Which external SSD for music streaming?

@benanders Interesting, I will try it out.

stievus OP

50 posts

03-26-2024 at 07:40pm 

One afterthought, will the difference in access speed be noticeable? Or is this just a measurement thing?

@stievus anecdotally, maybe. Your question is akin to asking if an OS (e.g. Windows) on a given desktop/laptop runs better if the boot drive is SSD vs. HDD. That answer would almost invariably be, yes.

I could go on a diatribe about how certain ARM-based system OS’s (via both DIY and proprietary manufactured kit), for me, ran without the software glitches and/or hardware freezes I experienced when using an external 2.5” HDD, after I switched to SSD’s. IOW (anecdotally and unverified), SSD format seemed to fix a problem that might have been rooted in external HDD storage. 

Insofar as what’s been properly tested among boards/processors and OS’s/memory use for audio streamers/transports, there’s no readily available info for influence of drive format.

It was only recently that SSD’s were demonstrated to exceed HDD’s in power consumption, but due to certain uncontrolled variables in that study, the results should be pretty suspect.

One afterthought, will the difference in access speed be noticeable? Or is this just a measurement thing?

Makes sense, thanks!

Access speed. HDD is slower. You can easily start with HDD then get SSD later, copy everything over to it and set the HDD aside as a backup. 

Except for noise and reliability is there any further advantage of using an external ssd instead of hdd for streaming music?

@benanders Perfect! Got a great deal on a Crucial MX500 SSD, so I will go for that one. Thanks again.

@stievus correct - any 2.5” SATA III SSD drive in an external USB 3.0/3.1 2.5” drive case should be compatible with a USB 2.0-in audio device. Any issue would likely be on part of either the external case’s SATA-USB chipset or the streamer’s USB-in. Sufficient bus-power for the drive itself should be no issue for pretty much every relevant 2.5” SATA III SSD on the market, even on drive power-up (tends to require more juice). 

@benanders Just to be sure, a Sata drive in a USB 3.1 case will work with the USB 2.0 input socket of the streamer?

@russbutton If only using TV, yes. But who does that in 2024?

What I already learned from this conversation is that 1) I should go for a reliable brand ssd, 2) Mb/s will always be sufficient for only streaming music 3) I can choose between an external disc or internal 2.5 one within a dedicated case 4) I best try out whether the ssd usb will be compatible with the streamer usb. Thanks

Either you have enough bandwidth or you don't.   Any USB 3.0 port will have plenty of bandwidth.  

It's like those Internet providers who offer gigabit speeds (and more) to the house, when watching TV takes less than 10 MB.

The external Samsung drives should be fine, but are more costly than Samsung SATA drives in a third party external USB case. A QVO 2.5” 4 TB drive in a competent USB 3.0/3.1 case might bring a better cost-per-GB ratio and shouldn’t sacrifice anything for audio data purposes.

I only mention this because comparative price point seems a consideration of OP.

a member here with significant streaming expertise (can't remember who) recommended the Samsung T7 a couple years ago--i bought two on that recommendation although my streamer is also a server with its own internal storage so i just use them for backup--but i can designate the streamer to use them (which i did at first) and they worked smoothly.  Someone above also mentioned.

@roccity True; some titles I played a lot already disappeared (while they still are in Spotify). Problem is, you never know in advance which ones will disappear, and buying everything I like will be a fortune.

@stievus Then there's always the possibility that a particular album or artist that you love suddenly becomes unavailable on Quboz or whatever your current streaming platform of choice. Given the minimal cost of storage, I feel it doesn't hurt to at least have your CD collection and any other digital audio files you may have on an SSD with an HDD backup.

@roccity Makes sense, but the question will also be 'To stream or not to stream'. If the quality of streaming Quboz, in my case, is good, then how necessary will it be to have the same music stored on an ssd, except for rare irreplaceable and new works. @audphile1 suggested that to me, which makes sense too.

