Woops, just realized the Synology is $199 and without hard drives. 2 hard drives would cost another $200 plus. This would drive the total cost to about $1,600 which may be close enough. I don't want to skimp on quality since excellent sq is very important to me.
Thanks,
Tim
|
Thank you all for your very helpful replies thus far.
I'm getting a clearer picture of what to buy/use. Currently I'm thinking of buying the Oppo bdp-105 and the Synology DS213j NAS(thanks to Dz3827 for the heads up on Synology) to use wirelessly in conjunction with my laptop. I'd also use the DBpoweramp (thanks to Dz3827 and Steve N. for recommending) to rip cds. This is friendly to my $1,500 budget since the Oppo is $1,199 and Synology is $199 (Amazon) which would leave about $100 for the HDMI and analog cabling I'd need. I'd use decent Monoprice cabling to get it up and running then substitute better cables as budget allows.
So, the answers to my questions become:
1. Am I thinking correctly and on the right path with buying an Oppo followed by a NAS?
This seems like a yes.
2. Is there a method to connect my laptop, and future NAS wirelessly to the Oppo? I'm currently running a 12ft USB cable from my laptop to my DAC. I know cabled is better than wireless but curious how much better.
This also seems to be a yes. The Oppo comes with a wireless dongle and the Synology NAS can operate wirelessly, too. However, I may need to go wired if frequent dropouts occur or I'm not satisfied with the wireless sound.
3. Any suggestions for a good, affordable NAS?
Seems Synology is one very good answer to this.
4. Does the Oppo BDP-105 have internal surround sound decoding capability that would allow me to run analog cables to my 3 HT amps directly from its analog outputs and substitute for my Parasound processor?
From several reviews and other sources, I found out the Oppo does have internal 5.1 decoding capability(DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby-True HD)that outputs as 7.1 analog. I'd just need extra rca cables to run from these outputs directly into my 3 amps: front l+r mains into my main amp, center channel+ sub into the 2nd amp and rear l+r surrounds into my surround amp. This would mean retiring my Parasound AV2500 preamp/processor and Cambridge DacMagic DAC. Good, since this frees up rack space for the Oppo and Synology.
Looks like a good plan. The only thing I'm confused about is the need for the Offramp suggested by Steve and others.
Is this critical sound wise? If yes, is it something I could add later? If no, is it something I'd want to add later for an incremental improvement?
I've heard mention of the Offramp and know Steve and his products are well respected, but I'm unclear on exactly what this product does and how it improves sq. |
Hi Williewonka,
Thanks for the info, I will definitely implement a Raid Mirror. Is this something you can implement on any NAS or is it only available on certain NAS units? Sorry, but I'm a rookie at this right now.
Thanks,
Tim
|
Hi Al and Willie (or is that Mr. wonka to me?),
I really appreciate your assistance. I've decided to up my budget a bit, to $1,600 or so, and buy the Oppo BDP-105 and NAS hopefully within a week. The Oppo is a definite buy after reading a lot of great owners' feedback and professional reviews. It just seems like the ideal unit for my situation. As to the NAS, I'm currently considering 2:
The Synology DS213j ($199 on Amazon) with 2 Seagate Constellation 2TB hard-drives (about $135 ea.) which would be a total of about $470.
The Seagate STBN4000100 with 2 2TB hard-drives included is $322 on Amazon.
The Seagate looks like the better value but I don't know what the differences are in user interfaces, customer support and compatibility compared to the Synology.
I understand the mirroring is not the same as backing up, more like redundancy, and will look for this feature on whatever NAS I consider. I believe both of the ones above allow for mirroring 0,1,5 and possibly more protocols.
My main concern is how, and if, this is all going to work together: laptop, Oppo and NAS. I have some questions that I need further assistance with:
1. Should I buy the less expensive Seagate or the recommended Synology?
2. Having the laptop wireless is very convenient and being limited to a 12-14ft USB cable is not working well. The Oppo and NAS will be set right next to each other in my rack. Our only close neighbor is within 100 ft and I know their LAN extends into our house (at times, their network displays as an available network choice on my laptop). Can I reduce dropouts,and will it function properly, if I use a short USB cable from the NAS to the Oppo and leave the laptop connection wireless?
