well the best stand alone music server is probably the Aurender W20. Though ReQuest Audio's 'The Beast' and the Burmester 111 Music Centre are right up there.

Well I certainly want to congratulate you. Not for the gear you selected rather for the manor in which you have comported yourself. You have stayed in the conversation, answered questions, respectfully, fully explained you desires/needs.

In short you are way too good for this audiogon bunch.

Best

Jim

@jim
Thanks for the kind words sir...lol
Just know what I like, knew roughly what I was looking for and any feedback and thoughts from others is ALWAYS appreciated, hence the existence of this thread.

@soundsrealaudio Jim I hope you include yourself in "this audiogon bunch" :-p

I had a personal " quest " similar to yours. I was running JRiver off my MacBook Air and really hated all the effort it took, software issues, took forever to rip, plus I didn't want a computer anywhere near my music ( somehow they don't seem to pair well together)  A distributor I work with The Sound Organization, I was purchasing Wilson Benesch speakers from them, well they recommended the Melco. I said who the hell is Melco. Well turns out they make a really sweet library/server with built in software. The Melco people are also Buffalo in Japan and make an ever so simple burner. The Melco retails for 2K has 4 terabytes of storage,  the burner I purchase from office depot for $169 bucks. I am so happy with this set up.
If anyone is interested they should contact Jim at Sounds Real Audio. He is a great guy, well thats what my mom used to say about me.

Best 

I love Neil's products and he's a great guy to work with.  Melco makes the best sounding NAS in the world and they you can easily hook up any optical drive to it to rip.  It has the built in software to do so and it's a versatile unit.  Can be  stand along NAS to hold your music if you get a better server later, or you can just use it as a server with built in storage.  I personally like the more detailed sound vs the Aurender and it's less money.  It can be hooked up via ethernet (it's best sounding connection) or USB.  It also have a USB hook up to load music onto an external HD for back up and you can also use an external HD or stick to play music through it that isn't on it's internal HD.  Looks great, Buffalo computers builds the thing and its built very good.  

It won't do Roon, but if you use it as a NAS and have a NUC for a few hundred on your network, you can still have Roon.  Personally, I'm not sure Roon is worth the extra money if you are on a budget and want easy and the best sound.  

jond

Don't forget the timeless expression..

" Be careful what you wish for " 

Did you say audio brunch, would that include bottomless mimosas? 

Thank you uberwaltz for starting this post. It is full of good information. I don't want to steal your post and please let me know if I am doing something I should not do.
I am new to Audiogon, and I am trying to learn about streaming, also. I am very computer challenged. I have saved all my music files on Microsoft Media Lossless. Do I need to switch them to Flac? A brief Flac for idiots would be great, so I can inderstand why. If I need to convert, do I need to redo all of them or can dbpoweramp convert them?

@juke4u
computer dummy here too...lol
i believe flac files are reported to be the best and easiest to work with
however i was able to just import all my windows media files direct to the bluesound vault and it took them happily. I had ripped at highest quality level anyway and tbh i honestly cannot tell any difference to the flac files the vault ripped but that is my old ear! 

Flac may be the easiest to work with, however it's not necessarily the best sounding.  Digital is funny in that it always depends on your unique situation.  The problem I see in this thread is that you have posters who have systems from mi fi up to higher end hi fi.  The more resolving your system the better your source better be.  Someone mentioned poor recordings and that's a huge problem with hifi.  There are many recordings that I love, but I will only stream them when in the car.  Not a big deal as there is so much much on Tidal that I never get bored.

As for streaming, Tidal is not the only service in town anymore.  Spotify just announced they will go to a premium/CD quality and Pandora should be next.  As for MQA, many folks just blindly say it's better than CD's or even high res, but that's not always the case.  It completely depends on what you are playing it on. I'm still not 100% sold on it in my system and with my ears.  I do like much of what it does.  I was able to hear it a couple of years ago when Meridian reps had demo tracks and a local store I go to asked me to come audition.  I was impressed, but I don't feel it sounds as good as most of my high res recordings and it's also not better than my redbook recordings that I have on a special file where I put the top recorded tracks/albums.  The other thing is that you can't make a blanket statement about a DAC having MQA decoding as a better sounding DAC as one that won't have it.  

Implementation is the most important part of a DAC.  My Ayre QX5/Twenty so far has crushed all the MQA DAC's I've had in the house to listen to.  Ayre uses minimal filtering as does Empirical Audio (my former DAC that I also liked better than the MQA DAC's I've had in.  Do I think MQA will make it for the long haul?  Not sure.  I've been through everything from all kinds of tape to vinyl to CD to LaserDisc to the Betamax/VCR fights to mini discs to ............

There will always be new mediums and honestly there are enough big companies who don't want to pay licensing fees to the MQA folks, that it will hold them back a bit.  I do like it on my Mac playing through my AudioQuest Dragonfly Red via my Noble Savant IEM's. I still need to get a jitterbug though, lol.  

