Music Server options

thejck
thejck Posts: 849
edited June 2014 in Going Digital
I currently have all my music shared and accessed throughout the house via a samba file share.

I was wondering if there is a way to maintain a central library that is organized that I can pull up on any other computer in the house and play my flac's using (foobar?) whatever media player that will continue to give me my bit perfect output.

I currently use foobar to achieve bitperfect from my other computers. I dont want to have seperate libraries on each of my computers.
additionaly is there a way I can access these flacs from outside of my home network on my android phone with maybe some sort of transcoding to a lower format to be able to support the limited upload bandwidth that these cheap cable internet allows.

Thanks for any ideas.
Post edited by thejck on
«1

Comments

  • j1mmy
    j1mmy Posts: 95
    edited December 2013
    XBMC 12.3 will play the flac's and a central MySQL server will allow the central library. http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=HOW-TO:Share_libraries_using_MySQL

    There is xbmc for mobile devices as well. http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Hardware
    Access from outside your home is getting advanced since you'll be on some remote network trying to get back into your home network probably through a firewall. External NAT would be needed and ports opened up. I'm unsure how well access from the outside would work once you have it all setup.
  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited December 2013
    Logitech killed off the Squeezebox, but you can still download their server software for free, and then run softsqueeze on the other computers. This does exactly what you want. You can also get the iPeng app on an iOS device and pay a bit extra for it to act as a player, and then your iPhone/iPad/iTouch can share the library as well. If you go that route, you can open up a port on your router and connect from an iOS device remotely - I use this route to stream my library to my car.
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
  • mccarty250
    mccarty250 Posts: 220
    edited December 2013
    J1mmy, I second your motion with XBMC and it's what I'm doing as well.
  • mccarty250
    mccarty250 Posts: 220
    edited December 2013
    Thejck, I'm confused, if you already have shares then you should have a centralized repository right? I just have a central server with my entire collection and then my remote streamers/computers running XBMC/Foobar/whatever all map drives to this central repository. Am I missing something?
  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited December 2013
    It's not just a matter of having a central repository, you also want to have a central store of your metadata database. That's what's nice about the Squeezebox solution, it maintains a database on your server, then any client can connect and browse by genre/artist, etc. When you add new music, it is instantly available to any client.
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
  • mccarty250
    mccarty250 Posts: 220
    edited December 2013
    The XBMC mysql centralized metadata DB handles that if you go with that universe. It's pretty ridiculous that the squeezebox got killed off, did it not sell? People truly seemed to love them.
  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited December 2013
    mccarty250 wrote: »
    It's pretty ridiculous that the squeezebox got killed off, did it not sell? People truly seemed to love them.

    It sold to a niche, but I don't think Logitech was looking for a niche product when they bought slimdevices. It really is a shame, because it's such a great product. I hate when a big company buys a little company and then tanks the product. Logitech decided that what was stopping it from being appealing to the masses was the need for it to have a dedicated server, so they rebuilt the Squeezebox Radio firmware to make it strictly an internet streaming platform, and now sell that rebadged as an UltimateEars product, which is a brand they picked up when they bought out a small earbuds company. They killed off all the other Squeezebox products. You can take an existing Squeezebox Radio, and install the new firmware if you want. I still have two of them with Squeezebox firmware, plus my BolderCable modded Touch, and several iDevices running iPeng. A side effect of Logitech killing off the Squeezebox is that BolderCable went out of business, since most of their volume was power supply and audiophile upgrades to Squeezeboxes. Damn shame....
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
  • mccarty250
    mccarty250 Posts: 220
    edited December 2013
    I got to play with a squeezebox setup at AKFest a few years ago and indeed it was impressive. Probably didn't appeal to the mass market as you say. Too bad they didn't just spin slimdevices off and let them continue to do what they did.
  • czarodzi
    czarodzi Posts: 38
    edited March 2014
    I'm also thinking about building a music server from scratch. The computer hardware won't be as much of a challenge as the operating system and the applications. Any recommendations, Windows 7 or 8? 32 or 64 bit? Linux? I've heard a lot of good things about JRiver, just wondering if there were any other options.
    Thanks
  • czarodzi
    czarodzi Posts: 38
    edited March 2014
    Oh, yes, also factoring in some way to control it without a keyboard mouse and monitor. I have a lot of Android devices, no Apple. Again, JRiver has Gizmo, anything else good?
    Thanks again!
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 4,981
    edited March 2014
    Sonos...awesome music system.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited March 2014
    Sonos...awesome music system.

    Uh....someone still owes us a review there chief.....don't make me put posters up in your neighborhood...LOL.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • deafbykhorns
    deafbykhorns Posts: 150
    edited May 2014
    Sonos...awesome music system.