3. Do I use the laptop as the controller via JRiver to download and play hi-rez files, or am I not understanding how the downloading/playback is controlled?
4. Any good websites to learn about choosing and setting up this stuff?
I'm watching the Denver-New England game right now and the 5.1 surround system is sounding great, even with my 20 yr old Parasound pre/processor. I think the new system will probably sound at least as good for ht and much better with discs and downloads. Plus I'm gaining a bluray player as a bonus.
Thanks again to all,
Tim |
Steve,Al and Willie-Steve,
Thank you all very much for your help and patience. I'm getting closer and will be ordering the Oppo and hard drive(s) later this week. I also found a local independent computer company that will help me set it all up. Only downside is they charge $100/hr. I figure a few hundred bucks to do this is just the price I pay for my ignorance and to stop my head from doing those painful 360 degree spins.
Once it's all operational and I use it for awhile, I'll consider the Off Ramp, iPad remote and other enhancements.
I'll also post a new thread on this forum detailing the particulars and impressions of how it all sounds for others' reference. I hope I can be as patient,knowledgeable and helpful to other newbies as all you guys were to me.
Talk with u all later,
Tim
|
Just wanted to give an update to all who are following this thread and are interested:
I ordered an Oppo BDP-105 from Crutchfields for $1,219 with no sales tax and free shipping(Amazon and Oppo-direct had it for $1,199 but charged $27 for shipping which made the Crutch a whopping $7 cheaper that I used to buy a 3ft HDMI cable used between my satellite client box and the HDMI input on the back of the Oppo).
It has all been setup in my system via the supplied wireless dongle in one of the Oppo's 2 back panel USB 3.0 inputs. It's now wirelessly connected to my network and updated with the latest firmware.
The Oppo 105's (8)7.1 channel analog outputs are connected into my 5.1 and 2-channel system in the following manner:
Connected 4 of the 8 analog outputs from the Oppo directly into 2 of my 3 amps: center channel out to the right channel input on an Adcom 545, sub out to one side of a Y-adapter attached to the left channel input on the Adcom 545 and the surround side l+r out (Note: the 'SBL' and 'SBR', Surround Back Left and Right, channels are not connected if using a 5.1 system, the 'SL' and 'SR' are used as the rear surrounds instead) to an Adcom 535.
Connected the front l+r outputs to the 'Processor In' l+r on my VTL 2.5 preamp with HT passthru.
Connected the 'Dedicated stereo' unbalanced l+r outputs to the VTL's 'CD' l+r inputs using my best analog cables. Then the VTL's l+r main 'A' outputs into the l+r inputs on my Class D Audio 440CS amp. The VTL's left channel 'B' output to the open side of the Y-adapter on the Adcom 545's left channel input. This Y-adapter allows the bass to be sent to my sub for both 5.1 surround and 2-channel stereo since I won't be listening to 5.1 surround and stereo at the same time. It'll be either one or the other in use, not both at the same time. Control of which is in use via the VTL's front panel 'HT Passthru'.
Sorry so detailed on connections but thought it might helpful to some readers. Plus it's also a good hookup guide if I ever relocate.
As expected, I was able to remove the "oldie but a goodie" Parasound AV2500 preamp/processor and the very good Cambridge DacMagic DAC from my system(both decided to retire to Miami, btw).
My plan is still to incorporate either a NAS (Network Attached Storage) or regular Hard Drives (Laptop or Oppo Attached Storage)into my system. I haven't decided which yet but I'm currently planning on using approx. 2 TBs of storage for my future WAV and FLAC audio files, maybe 3 TB or more if I decide to store video files, too.
I found a good local source, Matt from EZPC, to help me decide and setup my solution.
