Some help and advice required! I was wondering how you lovely people play your high quality audio files? I have a high quality traditional hi-fi setup (turntable, CD player, pre and power amps) to which I added a Cambridge streaming device a few years ago which I now mostly use to stream Spotify and internet radio, but I have my huge iTunes library on a NAS hard drive and I had the original intention of streaming this as well, but I found that Spotify is much more usable and there is now no real need to stream ‘regular’ stuff of my own, so I really only need to stream the stuff that isn’t on Spotify or CD. Also, iTunes uses mp3s rather than high quality FLAC files, so I find myself in a quandary – how do I stream the FLAC files? Do I create a new, much smaller, database of the FLAC files somehow? How do you people play your files?
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ip33 says
I use the Neutron music player on Android to stream FLAC from a hard drive using a Verbatim Mediashare (when at work) and at home from WD Cloud drive.
It’s a bit fiddly but loads of options and tweaks.
This may not be helpful working with a streaming device like the Cambridge.
fentonsteve says
It depends on which NAS you have. Your Cambridge streamer will need access to a database of your music files (provided by a DNLA server, which reads the tags and creates the database).
Some NAS units (usually the more basic ones) are UPnP compliant and have a built-in DNLA widget. My Synology NAS is basically a Linux computer and runs Logitech Media Server software, which is very Flac friendly.
Both my Logitech and Naim devices can stream Flac from this.
Some DNLA software is free (e.g. Windows Media Player (which won’t do your iTunes files) and Logitech Media Server which will) and some is not. See also this list:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UPnP_AV_media_servers_and_clients
Harold Holt says
On my 2 win7 machines I had to install a third party flac codec to make them playable in WMP. Now the flac files behave just like all the others.
Having said that, I suspect that any additional sound quality is substantially compromised by how I subsequently play them…but my set-up isn’t audiophile-grade by a long stretch.
ger_the_boptist says
I use Plex media server which I stream using Chromecast audio. I use Plex client on my phone to control it. All free except for Chromecast dongle.
Chrisf says
I usually download my high resolution files in ALAC (Apple lossless) where possible and then convert any FLAC to ALAC – then iTunes can handle. There are loads of free software programs that can do this (on a Mac I use XLD). Remember that it’s lossless to lossless, so no degradation in quality.
I also use Roon extensively to play / stream music, which handles all formats. This is paid software though (expensive but very very good).
dai says
I use an ancient Squeezebox which sounds great. However I am getting increasingly tired of buffering and losing server connections. Doesn’t happen with vinyl! Don’t know if it is the router, the stupid Mac mini or the Squeezebox. I think not the latter. But not a good way to listen to music currently.
fentonsteve says
I’d wager it is the Mac mini. I had the same problem running one Squeezebox Touch fed by a Windows XP PC (midi ATX size) running Logitech Media Server.
I swapped the PC for a Linux NAS running Logitech Media Server and now run two Squeezebox Touches and a Naim (often playing high-res), often simultaneously. No buffering since I made the switch.
You could try bypassing the switch part of the router with a gigabit switch for about 20 quid. Just leave one Ethernet connection between switch and router for your internet connection. I doubt you’ll notice any improvement as the Logitech is probably only 10/100 Ethernet, but a cheap first step.
dai says
Thanks @fentonsteve . I may need a little help though. Currently I have a wifi router connected to my modem via ethernet cable. I then connect the Squeezebox to the wifi router directly with an ethernet cable. Recently the Mac Mini has been connected to the network via wifi as I have had it in a different room. I am now trying to connect that directly to the wifi router with an ethernet cable. How would the gigabit switch be connected? Direct from the modem, and then how do I connect the wifi router?
And if I went in the NAS direction, what would you recommend Thanks for any help.
fentonsteve says
Reliable audio streaming over WiFi is tricky.
In the first instance (free) I would connect Mac Mini to your WiFi Router with an Ethernet cable. The WiFi router might already have Gigabit Ethernet ports (they usually light up green when connected at 1000 bit) but more likely has 10/100 Ethernet (lights up yellow).
If you want to try the Gigabit switch option, it would connect between modem, router, Mac Mini and Squeezebox so you would require one with at least 4 Ethernet ports (don’t forget to keep at least one spare for a NAS). I find Gigabit switches vary in reliability, try something like a Netgear Prosafe GS105. That way your core Ethernet network will all be gigabit – both WiFi and copper/fibre are much slower than Gigabit (unless you are very lucky and have access to gigabit fibre).
For a NAS, I recommend a Synology. I have a DS414 (with 4 drives) to host Terrabytes of hi-res music and movies, but a DS216 (2 drive bays) does for most and can be configured for RAID mirroring (automatic backup in case of drive failure). My hi-fi shop-owning pal recommends the DS214, which seems to have been replaced recently by the DS216.
dai says
Thanks.
Yes, was going to try wired for all to see if that helps. However, I doubt my WiFi router has Gigabit Ethernet ports as it is pretty old. Will then follow your other ideas in order.
fentonsteve says
There’s no reason why you should need gigabit for audio, which is roughly 1.5 Megabit for CD quality. But any other transfers going on in your network can eat up the bandwidth pretty quickly (especially on WiFi).
