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Music Server - The Search Begins

I recently upgraded my amp to a Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, which incorporates the highest quality DAC I have owned, so it's gotten me to seriously consider adding a music server to my system.  
I've been mainly playing records through my system for the past 8 years, so I really haven't paid much attention to the digital side of things.  I need some help figuring out what's ideal for my needs.
The main criteria I have:
- Needs to be able to store a lot of music because I have thousands of CDs and downloads I want to store in one place
- Should have its own CD ripper
- Needs to be easy to use. I'd like to be able to navigate it without having to use a phone, tablet or computer all the time
- Must be reliable.  Glitchy, buggy systems will end up being returned.
- Must sound good, but doesn't need to be in the top 5% of its class.  
- Should be under $3K (but willing to consider higher priced if the benefits are really worth it)

Servers that I've been considering include the Cocktail Audio X50D, Sony HAP-Z1ES, BlueSound Vault, Melco N1.  I realize that not all of these on my list include every criteria I listed above, hence my plea for help.  

If you have experience using a server that you really like and that might make sense for me please share your experiences.  Thanks so much!!

Peter

snackeyp
mahler123
3,671 posts
 
Uber
NAD, one of the parent companies for Bluesound, has some expensive (around 4K) streamers that use the same BluOS app.  I suspect that they view Bluesound as the budget line and their Master Series as the HE alternative.  I haven’t heard the Master Series, but my sneaking suspicion is that the big improvement over Bluesound would be included DAC.  For those of us that have DACs with the Bluesound—I use the Mytek Manhatten—this would be a useless and costly feature.  At any rate, I don’t see them upgrading Bluesound because it would be to the detriment of the Master Series
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
I guess I knew but did not know that if you get my drift..lol.
Yes I use a Mytek Brooklyn and I do not think any NAD dac would better that anyway so maybe a moot point
bjg's avatar
bjg
29 posts
 
I’m a fan of separating my storage from my Dac and my renderer / player - that way - the individual components can be upgraded or replaced if needed.   

I’m very happy with a dedicated QNAP server networked in another room - many size choices - you can never have too much storage space - I have 32 tb with raid 6 running fine for the past 3 years - with LMS and Roon both running on their server - I just rip CD’s on my PC and store them on the networked server.  I use a special built fanless Linux PC as a player / endpoint ( Lampizator Komputer) - running into a Lampizator Big 7 Dac -  the system has been bullet proof for me for many years and I like the fact that there are no hard drives or fans spinning in my listening room and the qnap also serves my movies and recorded TV throughout the house -  roughly 20k albums and 2k movies and I’ve still got plenty of HD space and the ability to expand with external hard drive usb 3 ports on the server - I can serve the content to plex players, chrome cast, airplay, LMS touch and squeezebox radios throughout the house - all controlled with a phone, tablet, laptop or PC -  everything just works perfectly -  I avoid wireless transmission wherever possible - just to ensure good solid communication throughout the house 
jenssmed
4 posts
 
without hawing read it all, buy  a Nuc i7 install Roon Rock and enjoy.
use your pc. for Ripping, put it to a storrage and forget about it  :-)
bander's avatar
bander
504 posts
 
You would do well to check out the server from Mojo Audio. I have one of his servers of which I'm very happy. Ben provides excellent customer service and will spend a lot of phone time with you. He offers a 30 or 40 day refurn policy. Mojoaudio.com.

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