I'll update again once I have it completed and have listened to some 24/96&192 music downloads for awhile.
I'm very pleased with the performance of the 105 thus far and I'm glad I decided to buy it. I love this thing already and haven't even played a Bluray or hi-rez music file yet, just Directv in DTS/Dolby 5.1 surround
Later,
Tim
|
Hey guys,
I've been researching setting up wireless systems on various internet sites in an attempt to wrap my head around how all this is configured and controlled. Something must have sunk in because I think I may have figured this out with your assistance.
Could you please confirm my proposed thinking outlined below? I'd like to ensure I'm doing this optimally for sq but realize going wireless is riskier than wired. However, there might be a fatal flaw in my plan that I'll detail after I outline my plan below.
My current plan:
-Laptop is currently wireless and Oppo and NAS are wireless capable with N type' dongles attached at USB inputs of both.
-Laptop, running Windows 7, will act as the controller with assistance of JRiver Media Center and DBpoweramp software.
-NAS will be setup as a storage device on Windows 7 and downloads will be directed via JRiver to the NAS.
-Oppo BDP-105 will be setup as the 'Preferred Output Device' (I believe just as a DAC is).
-Files stored on NAS would be initiated for playback via laptop/JRiver.
-For 5.1 music, tv and Bluray movies, volume would be controlled via the Oppo's remote.
-For 2-channel stereo playback, the Oppo's 'dedicated stereo outputs' would be connected (via my highest quality RCA intrconnect cables) to the 'CD' inputs of my VTL preamp. Volume would be controlled through the preamp. I may need to set the Oppo to 'Stereo' output as well.
The only thing I'm concerned would ruin this plan is my router. I have an AT&T high-speed internet network but I don't know if the router is capable of connecting and routing information to individual devices within this environment. So, worst case, I'm hoping an upgraded router exists that would be capable of this. Is there such a thing as a 'network within a network'? I may need professional help with this setup.
Any suggestions are very welcomed.
Thanks,
Tim
|
Hi Al,
My router from AT&T is a Gateway 2Wire with "SSID" and "Wireless Network Key" numbers listed. On the back are also 4 Ethernet ports. Only 1 port is currently connected and runs to my Directv 'Genie' DVR 6ft away. An HDMI cable connects this Genie to a secondary hdtv.
The router and my Genie box are located in my lower level family room. My main system (TV,HT and components) is located a half level up in the living room of my split level house. There is a small 'client server' box located in a low level rack directly below my wall mounted HDTV. This clent server's HDMI output is connected to my tv and the client's 'Optical digital' output is connected to my Parasound pre/pro via Toslink cable.
As I understand it, the AT&T/Gateway router communicates with the Genie via the ethernet cable and with the living room client server wirelessly. There is a wooden studded dry wall separating my living room from the kitchen and dining room behind it. There is a 4-5 ft opening in this wall that serves as a path to the dining room and another 3 ft. opening from the dining room to the kitchen, which is open to the family room a few steps below. The router is located on a desk at the far end of this 18 ft long family room.
The client server, HDTV and my laptop are all located in the mid-level living room and consistently receive strong wireless signals despite the separating wall. I was planning on putting the Oppo and NAS next to the client server in my equipment rack. However, if it is better functionally, I could locate the NAS in my family room and connect it to the Gateway router via ethernet cable.
Thanks,
Tim |
Al,Steve and Steve,
I think you're correct, I may not have a need for a NAS. I realize I have limited knowledge on setting up a computer based audio/video system and therefore may not be thinking about this in the best manner.
You have all been very kind and helpful and I don't want to take up too much more of your time.
In retrospect, what I really should have asked in the beginning is the following:
I want to incorporate an Oppo 105 into my HT system. I'd like to use my laptop, running JRiver V19, to store and playback 24/96, 24/192 and ripped cd audio files wirelessly to the Oppo. I also want to increase my laptop's storage capacity to at least 1TB and have a backup system in place.
What do I need to accomplish this?
My main concern is sending audio files wirelessly to the Oppo for playback.
