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Thread: SSD vs. HDD for Music Storage ?

  1. #11
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Coventry

    Posts: 3,039
    I'm Will.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adrian Ho View Post
    SO QUESTION #1: What about storage for all the FLAC files I have? I know SSD costs more than traditional HDD, but other than that, are there any specific benefits that one medium has over the other? (At present I have them all stored on a networked Western Digital drive - and I've seen Rothchild's BEWARE notice regarding Seagate's NAS, meaning WD must do the same DNS request thing.)

    AND QUESTION #2 (somewhat related): Is there a downside (besides relatively limited storage capacity) to simply using an android tablet (like my Samsung Galaxy Tab S2) to store and play music out of the 3.5mm headphone jack into the RCA audio inputs on my pre-amp? (I believe the Tab S2 comes with a built-in DAC.)

    Hope #2 doesn't horrify any readers! Ha, ha.
    Hi Adrian

    1. If it's not going to be directly connected to your DAC, eg a NAS (QNAP etc., avoid that Seagate device!), and outside of your listening area go with regular HDDs.

    2. I'd avoid the headphone output however I can stream FLAC from both my Samsung S4, and Note 8 (both have 128GB SDs), via an OTG USB cable, into numerous USB DACs, there's a thread somewhere on one of the Android forum listing compatible devices...I use an iFi Nano, but I only use this setup on holiday etc., and the iFi's on board battery takes a load off the phone/tablet.

    The main downside to 2 is the OTG cable prevents you from charging, and USB host is quite battery intensive, there are some OTG cables that offer charging adapters but I don't think one can do both simultaneously...

    However if you're at all computer literate at all I'd recommend going the pi route, I've got 2 up and running as players (IQaudio/pi2/piCorePlayer, Audiophonics/pi2/piCorePlayer), and only last night built a new LMS server with a pi3/piCoreplayer referencing my QNAP NAS Flac library.

    I'm currently running LMS on my QNAP NAS, however the new pi3 allows me to run the latest version of LMS, and secondly fully indexes 30K FLAC tracks in 35mins, about 15mins quicker than the old QNAP. So I will be turning off the old version of LMS shortly...
    Last edited by WAD62; 06-03-2017 at 15:15.
    Cheers, Will

  2. #12
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,743
    I'm Geoff.

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    I cannot see the advantage of SSD over HDD especially given the price. The data transfer speed of HDD is more than adequate for FLAC, WAV or even HD files. What is more, having recently moved from PiCore Player to Volumio, I find the latter has the option to buffer files before playback with various buffer sizes selectable. Buy a second HDD with the money saved as a mirror of the one you are using as whatever drive you use it will fail at some point!

    Geoff

  3. #13
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Hong Kong

    Posts: 21
    I'm Adrian.

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    Thanks very much, Will.

    The pi3 route is enticing. BUT, have you and others pursued it for the novelty and cost/benefit factors, or does a pi3 coupled with the other IQ/CorePlayer/Audiophonics devices you list actually produce a higher quality audio than say store bought devices as are available from BlueSound (NAD) or Linn (i.e., is the pi3 route technically equal or even superior)? I'm reasonably computer literate and don't mind tinkering, but just buying a streamer from a reputable brand seems such an easy turnkey solution.

    The iFi Nano looks pretty cool for use on the go, as you suggest! And I already have the OTG USB cable.
    Amplifier: Now: NAD C 315BEE; Previously: Magnum Audio A.100 Mono-block Amplifiers (2 @ 400W/8R); P.100 Pre-Amplifier; PS.100 Power Supply
    Speakers: Now: Epos Elan 15s; Previously: Celestion SL700s

    CD: Linn Mimik
    DAC Streamer: Cambridge Audio CXN

  4. #14
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Coventry

    Posts: 3,039
    I'm Will.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adrian Ho View Post
    Thanks very much, Will.