@stievus 

• If it's an SSD, it'll be plenty fast.
• Go for the 4tb. You'll likely fill it faster than you realize, especially if you begin to add hi-res files. A single SACD disk image can take up well north of a gigabyte.
• You may want to go for even larger if your streamer will recognize a larger drive.
• Definitely keep at least one backup. Keep your backup offsite if at all possible. I keep three copies: one on the SSD in my streamer, one on an SSD in my desktop computer and one on a portable SSD that I keep offsite (except when I'm backing up additional music).

@stievus I do not recommend that Crucial X6 because it is spec’ed USB 3.2. Any USB type C device like this may require a bit more power (for its greater read/write speeds) than your USB 2.0 audio device can provide. It would surely require a different USB cable because audio devices spec’ed for 2.0 will not have USB type C-in’s (usually type A or B-in’s).

I use bus-powered external cases for SATA III (internal) drives spec’ed for USB 3.0/3.1. No issues on USB 2.0 audio devices. It is the Transcend 25S3 2.5” enclosure - Audiogon will not allow me to post the company link; it’s useful for understanding some of these differences in USB spec’s. With a basic computer I/O understanding this becomes a bit easier, I promise 😉

To sum up:

Most audio devices - USB 2.0

Most external HDD’s - USB 2.0 (a few are 3.0/3.1; still “slow”)

Some external SSD’s - USB 3.0/3.1 (probably fine)

Increasing # of external SSD’s - USB 3.2 / type C (maybe problematic)

Internal SSD’s - SATA III or M.2; require USB-adapter/converter like what’s built-in for external drives’ cases

SATA III 2.5” internal SSD in USB 3.0/3.1 external case tends to work with 2.0 audio device inputs (type A or B)

No guarantee that USB 3.2 / type C devices (drives) will be backwards-compatible with audio USB 2.0 due to differences in power spec’s

@benanders So then I assume that any current SSD will work as they all are 3.0 or higher, while audio devices have 2.0. I counted my CDs, 2tb will suffice (my vinyl collection is larger). Cheapest around here is the Crucial X6. Not sure if I will need a better usb cable, as with everything in audio and in life, opinions go in all directions. Thanks

stievus OP

41 posts

03-20-2024 at 10:54pm

Isn’t the Samsung QVO an internal drive? I need an external one.
…

@stievus fair question. The difference between an external drive and an internal drive is generally that an external drive is sealed inside a case that converts SATA or NVME to USB, whereas with an “internal” drive you select one of many empty 2.5” SATA or M.2 drive cases (or open connectors) that contains the chipset to convert the same. Only difference being an external drive is generally not separable from the case it’s built into and you can’t always be sure which version of a manufacturer’s drive is inside said case.

QVO is Samsung’s space/cost efficient version that can work as an internal or external drive. I mentioned it because it was already discussed in this thread.

I would imagine most every streamer will be using USB 2.0 protocol as that’s standard for audio. Higher version chipsets should be backwards-convertible, but you may need to change the USB cable accordingly as there can apparently be difference in protocol there (depending on the device receiving the data).
USB 3.2 is overkill for audio if used with high speed drives and in such use can produce an unnecessary amount of heat; consequently, I have no experience using USB 3.2 drives for audio purposes - they aren’t designed for such “light lifting.”
USB 3.0 external cases + 2.5” SATA drives have usually worked fine for me (into various USB 2.0-spec’ed audio devices), but that doesn’t mean all converter chipsets will be compatible (I did have an issue with a Unitek open-style SATA-to-USB 3.0 converter into a USB 2.0 device once; it was a powered adapter so that may have been an issue) - YMMV.

Whether external drives or external cases for internal drives, best to use something that is bus-powered by the streamer.

I would not recommend a USB 2.0 external drive as these will all be HDD’s and sacrifice the benefits of an SSD.

If you use a SSD for backup, it is probably a good idea to power it up periodically, given the concern over data integrity if stored at length in unpowered drives of this format.