Does the included wireless dongle on the Oppo allow this?
Or do I need to add something on my laptop to permit this?
Should I just upgrade the internal hd on my laptop to a 1TB unit?
Do external 1TB hds exist that are wireless or do they all connect via hardwire into the USB port?
Ideally, I'd like to locate an added hd next to the Oppo in my rack.
Thanks in advance,
Tim
|
On a related topic of data transfer speeds and using wireless vs wired Ethernet with the Oppo, I found another interesting bit of info on Blu-ray.com:
"The funny thing is the Wireless N adapter on the OPPO BDP-103/105 is rated at 150Mbps which means under ideal conditions the wireless networking is 50Mbps faster than the Ethernet connection since 1Gbps Ethernet was not part of the hardware design."
Of course, just because the wireless 105 transfers at 150M and the wired Ethernet is limited to 100M, that doesn't necessarily mean wireless will sound better.
Thanks,
Tim |
Update:
Discovered I actually had JRiver version 18, not v19 like I thought. Wasn't sure about any new improvements I'd benefit from on v19 but, just to be on the safe side before I start downloading hi-rez files, I decided to update to v19 anyway since it was only $26.
Jerry, a computer proficient friend stopped by Sunday and, within 15 minutes, had the Oppo 105 recognized by and listed as the playback device on JRiver. So, I've reached another milestone by now being able to go into JRMC on my laptop and 'push' ripped CD files to the 105 wirelessly. Yahoo!
After having some issues with my setup(I described the setup in an earlier post) I decided to simplify connections and get things functioning and stable by taking my VTL preamp temporarily out of my system. I'll probably add the preamp back in once I determine how best to do it. I really like the combination of the VTL, with NOS Mullard tubes, and my ClassD Audio amp and want to somehow incorporate it back in.
So, after taking the VTL out, I now have the Oppo directly connected to my amp through the 105's 'dedicated XLR outputs and my amp's XLR inputs. I used a pair of Audioquest cables and prefer the secure attachment of these plugs.
The system is sounding very good under this setup but I can't honestly claim that this direct connection, or the use of decent XLR cables, improved the sound of my system when compared to all RCA cables being used. However, I did have to adjust the 'trim' level on my main speakers under the Oppo's 'speaker configuration' setup menu after noticing the 5.1 surround sound was slightly out of balance. The front left & right mains were slightly louder than the other 3 speakers. I adjusted the 'trim' to -3.0 db on both Magnepan 2.7 front mains to compensate and all is sounding very good. My theory is that the XLR cable connection method actually did lower the noise floor which caused the front mains to sound louder than the other 3 speakers that are connected via RCA unbalanced connections.
As I currently see my journey, I still have a few steps to take before I can start enjoying hi-rez WAV and FLAC music downloads:
1. Finalize my backup and storage strategy then buy and install it. Almost ready to order a Synology DS112 or Qnap TS-119P NAS ($170-180/Amazon)with a Seagate Barracuda 2 TB HD($89/Newegg) as storage and a 2TB Seagate Backup Plus($99/Amazon or Newegg)) as the backup solution.
2. Complete configuration of JRMC, including setup of Folders based on resolution. I'm currently thinking of creating 5 initial Folders: 1. my ripped CD collection in 16/44.1 2. 24/96 FLAC files. 3. 24/96 WAV files. 4. 24/192 FLAC files. 5. 24/192 WAV files. This could change as I gain knowledge of, and experience with, JRMC.
Once these 2 steps are completed, I'll finally be able to move on to the fun part of downloading and enjoying hi-rez music. My final step is finding high quality download sites at reasonable prices. I'm aware of AIX, HD Tracks and Bluecoast records.
Again, thanks to everyone on this thread and my friends, Jerry and Dave, for helping me get this far on my journey thus far.
Please let me know of any good, well engineered hi-rez recordings and/or sites you're aware of. I prefer acoustic rock, jazz, r&b, blues or really any music that is well played and recorded and portrays a 3 dimensional soundstage that gives that 'you are there'or 'they're in the room' illusion.