The Bluesound/NAD engineered products are outstanding for many of the systems folks posting on this thread have.  It gives you a simple all in one and expandable solution. I have many of my friends who ask advice, getting them.  The build and SQ are quite good for the price range and it will be MQA if it's not already.

I don't see CD's becoming like Vinyl.  There is something totally different about vinyl and honestly, it still sounds better than CD's and you can get a cheap rig and decent cartridge and get sound that in digital you have to pay well over 3k total to equal.  If you don't believe me, take a full day and go to a store that has high end gear.  Set up a TT/Cart that retails for about 500.  Then start playing the same album in digital on the most expensive set up they may have and truly listen.  CD's certainly have less surface noise if you don't use a great record cleaner (I built an ultrasonic cleaner and I use the top AQ carbon brush and I have very very very little surface noise and nearly a pop when playing vinyl.  I'm selling my vinyl rig and phono stage, cleaner and albums because I have MS and it's a bitch for me to get up to change sides, but I'm going to miss my vinyl and I do have a great sounding digital set up that's only getting better, but it's not cheap.

There are so many digital products that take care of one to all the functions from streaming to storing music to having a built in DAC to being wireless.  Some concentrate more on the SQ and others on ease of use.  If I had to put a great system together for a hifi rig that was a great value, I'd get a Codex DAC by Ayre (to my ears and many others the best value in digital at 1800 list), then I'd pair it with the small Melco used as a server/storage unit.  I'd also get an optical drive to rip all CD's into the Melco as it has built in ripping software and it's a breeze to rip to it's internal drives.  $3600 USD list. Then you need a nice AudioQuest USB cable as the Codex can't go ethernet, which I feel is the best output on the Melco.  You are at 4000 list.  Different countries will offer different choices too. 

Those are my thoughts and I'm sure many will disagree.  Fun thread and interesting to see what others around the world are enjoying.

soundsrealaudio I'm more of a bloody mary guy myself but a bottomless brunch sounds pretty good to me! You buying?

jond

hell yes 

Re Bluesound Vault. If I read correctly, Vault contains all the features of Node 2 plus 2tb storge. (This would include a MQA compatible DAC.) Can anyone confirm this? And, if so, what are opinions on the DAC audio quality?

Correct, I have 500 cds ripped into the vault, plus a hifi tidal subscription, in addition I use 'Roon' as the engine. I much prefer vinyl (5000 plus) , but the convenience of being able to stream to various areas of the house is a great benefit. The vault is hard wired via Ethernet to my router.... 100 feet run through the attic.  

The Vault 2 only has the option of being hardwired to the internet/network, no wireless to ensure no dropped bits and superior signal at all times I am sure.
I send the signal out of my vault to my c48 via digital coax cable as this sounded much better than through the rca analog outs.
I have only listened to my ripped cds through it and various internet radio stations as I do not subscribe to any paid service as of yet.
I believe I got exactly what I was looking for and have not seen a downside as of yet.
I have backed up the vaults contents on a standalone 2tb hard drive just in case though.......

Someone asked how the DAC sounds in the Vault.  That's impossible to answer.  What DAC's is it going against and what are your system's limitations?  On the systems that it will be playing on most of the time, the unit is outstanding for what it give you.  Can you get a better stand alone DAC? Of course, but at what price point is the better question.  I've gone to many stores around the country (US) and many use the Vault to serve their systems and that often includes their high end systems.  Now most of the store owners don't understand digital if they do this (I promise you that most of the owners feel that folks don't honestly audition anyways and that if they are all getting fed the same signal, they will still sell their gear).  Is it as good as a Codex? Not even on the same planet.  That said, the Codex is balanced unit that has a balanced headphone amp and costs 1800.  I've heard it against one of the Schitt units that lists for under 1k,but I don't remember which one and I felt the Vault 2 was right there and it has everything else with it that folks in this thread seem to want.  I wouldn't use it for my main system, but I also have a pretty nice rig going, but I love putting systems together for folks starting off or upgrading.  I think it is in great company with a pair of say Vandersteen 2c's an NAD integrated/separates and some inexpensive Audioquest cabling.  Throw in a decent little turntable and you have an outstanding system that most folks would kill for.  Would you listen and keep wondering if you should have gotten a better DAC?  Of course you would as you are an audiophile.  Just use your ears though and enjoy the music in MQA, streaming from Tidal and how easy it is to use with Roon.  You'll be in heaven and loving what you hear for many a year.  

JMHO...I also think it's a bargain, especially because it's also small and so easy to use.  