I think it is 2.0

What kind of USB protocol does your streamer use? Is it 2.0 or 3.0 or 3.2? I would confirm what USB protocol the streamer uses and check that against the SSD drive you intend to buy.

I made the mistake of buying a Samsung external SSD that uses the USB 3.2 protocol and my Cambridge CXN V2 uses a 2.0 protocol which meant it couldn't read the SSD. So I ended up getting a 2TB HDD and instead use that as my primary drive for my digital collection. The portable SSD is my back-up drive so if something happens I won't lose all my music.

Isn't the Samsung QVO an internal drive? I need an external one. Following your advices, brand/no need for speed, the Crucial X6 would be a good option, I think.

I too recommend a known brand-but-cheaper format of SSD (“longevity” generally relates to rewrite-ability of a drive before it risks corruption/failure and so as already mentioned, won’t apply to a read-only drive for a CD collection) e.g. QVO Samsung. For sake of comparison, Samsung’s EVO and PRO options are unnecessary in your case as the benefits relate to rewrite-ability (not applicable to a read-only drive) and read/write speed (only important for heavy tasks on a traditional computer, although moving a large music collection onto said drive may show you a one-time slight uptick in convenience; hardly worth the additional premium IMO).

I suggest you disregard recommendation for “upgrading” the USB cable between external drive and streamer. There is no evidence of these being a bottleneck for sound quality, and notice how there is never mention of any SATA-to-USB or NVME-to-USB adapter chipset being the compromise in that part of the “chain” since apparently no hifi company offers a bespoke external USB case (yet…?). Money more effectively spent on more drive storage capacity.

It is generally recommended to back up a SSD’s data on a traditional HDD (instead of an identical SSD) - magnetic (HDD) drives have more reliable lifespans when unplugged/unpowered for long periods. That said, I’ve had large capacity SSD’s (4 & 8 TB) show no signs of data corruption after 2+ years unpowered. YMMV, of course.

@audioman58 You mean the USB cable from SSD to streamer?

The Samsung professional series is very good , crucial is decent all name brands 

are plenty fast enough. One thing I highly recommend get rid of the stock cable it comes with  I replaced them sonically they have far better conductors and isolation 

and after 75-100 hours of cable runin. Sound superior ,I would buy one before ripping anything for packet noise is Jitter ,at our audio club proved this , if you can  find a name brand Audio quest, or wire world , if not even a $15 cable on Amazon 

is night and day better built.

Perfect!

@blisshifi good info thx!

so my QVO is fine. Should last a while. As with any drive, having a backup is essential. I have a WD HDD that has an image of what’s on my QVO. So keep this un mind as well @stievus to back it up once you load it. 

@blisshifi Thanks for the link.

@kijanki Good to know!

Thanks. If streaming sounds just as good as ripped CDs then I may do that too. Then 2tb could be sufficient.

@stievus most SSD manufacturers make two or three types of drives that differentiate between capacity, speed, and longevity. As a music library doesn’t typically get overwritten and just added to, you should look for drives that offer good longevity.

Here’s a link to a page that can explain it better than I can. :)

To play CD music you need at least 0.18 MB/s.  Any SSD will do.  Buy extra one for backup.

Congrats on the new streamer!

I would get 4tb if you plan on ripping more CDs to it and you are at the top of capacity for 2TB. Personally I wouldn’t rip anything available on streaming services in high resolution. Rare stuff yes makes sense. Good luck!

Maybe I better get 4tb to be on the safe side.

That sounds good, I will check that. So that will be fast enough I guess. A Metronome DSS is on its way. French high-end company. I got a demo for a good price. On paper it has everything I need :-)

So what did you end up getting?

As to external SSD…
I use a 4TB Samsung QVO SSD in my Aurender N200 and it has the following specs…works great

Amazon has an external Samsung T7 Shield that reads at 1.05GB/s. and writes at 1000 mb/s with 2TB capacity for $163 that’s pretty good!