Thanks,
Tim
|
Bill,
I'll definitely check out Sound Liaison. I'm keeping a list of potential good sites and good recordings and SL is now on it.
Thanks a lot, Bill.
Tim |
Steve, Al and Steve,
Williewonka (Steve) hit my goal exactly in his last reply:
"Al - I get the impression that Tim's ultimate goal is to have a seperate hard
drive next to the Oppo (connected in some manner) and Tim sitting in his
listening chair with his laptop, using JRiver to control the next track to play,
or downloading song titles to said hard drive and it's all accomplished
wirelessly :-)
And that's a very reasonable expectation with the technology available
today!"
Yes, that is exactly what I would like to do. I don't need the hard drive necessarily next to the Oppo, though.
The drive could be located near my laptop/listening chair or connected via Ethernet cable next to my router downstairs in my family room.
My ultimate goal is to use my laptop to play hi-rez music and ripped cds wirelessly through the Oppo to utilize its Dacs and output to my system via analog cables.
Originally, I thought a NAS would be the best solution since it could be a 2 hard drive system (2 bay) that could use Raid protocol to guard against losing my music files.
Now I'm thinking I may need to pay for some local assistance from a computer shop that makes house calls.
Meantime, I'm going to continue searching the internet for info. It would be great if Oppo had 'How-To' videos for newbies like me.
You guys have been great!
Thank you very much,
Tim |
Just talked to Nathan at Oppo cust.serv. He said the 105 is capable of doing what I want wirelessly.
Here's what he told me from memory:
-Plug the supplied wireless Dongle into a USB port on the back and connect to my network. The 105 will then show up as a Device on my network and be able to receive firmware updates.
- Set up my audio files to be shared folders and the 105 will be able to access them. I could go into the Network input on the 105, select a file and drill down to play the track I want.
- Or, he said I could go into JRiver and 'push' the selected song to the 105 wirelessly. The 105 should be setup as the 'preferred output device' on JRiver and Windows 7 on the laptop.
-He also recommended downloading 'OSHARE' which is a free file sharing app.
-He suggested this will all become clearer once I actually start using the 105.
-He also suggested isolating the laptop duties from the 105's duties as much as possible for best sound and to minimize chances of a virus.
-Or, an external HD could be added to either the laptop or to the 105. I also could use a NAS attached to the router and would be accessible to the 105.
All good news and things are becoming clearer to me but I'm still a bit fuzzy and my head just did a complete 360 degree turn. I still may employ the services of a pro just to help me setup and explain things.
Steve(Willie),
Your idea of the IPad is probably a good one but the idea of adding another device to this puzzle just made my head do that turn again. I'll consider that down the line, once I get this system up and running. Thanks, appreciate your efforts.
I'm going to search the JRiver website for any more info on this.
Thanks all,
Tim
- |
Willie/Steve,
Thank you.
Yes, I feel like I made some decent progress last week. I really wish there was a manual or tutorial on how this is all setup: laptop with JRiver v18, Oppo 105, Gateway router and NAS or external hard drives. I want to set this up, at least initially, wirelessly and only use Ethernet hard wire connections if sound quality or functionality is not high quality. My impression, thus far, is that wireless audio and video fidelity is very high.
I have the Oppo attached to my home network and the internet and have watched some Netflix movies streamed wirelessly in 1080p and they both looked and sounded great. I can also go into the Oppo's "Network" menu and see several files of CDs I ripped to my laptop, which means the Oppo has access to my laptop files and can 'Pull' these files and stream them wirelessly utilizing its internal Saber dacs to convert into analog outputs. All 3 of the CDs that were 'pulled' sounded great but, of course, they were only standard redbook resolution at 44.1khz/16 bit.