    Have you tried to reclock a Sonos?
    I'm using the synchromesh which made a dramatic difference
    Main System- Scratch built 2A3 , Lightspeed preamp, Technics SP15/Graham/XV1s,Klipschorns w/ALK xovers/Trachorns, Speakercraft MT8(4), Sonos ZP90, Yamaha Aventage for surround
    Office System- Adcom GTP500, Bedini 45/45,Lexicon RT-20,Enlightened Audio DAC, Polk SDA2.3TL, Northcreek Borealis
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited May 2014
    Have you tried to reclock a Sonos?
    I'm using the synchromesh which made a dramatic difference

    Phil has a synchromesh in with his Sonos already. Don't know if he's still using it with the addition of his new dac though. I have a couple ZP90's, one being a Cullen modded one for 24/96. Once I added a decent dac it made a noticeable difference on 24/96 material. You can't beat the Sonos software....amazing and rock solid.

    One thing to note for Sonos users, it is bit perfect....but only when the volume is set at 100% fixed and you use something else like a volume in a dac or pre to control the volume. If your just using the volume control in the Sonos, the lower the volume the less bits you'll get. For back ground music that's not so much an issue, but on the main rig I have the Cullen modded box set to fixed into a Cary exciter dac and just control the volume through the receiver set on analog pass thru. Sounds pretty frickin' good if you ask me, but still a pre with HT pass is on my radar soon. Love the Sonos product....simply love it.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited May 2014
    Didn't realize you could mod a Sonos for 24/96. How much does the mod cost?
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited May 2014
    Depends.....I did mine when it was new and the mod cost more than the unit....I think 4-5 bones more. You can get it modded for higher, they give you a choice, but they also claim the 24/96 mod sounded the best to them. That was roughly 3-4 years ago so prices may have come down.

    Should also note you can find used modded boxes at roughly half price.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • deafbykhorns
    deafbykhorns Posts: 150
    edited May 2014
    I thought the 24/96 mod wasn't bit perfect...From my research, it seems both the Cullen mod and the syncromesh are very similar improvements. I liked the idea of moving the syncromesh to a different piece of equipment (apple, computers, transports, etc..) should I change my mind.
    The mod cost is $550, the syncromesh is $600
    Main System- Scratch built 2A3 , Lightspeed preamp, Technics SP15/Graham/XV1s,Klipschorns w/ALK xovers/Trachorns, Speakercraft MT8(4), Sonos ZP90, Yamaha Aventage for surround
    Office System- Adcom GTP500, Bedini 45/45,Lexicon RT-20,Enlightened Audio DAC, Polk SDA2.3TL, Northcreek Borealis
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 4,981
    edited May 2014
    tonyb wrote: »
    Phil has a synchromesh in with his Sonos already. Don't know if he's still using it with the addition of his new dac though. I have a couple ZP90's, one being a Cullen modded one for 24/96. Once I added a decent dac it made a noticeable difference on 24/96 material. You can't beat the Sonos software....amazing and rock solid.

    One thing to note for Sonos users, it is bit perfect....but only when the volume is set at 100% fixed and you use something else like a volume in a dac or pre to control the volume. If your just using the volume control in the Sonos, the lower the volume the less bits you'll get. For back ground music that's not so much an issue, but on the main rig I have the Cullen modded box set to fixed into a Cary exciter dac and just control the volume through the receiver set on analog pass thru. Sounds pretty frickin' good if you ask me, but still a pre with HT pass is on my radar soon. Love the Sonos product....simply love it.

    Yep, I still run everything thru the Synchromesh then into the DAC...except of course HI-Rez & DSD which run straight into the DAC. Nothing short of amazing!!! Didn't that Cary xciter pump things up to a whole new level for you Tony!!! I knew you would love it.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited May 2014
    I thought the 24/96 mod wasn't bit perfect...From my research, it seems both the Cullen mod and the syncromesh are very similar improvements. I liked the idea of moving the syncromesh to a different piece of equipment (apple, computers, transports, etc..) should I change my mind.
    The mod cost is $550, the syncromesh is $600

    Without the mod you won't get a 24/96 file to even play on a standard Sonos box....if you care about that. I guess it all depends on your use....a good dac on a standard Sonos box is good too, but not as good as the modded ones.

    All the Sonos boxes are bit perfect, but only at fixed volume like I said. The software alone is worth the price of admission.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited May 2014
    Yep, I still run everything thru the Synchromesh then into the DAC...except of course HI-Rez & DSD which run straight into the DAC. Nothing short of amazing!!! Didn't that Cary xciter pump things up to a whole new level for you Tony!!! I knew you would love it.

    Amen brother, after I sold off the audio-gd dac....I never found another that floated my boat and frankly was getting used to the sound going straight into the receivers dac. Maybe that's why I was so gushy about the Cary dac....I forgot what a good dac brings to the table. Simply no comparison to a receivers dac.....and that's a flat out fact.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • JerryR1verz
    JerryR1verz Posts: 76
    edited May 2014
    Wanna know what happened to squeezebox? It's on mamma's chest... That's where it is and when daddy comes home he doesn't get no rest. Had this one on 45 in 6th grade.