@ctsooner
Thank you for all posts on this thread as I find your input to be both inciteful and extremely beneficial!
I agree that the vault would not be and is not my main source of music but only because the rest of the system is pretty well sorted!
But it does exactly what I wanted, my daughter loves it too and it is so easy to use and the sound quality is pretty darn decent tbh.
Yes my esoteric still sounds better but it damn well ought too!
I feed the vault by digital coax through my Mc C48 out to my BAT VK600SE and into B&W 804D speakers and I am very happy with the results.
Discovered a lot of great internet radio stations using the vault as well.
Some may say not having a remote for it may be a downside but the BLUOS app on both android and apple is so simple and well thought out who needs a remote? And direct from this app you can access tidal, spotify and a number of other paid subscriptions if you need to.
Pretty slick for the total cost of around $1000 brand new, $1200 is list but enough peeps are selling at discounted price of $1000 which is what I paid.

ctsooner, thanks for the comments. Didn't realize the Vault 2 was not wireless capable. 

Thought I would look into Tidal and as I saw was offering 30 days free trial thought I would give it a whirl.
Very well laid out and a breeze to use INSIDE the Bluos app on my phone.
Just another very useful feature of the vault.

@uberwaltz ha glad you finally broke down and gave Tidal a spin I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

So not to be labor a point. The Melco has been rated Class A, big deal right? So it has 4Terabytes of storage plus as many external as you could want. Plus, and it is a big plus it has integrated software that is easy with a capital E to use. Is it as good as the Aurender, probably. It doesn't rip. Using AccurateRip technology you get the most exact CD importing. It even works with worn or damaged discs that might otherwise be unplayable.  To rip grab the Buffalo BRXL-16U3 for CD ripping ion Melco Music Libraries for $159.00. Check it out.
I dumped my computer, couldn't stand the beta versions software BS. 

http://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/melco-ha-n1a-part-1/

I bought a used MS1 with a 1 TB SSD on ebay over a year ago.  I have no basis of comparing the sound to other music servers.  It is easy to rip CD's.  It is easy to back up.  It is easy to add music downloads from the internet.  The iphone app is OK.  I am not a techie I have had some issues with the metadata but that is not important to me.  I sent it back to W4S to add the I2S output to use the feature on my W4S DAC2DSD SE and while it was better than optical or coax the USB output was better with the right USB cable.  I found big improvements adding the USB Curious Cable, Uptone Audio LPS and W4S Recovery (and the recovery was better with power form the Uptone Audio LPS.)  I added Audioquest jitterbugs to the unused USB ports in the back of the MS1 to benefit.  The jitterbug on the USB cable was detrimental.  I recently changed to a Schitt Yggdrrsil ladder dac (I cant say enough how this brought the rhythm and pace and musicality to the digital files)  I only keep the DAC2DSD SE to play the 2 dozen or so DSD albums I purchased. Although after hearing digital thru the Yggdrrsil the DSD doesnt sound right anymore but it is different.
After all that I took my 30 year old Linn LP12 in and had it reconditioned.  I am using a $ 129 Schitt Mani phono pre-amp with the LP12 and the sound is so so so much better than any hi rez digital.  I only listen the the MS1 when I am too tired to flip a record or want background music.  I have thought of trying another music server like the Aurender N100T as a digital source to see if the problem is the MS1 but I really believe after going thru all the nonsense to improve the digital that in my equiptment/price range it is not going to happen.  My take home lesson was dont sweat trying to get the best stand alone server, one because I dont believe it will ever be as good as vinyl and two because there are so many other considerations on what is going to effect that digital signal.  It is really nice to not have to change CD's anymore and to have them all at my fingertips.  And I did find a/b listening to a ripped CD to the same CD playing from the digital out of the CD player to the DAC that the ripped file sounded much better-- so I have that going for me and thats nice.

soundsrealaudio
177 posts
03-12-2017 11:01pm
So not to be labor a point. The Melco has been rated Class A, big deal right? So it has 4Terabytes of storage plus as many external as you could want. Plus, and it is a big plus it has integrated software that is easy with a capital E to use. Is it as good as the Aurender, probably. It doesn't rip. Using AccurateRip technology you get the most exact CD importing. It even works with worn or damaged discs that might otherwise be unplayable. To rip grab the Buffalo BRXL-16U3 for CD ripping ion Melco Music Libraries for $159.00. Check it out.
I dumped my computer, couldn't stand the beta versions software BS.

http://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/melco-ha-n1a-part-1/

I love the Melco units.  Can';t wait for their updates ones to come out in a few months.  I am waiting to see what they end up changing before getting one. As I've said from day one, it's the best NAS out there from what I've heard and what I will use even if I don't use the streaming feature etc...  That said, if you read what OP wanted, it doesn't have everything for him.  I forget when it was left out.  It may even have been cost.  It also doesn't do Roon and unless they change their language it still won't.  I will need a work around IF I can get it to work seamlessly.  That will mean using my rebuilt mac mini running Roon on the net and then using the Melco ONLY as a server. I'd use the ethernet connection for everything in they system/network.

My vote for the NAD M50.2.

True all in one with MQA included.