Once I figure out how to incorporate JRiver into this and 'Push' files to the Oppo wirelessly, then I'll be in a good position to add a Nas, or at least an external hard drive, to the system and start downloading some high-resolution WAV and FLAC files. At that point, I'll really be where I want to be and will be able to build a library of hi-res songs/albums to really take advantage of the Oppo's capabilities.
Once I get a better handle on all this, I'm currently thinking I'll add a NAS system consisting of the following:
Synology DS-112 or Qnap TS-119PII single -bay (diskless)NAS. For my needs, I didn't think a RAID multi-disk NAS was required. I love my music but I can get by without it for a few days if a drive conks out. I narrowed it down to one of these NASes due to their reasonable price ($170-180 without drives) and they both have USB 3.0 ports (much faster read and write than USB 2.0 ports) for attached external hard drive backups.
Western Digital 'Red' 2TB($99) or Seagate 'Barracuda' 2TB ($88) 3.5" internal hard drive.
Seagate 'Backup Plus' 2TB external hard drive ($99) connected via USB 3.0 NAS port for automatic and scheduled file backups.
As usual, please don't hesitate to offer your thoughts and advice. Until I gain more knowledge and experience in computer audio, I can use all the assistance and advice I can get.
Thanks,
Tim |
Pokey77,
Thanks for the heads-up on the AVS forums. I've read many of the numerous posts on the 105 and find it very useful but haven't yet discovered solutions to my particular situation. In fact, this forum was a key reason I decided to buy the 105. A computer savy friend is helping me out tomorrow to assist in system setup solutions.
Steve/Willie,
I've read many reviews recently confirming the positive attributes of the Seagate Constellation hard drives. I am still considering these even though they cost more, thanks.
A far as my expectations of hi-rez 24/96-192 downloads, I have sampled a few sample tracks from Bluecoast Records through my former Dacmagic mini 100 DAC and was very impressed. I could definitely notice its superiority over cd.
And, yes, I do understand the importance of quality engineering in the final results. I've also learned that downloads recorded in 24/96-192 will sound better than regular CDs just placed in a 24/96-192 'container'. Bluecoast has many recordings recorded in hi-rez but the artists, although usually very good, are not the tracks currently most in demand. Hopefully, the more popular artists and recor labels will start recording in hi-rez. Seems to be likely but you never know.
Once I start actually buying and listening to computer downloads, the quality of the engineering and overall sq will become my next area of focus.
Thanks again,
Tim |
Steve/Willie,
Forgot to answer your question on the 105's buffering of music data. I pulled the following info from Blu-ray.com:
3. "OPPO BDP-93/95 has 2GB of built in flash memory compared to only 1GB of built in flash memory for the new OPPO BDP-103/105: The BDP-93/95 has a total of 2GB of flash memory reserved for internal storage. 1GB is used for BD-LIVE persistent storage and 1GB is used for buffering streaming services. According to my communications with OPPO Digital INC the new OPPO BDP-103/105 will only have 1GB of internal flash memory (512MB is used for BD-LIVE persistent storage and 512MB is used for buffering streaming services). To meet the Profile 2.0 specification a USB external storage drive that is 1GB or larger is required. This is a disappointment since all prior OPPO Blu-ray players had 1GB of internal storage reserved for BD-LIVE. The new OPPO BDP-103/105 cuts the internal storage in half for both streaming services and BD-LIVE."
So, it looks like the 105 has 512mb of storage devoted to buffering.
Do you think this will be adequate for FLAC, WAV and CD playback?
Meeting the USB 2.0 Profile requirements seems assured since I'll use 2 TB drives and a 2 TB backup drive However, the Oppo , my NAS and backup drives will utilize the faster USB 3.0 ports. So, do you know if USB 3.0 Profile requirements will be met?
I only have a rudimentary knowledge of how buffering affects sq. But I know it's related to sending the musical data to the DAC in an accurate and timely manner and, if the data is not completely accurate and timely, sq will suffer.
