Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems New Music Server

With heartfelt thanks to all the HH`s who helped me directly as well as the countless number who posted their experiences on the forum, specifically but certainly not exclusively George and David, I have my Sonos working. It would be too redundant to repeat what has been said by those before me so I will suffice with my spinner is dead, long live my server.

I will put in one plug for Sonos. I spent some time trying to decide which brand of server to get. I decided on the Sonos partially for their customer service with my pre purchase inquiries. (Sooloos did not answer my questions.) Then when I had the inevitable start up glitch, due to Bill Gates, not Sonos, their technical support was fantastic. I highly recommend Sonos to non techies like me.

Now of course, given my sudden rise is technical sophistication, I want to upgrade and improve. Thanks to the HH2 I believe that I have a bit of an understanding. There are 2 areas where I could upgrade. I learned from Philip that the 808, without the apodizing filters blows away the G91. Therefore there has to be what I will call the Rhonda magic green box, which is proprietary to Meridian that would improve my system. Secondly it has become obvious that the apodizing filters add a lot.

I learned at the HH2 that there is a solution available today: run a server through an 808 to give 98% of the sound quality of the 808. Now I did ask with a Sooloos rather than generic server but I think that bells and whistles aside, the sound would be the same. This is just too expensive a solution with too many inelegant wasted features for me. I also understand that I could get the apodizing filters by running my Sonos through a HD621 with all the adaptation discussed on another thread, but this jury rigging sounds like it has some downsides and as well it is asking for trouble given my level of technical computer expertise.

So firstly is my technical understanding correct? Secondly from the hints and things not said at HH2 would it be fair to assume that if I wait 6 months to a year that Meridian will come out with an affordable solution between my Sonos and G68 that will give me 9?% of the 808 sound?

I'm sure you realise this, but you'll need an 808.2 to apodize your source.

On the other hand, once your G68 gets apodizing, that will do a similar job to the 808.2.

You could send the Sonos into an HD621 via your G91. Certainly the cheapest option until the G68 gets its upgrade.

Dolf:

Congratulations on the SONOS as I am sure that it will give you a limitless amount of enjoyment as I have had mine for a little over a year and could not see myself living without it...one of the best purchases I have ever made!

As far as running the SONOS through the HD621 this is what I am now doing and it is the best approach for the time being...once the apodizing filter comes to my pre/pro I will simply connect the SONOS to the pre/pro directly...

And now, back to the music...

Hi VK,

Yes I realize that I would need the .2 to do the apodizing, but it is an academic point for me as I won't purchase a 808.2 just for this.

My understanding from Philip is that if the G68 gets apodizing it would give me that part of what the 808.2 does but to a lesser extent because there are fewer mips, whatever that means, available, but that would be very acceptable to me. It also seems there is still some magic green box other than apodizing in the 808 that I would not get in the G68. I hope that whatever it is, it becomes available somehow from Meridian in the future. I would be willing to pay for it if it didn't come attached to a 808.

Your G91 suggestion is brilliant. I had never considered that I had a converter to HDMI all the time. However, as I understand it, it is not a good long term solution as there is probably a downside to converting to HDMI just to get it into the HD621. Also I have completely packed up my G91 in the hopes of selling it as I permanently leave the spinner route. But you have given me something to ponder. Thanks.

Hello Joel,

Thank you. Now in hindsight I wonder what took me so long. The added bonus is that my wife appreciates it.

I think that I understand and agree that your HD621 solution is the best "for the time being" but with the secondary requirements as discussed in the HD621 thread, I feel uncomfortable wading that deep into the digital tweaking world. I am going to try to be patient for a few months and hope that my read of Meridian's roadmap is accurate.

Now, as you said, back to the random playing of my entire almost forgotten collection!

Dolf:

I could not agree more with you as I spent endless hours trying to sort out the HD621 with my Lumagen RadianceXE which is till somewhat faulty so my advice to you is this...WAIT, WAIT until apodizing is added to the pre / pro as otherwise you may going a road with much frustration as did I...