And the numbers are maximum single-point rates. If you have ten 10M devices connected to your network, you won’t get anything like 100M network throughput.
dai says
Update. I moved the Mac Mini close to the router and plugged it in. Things were much better. I tested by playing a Hi Res file. Mac needs to be back in office area so I finally bought an Ethernet “extender” (uses internal power cables), moved Mac to another room and that worked well, only tried a couple of songs so far, but there seems to be an improvement. Will test out over next few weeks/months. Thanks @fentonsteve ! Sorry for hijacking thread @NigelT I hope I can recommend the (discontinued) Squeezebox completely!
fentonsteve says
Pleased you have found a solution but keep an eye on it. Those powerline thingies can have problems of their own (they work by sending radio signals down the wire, so can suffer from interference, just like WiFi).
Nothing will beat a proper Ethernet cable (make sure to get CAT5E cable, which is gigabit capable).
dai says
So far, so good!
Mike_H says
As I understand it, if you connect a gigabit switch with a sufficient number of ports to one of the ports on your router and then connect the rest of your gear from that switch by ethernet, everything on your network that’s gigabit-capable will be gigabit-connected together.
Your router may only be 10/100MBit connected to the internet, but your connection to your service provider is unlikely to use all of that capability anyway. At least here in the UK.
I have my home network set up to use gigabit ethernet for everything barring my phone.
WiFi is the least reliable way to connect anyway but, especially if you live in a densely-populated urban area, everyone is competing to connect on every available wi-fi channel. Should you find one that’s relatively clear of your neighbours’ signals, you can be sure that before very long it will be just as congested as the one you just switched away from.
Ethernet is best for reliability and for security too.
fentonsteve says
Yes to all of that.
James Taylor says
I found using a high performance router ( I have the linksys wrt 1900 AC running did/wrt software) cured all my buffering problems both for audio and TV, all connected over WiFi.
NigelT says
Some useful stuff here, thanks everyone!
Mike_H says
As I’m living in a 1-bedroom flat I don’t use a media server or need to stream music at home.
I have a mix of .mp3 and .flac files on a Windows 10 laptop with a large external USB HDD and 2 backup discs. I use the paid “Gold” version of Media Monkey, which comes with a good selection of codecs including FLAC, to play music and manage my library and the audio goes out from the laptop via USB into my Denon amp and Mission speakers, via a Cambridge Audio DACMagic, which also processes the outputs of my CD deck and MiniDisc deck.
I digitise all new CD acquisitions using Exact Audio Copy, which comes with a FLAC codec option for CD rips.
Not audiophile-standard but not completely crap either and it just works, with minimum hassle.
fentonsteve says
Nowt wrong with that at all. USB is a very good way to carry audio, much better than S/PDIF (digital coaxial) or TOSLINK (optical). I used a Cambridge DAC on my Squeezebox, until I bought the all-in-one Naim. Cambridge gear is mostly designed by Mike Creek of Creek Audio.
The worst part of that setup is being in the same room as the laptop fan, but it is a pretty small problem to have.
Mike_H says
The music laptop is very quiet when playing music but gets a bit noisy while ripping CDs and tagging stuff in Media Monkey, which both seemingly cause the CPU to heat up and the fan to go turbo. I made a mistake buying that particular model of laptop (Toshiba Satellite), which I’ve since discovered is well-known for overheating and only has 2 USB ports when I could really do with another one.
My main noise problem lately is the fridge in my kitchen, which is just a thin dry-lined wall away from where I do my listening. I think the coolant pump bearings are on their way out.
JQW says
I built my own using a Raspberry Pi 3 and an IQAudio DAC+ expansion board, together with a case and a microSD card to hold the OS, which in this case is PiCorePlayer. The audio files are stored on an external USB hard drive, although I’ll eventually migrate everything to several USB flash drives.
I’ll post more later once I’m rid of the lurgie.
Mike_H says
I’d be interested to read about that. Been considering getting a Raspberry Pi to play with.
fentonsteve says
Yes, that sounds like fun. Some of those Pi plugin boards are great.
A hobby project like that is too close to paid work to be relaxing for me, though.
Mike_H says
Decided to bite the bullet and fork out for a DAC+/Raspberry Pi 3 bundle from IQ Audio, which sounds like the same package Mr. JQW got.
No soldering etc. required. Just fit the 2 circuit boards together in the little perspex box, copy the OS and software to the microSD card and pop it in it’s slot, power it all up and start tinkering.
Awaiting delivery.
JQW says
Which OS are you hoping to use?
Mike_H says
I haven’t decided on any of that yet. There seem to be quite a few different options.
Mike_H says
Update:
Got my Raspberry Pi/DAC+ kit, assembled it and tried a few ready-made Audio player OSes. Settled for Volumio at the moment, as it worked straight away with no extra configuration needed. It’s working well with a USB-powered external 2.5″ Hard drive.
I’m controlling it from my phone via the OS’s built-in web server. The web interface is pretty well-designed and looks good.
After it’s been idle for a while it sometimes needs reminding where the music files are and after a really long idle spell (i.e. overnight) it also takes a couple of tries to wake the device up via the web link, but searches are fast once it knows where to look for the media, playback is flawless so far and the sound quality is excellent.