Thanks,
Tim |
Update:
If anyone is still interested, I took another couple of steps on my computer audio journey on Tuesday 2/4/14:
1. Ordered a Synology DS112j NAS and a Seagate Barracuda 2TB internal 3.5" hard disk drive. Best Buy had a good price of $252, but was even a few dollars less at Amazon, Newegg and B&H Photo. Synology also offers a DS112 (no "j" suffix) 1-bay NAS that has twice the internal memory (512 vs 256) and 2 USB 3.0 ports as compared to the DS112j's 2 USB 2.0 ports but also costs between $30-50 more. Since the Seagate Backup Plus (see #2 below)uses a USB 2.0 connection anyway, I thought any net increase in speed would not benefit me very much so I decided to save the money instead. If this was for work rather than home use, I probably would've chosen the marginally increased speed.
2. Ordered a Seagate Backup Plus 2TB external backup hard disk drive. Bought it from BB for $94, it was a good price but Amazon was even a bit less. I wasn't too concerned over a few dollars since I earn 'Reward Points' through BB, one's nearby and it was simpler placing 1 order for all.
Equipment should arrive in a week or less. My skilled friend, Jerry, will help me setup and configure everything. I'll post again after additional progress is made.
If nothing else, this thread may serve as a guide to future computer audio newcomers. Is that a light at the end of this obsessive tunnel?
Thanks,
Tim |
Hi Steve,
The Synology DS112 has 512mb, I bought the Synology DS112j which has half the memory at 256mb.
Does the NAS use all of this internal memory for buffering only? I guess if the 256mb results in playback issues/gaps, I could return it to BB and get the DS112 instead.
Thanks,
Tim |
Steve Willie,
I gotcha on the memory. Good news- thanks.
Bill,
I took your advice and downloaded my first file from Sound Liaison: Carmen Gomes "Studio Showcase Series No. 1". After my payment was processed, I thought the download to JRMC/NAS would start automatically but it didn't. I checked both and found no file(s). SL did send an email confirming my purchase but there were no instructions for downloading the files. This is all new to me and would love your assistance on how to actually get the files on JRMC/NAS. I also just posted a separate thread on this question a few minutes ago.
Thanks in advance,
Tim |
Hi Bill,
You were right, it's just an awkward 2-step process in which you pay 1st and download after. I'm still in the process of setting up JRMC with my new Synology NAS and the backup Seagate hd. I probably jumped the gun downloading new music but I'm anxious to hear how it'll sound.
I'm going to try to slow down a bit and make sure I create the correct media file folders and have my system up n running well before I download anything else. This is proving a bit more difficult than I originally imagined but I'm still determined to do this right. Right now, I'm working on creating a good media folder structure and the next stage will be moving my existing music(mainly ripped CDs) into a 'CD-16bit/44khz' folder. I'll also have 2 hi-rez folders: '24 bit/96khz' and '24 bit/192khz' to move downloads into. I'll look into DSD files in the future.
Thanks again,
Tim |
Hi Steve/Willie,
This whole folder and file structure protocol is somewhat confusing to me. I've read that it's important to have a good folder and file structure setup to avoid problems down the road when downloading. I wasn't planning on using iTunes at all. I thought I would download from higher resolution sites like Sound Liaison, iTrax, Bluecoast Records and HDTracks. Is this a good plan or am I missing something?
I was planning on downloading files to folders based on resolution and thought the files would be listed automatically by Artist, Album and Tracks within each folder. I'm so new at this I'm fairly sure I need to know more before moving ahead. So, I'll follow your more experienced suggestions until I gain more knowledge. Are you saying I should change my folders?
Really appreciate your continued assistance,
Tim |
Willie,
I'm continuing to learn about JRMC by using it and through various forums.
The good news is that my computer audio system is now complete. I now have JRiver as the DMC (Digital Media Controller)via my laptop that is used to select tracks on my Synology NAS (I believe this is considered the DMS- Digital Media Server)for playback. These files are successfully being sent or 'pushed' to the Oppo 105 (I believe the Oppo is considered the DMR- Digital Media Renderer and the DMP-Digital Media Player. The Synology ( attached to my home network via Ethernet cable) is currently sending these files to the Oppo wirelessly. All music files are backed up via a Seagate 2 TB Backup Plus.