I am saying the above based on the assumption that you are not using the SONOS for critical listening but for whole house audio because, if you are, then I would reverse the above because for critical listening it does make a difference..

HTH

Hi Dolf, two things:

1) There are a number of people on this forum who believe that the PCM-to-HDMI-to-(apodizing)HD621-to-processor route is superior to PCM-to-(non-apodizing)processor. I would let your ears decide; certainly I doubt there is a better HDMI de-jittering solution out there.

2) We don't know how many upsampling MIPS the 808.2 uses and we have even less idea what the relative upsampling MIPS of the 808.2 and 861/G68 apodizing solutions will be. It is not impossible that M will implement different processor apodizing algorithms for stereo and multi-channel inputs if the MIPS are constraining for multi-channel, but not for stereo.

I'm inspired to set up a music server. Sonos and ripcaster.co.uk are pushing, as a Network Attached Storage server, the AVA RS3. This is fanless, so runs almost silently - so I can have it in the main room. It seems to have great functionality - a CD is automatically ripped into both lossless and MP3 formats and a lifetime subscription to premium metadata suppliers is included (which, looking at discussion forums, seems to pick up track information and cover art very accurately except for compilation albums). I'm attracted to a version with 2x 1TB hard drives, with one drive for auto-backup of the other.

As a complete newbie to this whole area, I'd be really grateful for a few pointers:

1) The manufacturer of the AVA claims "the RS3 is the preferred choice of the digital Audiophile" but how do I differentiate the sound quality among different NAS devices? Do I need to compare sound cards? Or is it a given that they'll be using top-end sound cards?

2) Would any NAS device be "up there" with the sound quality of the Sooloos?

3) As a "starter kit", would the NAS + Squeezebox controller + Squeezebox receiver suffice? At the outset, I'll be happy with single-room, point-to-the-front control.

4) I presume the Squeezebox controller would display cover art and track listings.

5) Later, I might want to add multi-room sound (here, I'm thinking the same music across different rooms with speakers wired up to Meridian equipment in the main room). Is it possible to use an iPod Touch (with WiFi) as a remote around the house? Does that come down to whether there is a suitable app to control content on the NAS? If so, is anyone aware of such an app?

6) Would the iPod Touch and Squeezebox clash? Or could they both allow content to be picked from the NAS?

7) I might want to allow one specific room (the kids' TV room) to make their own music selections, while the rest of the house is listening to something else. I see how Sonos supports that. Could I achieve this with Squeezebox or a Squeezebox/iPod Touch attangement?

Many thanks!

The NAS isn't going to have much influence on sound quality. If it's going to be near your listening area, it should be near silent. If you go with a SBox (Logitech) solution you have to bear in mind that something must run SqueezeCenter and if it's the NAS (as opposed to additional other, computer) it must have a fair amount of computing power and must be compatible with SC. I don't know much about the RS3, I have to confess.

A compatible NAS + Duet would be a good starter kit. Bear in mind that there are some new toys coming from the Logitech camp shortly (Sbox Touch) so it may be wise to wait a few weeks.

The iPod Touch (with iPeng) and SB Controller potentially duplicate function so you need to decide which way you want to go (Duet or e.g. iTouch with SB3 classic). You need to do some homework and look at the iPeng application and decide. SB can be more easily configured for IR control of amps which is much more difficult for the iTouch

SB controller does artwork

SB solutions allow multiroom access via various means

AVOID Ripcaster - they recently gave me the run-around when I bought a Transporter. I had a faulty unit and they lied to me about the availability of a replacement and tried to divorec themselves of any responsibility

Cliff

Edit: I should emphasise that the whole area is quite complex with a number of potential platforms and you need to do your own homework and look at each in detail

Edit: I doubt that the RS3 NAS is compatible with SqueezeCenter. Sonos, yes

Cliff, how do you like the Transporter?

Love the two displays and I'm even making use of the analogue outputs into my headphone amp . Sometimes think it sounds better as well.

Cliff

Cliff - thanks for your comprehensive feedback and for the tips re. Squeezebox Touch and ripcaster!