    Sorry - couldn't resist.
    JR
    Polk Monitor 10
    Polk Monitor 7
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited June 2014
    nspindel wrote: »
    Didn't realize you could mod a Sonos for 24/96.
    Not true hi rez 24/96. The Cullen mod is the addition of a sample rate converter IC that merely upsamples 16bit/44k data to a preset 24/96.Since the SRC chip has it's own reference clock there will be some jitter attenuation also.
    I thought the 24/96 mod wasn't bit perfect..
    Technically it's not since the data is essentially being rewritten by the SRC process.
    ..From my research, it seems both the Cullen mod and the syncromesh are very similar improvements.
    Well they are doing essentially the same thing,upconvertion with some added jitter attenuation.The syncro mesh adds another SPDIF recieve/ transmit process to the mix with the requisite additional cable.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited June 2014
    FTGV wrote: »
    Not true hi rez 24/96. The Cullen mod is the addition of a sample rate converter IC that merely upsamples 16bit/44k data to a preset 24/96.Since the SRC chip has it's own reference clock there will be some jitter attenuation also.

    Don't know if that's entirely correct. If you start off with a 24/96 file, whats there to upsample ? The mods actually reduce jitter instead of adding it, same with the synchromesh.

    If you play a 16/44 file then yes, it upsamples to 24/96. If you start off with a 24/96 file into a bit perfect device, no upsampling is taking place. If you play a 24/192 file, then it will downsample to 24/96. The box like I said gets set from the get-go.

    There's much back and forth about upsampling, good or bad. Truth be told all music is either upsampled or downsampled somewhere in the chain between the recording studio and the media you buy it on. Conversions happen along the way, and most purist will tell you the least amount the better. We unfortunately don't have master analog tapes at our disposal, so some conversions are happening before you even apply your own.

    Most dacs these days upsample, unless it's a NOS Dac. You'll find the majority of dacs upsample to a certain degree though if called upon to do so. Is that a good thing or bad ? To tell the truth I have yet to hear the differences and frankly like a 16/44 file upsampled....if done right.

    But....we aren't talking dacs. The Sonos box modded offers some improvements if it's worth it to you. Be it up sampled, down sampled, or they have 14 midgets in there sorting data out, I don't really care personally. All I care is how it sounds and the ways to improve it, anything else is trivial.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited June 2014
    tonyb wrote: »
    Don't know if that's entirely correct. If you start off with a 24/96 file, whats there to upsample ? The mods actually reduce jitter instead of adding it, same with the synchromesh.
    The stock Sonos will not play a native 24/96 file and the Cullen mod does nothing to change that(ie.software) so you are left with only the upsampled file.As I mentioned above it is just a hardware change implementing a sample rate convertor chip and its support circuitry, preceeding the digital output.It is pre set to a chosen rate 96 or 192k at 24 bits.A side benifit of the sample rate conversion process is a reduction in jitter.The Syncro mesh also does the sample rate convertion thus also has the benifit of jitter reduction.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited June 2014
    Correct, a stock Sonos won't play a 24/96 file. Like I said though, with a Cullen modded box, what is there to upsample if the file starts off at 24/96 then fed to the modded box set to receive a 24/96 signal ? Are you saying it down samples to 16/44 then up samples to 24/96 again ?
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited June 2014
    All the information provided by W4S says the Cullen mods won't allow playback of 24/96 or other hi-rez files. But when I play a file that was downloaded at 24/96, it plays....the dac see's it too at 24/96. So maybe it does down sample then up sample....I dunno honestly. All I care about is it sounds darn good with the dac.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited June 2014
    tonyb wrote: »
    All the information provided by W4S says the Cullen mods won't allow playback of 24/96 or other hi-rez files.
    Yes,thus my reply in my original post to nspindle.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited June 2014
    Well, it plays 24/96 files just fine on mine....
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited June 2014
    It must not be 24/96.Again the Cullen mod is stricltly hardware,(as in the addition of this or similar IC chip.
    http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sbfs029d/sbfs029d.pdf) There are no changes to the codec/software that would add support for hi rez files.
    As for your DAC's 24/96 indicators that would be expected as every file is upsampled to that bit depth and sample rate.
    The Sonos looks like a great unit and I was considering one but it's lack of hi rez capability took it out of contention.
    I instead went the JRiver PC route.
  • thejck
    thejck Posts: 849
    Its been a while since I have had a time to tweak things
    So I am curious if there has been any improvements in using a PC as a source since the last time I messed with my setup.

    Lossless Flac's stored on a file server. I am currently still using Windows 7 -
    Foobar - with the WASAPI driver and a optical SPDIF out to my DAC.

    I am thinking about upgrading to a USB dac and I want to make sure that my PC source is not a bottleneck.

    I have experimented with Jriver and XBMC using Wasapi.

    Anyone have any suggestions on ways to improve my setup?