The sound quality is very good right now; obviously hi-rez with no dropouts. I also came in just $44 over my $1,600 budget at $1,644: Oppo 105 at $1,219, Synology DS-112j diskless NAS at $152, 2 TB Seagate Barracuda HD at $99, Seagate 2 TB Backup Plus at $94 and $80 thank you gratuity to my friend Jerry for setup help=$1,644. The process wasn't painless but I'm very pleased with my investment so far.
Just for those wondering if a software controller is necessary, the Oppo is also capable of 'pulling' files from the NAS hd and playing them back via its 'Network menu'. However, the Oppo's GUI (Graphic User Interface) is very rudimentary and is nowhere near the quality of JRMC's GUI. Whether 'pushed' or 'pulled', the sound quality is very good and sounds identical to me.
I also just made my first download purchase recently from Sound Liaison in The Netherlands. I paid 20 Euros ($27)for a Carmen Gomes album called "Thousand Shades of Blue". It's recorded at 24/96 live at a small studio in front of a small audience. I bought the 24/96 WAV file and it definitely sounds better than CD quality to me. It's basically a cover of a Bruce Springsteen album with just vocals by Gomes, guitar, double bass and drums/percussion in a jazz format. I really enjoy it and it's well miked and recorded, portraying an 'in the room' quality. There are 12 tracks, including: Fever, Dock of the Bay, I'm on Fire and Angel Eyes. Thanks to Bill_k for the Sound Liaison suggestion.
Setup wise, I have the Oppo's 7.1 analog rca outputs connected directly to my surround amps in my 5.1 system. I've also connected the Oppo's 'dedicated stereo' xlr outputs directly to my main amp's xlr l+r inputs. This setup sounds very good for both 2-ch music and HT surround and has eliminated the need for both my Parasound AV2500 prepro surround unit and my tubed VTL 2.5 preamp for music playback.
So, if you're looking to simplify your system and still retain very good sq, the 105 is an ideal solution. I only have 1 very ridiculous issue only possible in a first world country: I loved the combo of the Mullard tubed VTL and my class D amp for CD music playback on my former system. I'm wondering if passing the Oppo's 'dedicated stereo' outputs through my VTL's 'CD' inputs would even sound better than the existing setup.
Oh, poor me and my troubles.I think the only way I'll know for certain is by trying this setup and choosing the one I like best. I'll try this and report back on the results after a thorough comparison. I realize I'll be comparing the sound of more than just my system with and without the VTL. I'll also be comparing my system connected via xlr cables vs rca cables and with and without an additional preamp stage. Regardless, I'm just going to pick the one that sounds best, making sure volume levels are as close to equal as possible during comparisons.
I really have no questions right now, just wanted to give an update on my audio journey. But please feel free to give suggestions and comments.
Thanks again to all that assisted in my successful computer audio implementation,
Tim
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Bill,
Thanks, I'm very pleased with my computer audio system thus far.
It seems like high quality downloads are somewhat of a mixed bag. Purchasing 24/96 files of an album from the major sites appears to be about the cost of good SACDs which is about twice the price of the same titled album in CD format.
Otoh, there seems to be some sites, to those in the know, in which you can download high quality music files for free. A friend was able to download Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" album as a 24/96 FLAC file for me at no cost. He said it's perfectly legal but I'm somewhat clueless on how these are obtained right now. I think it involves a small group of trusted friends sharing their music files.
So, if I'm able to obtain my music as a 50/50 mixture of free downloads and purchased downloads, I should be able to keep the costs roughly the same as my prior method of buying new CDs. Probably wishful thinking but I'm not too concerned.
I'm just really enjoying finally being able to concentrate solely on the music and listening and I'm willing to pay a bit more for the pleasure.
Thanks for your assistance again,
Tim
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Willie,
Cool, I'll check them out.
Thanks,
Tim |