    The pi3 route is enticing. BUT, have you and others pursued it for the novelty and cost/benefit factors, or does a pi3 coupled with the other IQ/CorePlayer/Audiophonics devices you list actually produce a higher quality audio than say store bought devices as are available from BlueSound (NAD) or Linn (i.e., is the pi3 route technically equal or even superior)? I'm reasonably computer literate and don't mind tinkering, but just buying a streamer from a reputable brand seems such an easy turnkey solution.

    The iFi Nano looks pretty cool for use on the go, as you suggest! And I already have the OTG USB cable.
    The piDAC HATs (Iqaudio, and audiophonics) are great, and I use them in my secondary systems, for SQ/Cost, small form, and you'd have to spend a lot to better them even in your main system...however I've been playing around with a pi2/digi+ pro in my main system for ultimate SQ and posted this on another forum yesterday...it's superb in absolute SQ, regardless of cost

    http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/s...27#post3060727

    If I didn't already have the Touch and the associated iFi USB gubbins I'd go with the pi/digi+ pro, and spend the savings on other areas of my system...both allow the MDAC to work at it's best

    The other key to this is piCorePlayer software, it's rock solid, supported, with a global user base and form support on the squeezebox forums, along with all of the other LMS/squeezebox variants...

    pi3/piCorePlayer/LMS/HiFiBerry Digi+ Pro with connected HD as all in one server player...

    Attachment 19667

    ...subsequently rebuilt as pi/piCorePlayer/HiFiBerry Digi+ in head to head with SBTouch...

    Attachment 19668
    Last edited by WAD62; 10-03-2017 at 16:13.
    Cheers, Will

  5. #15
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Hong Kong

    Posts: 21
    I'm Adrian.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WAD62 View Post
    The piDAC HATs (Iqaudio, and audiophonics) are great, and I use them in my secondary systems, for SQ/Cost, small form, and you'd have to spend a lot to better them even in your main system...however I've been playing around with a pi2/digi+ pro in my main system for ultimate SQ and posted this on another forum yesterday...it's superb in absolute SQ, regardless of cost

    http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/s...27#post3060727

    If I didn't already have the Touch and the associated iFi USB gubbins I'd go with the pi/digi+ pro, and spend the savings on other areas of my system...both allow the MDAC to work at it's best

    The other key to this is piCorePlayer software, it's rock solid, supported, with a global user base and form support on the squeezebox forums, along with all of the other LMS/squeezebox variants...

    pi3/piCorePlayer/LMS/HiFiBerry Digi+ Pro with connected HD as all in one server player...

    Attachment 19667

    ...subsequently rebuilt as pi/piCorePlayer/HiFiBerry Digi+ in head to head with SBTouch...

    Attachment 19668
    Thanks again, Will. It seems the more I learn the more complex the decision becomes! Ha, ha.

    I went and looked at the iFi Nano line yesterday. Very petite and clearly that's a selling point here in crowded (space-challenged) Hong Kong.

    In the building next door were two high-end audio shops selling DACs in the USD5-20K range, though one proprietor, and extremely amiable fellow named Ernest, showed me a Stello DA100 from Korea for about USD750, which he said is unusually good value for its 'low' cost. (I have yet to compare its specs to the iFi Nano line-up.) He later played me some vinyl using VTL Siegried tube amps and Rockport speakers that produced an acoustic experience for me that was frankly mind-blowing. (Since the speakers cost USD27,000 a pair I guess that's to be expected. I didn't dare ask about the amps.) He's featured in this article half-way down: http://www.theaudiobeat.com/visits/asia_2.htm and has gotten me thinking about tube amplification.

    Ernest uses a streaming software called JRiver in his studio, and said it's the best on the market. Do you know it?
    Amplifier: Now: NAD C 315BEE; Previously: Magnum Audio A.100 Mono-block Amplifiers (2 @ 400W/8R); P.100 Pre-Amplifier; PS.100 Power Supply
    Speakers: Now: Epos Elan 15s; Previously: Celestion SL700s

    CD: Linn Mimik
    DAC Streamer: Cambridge Audio CXN

  6. #16
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

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    I'm not up to date on the latest streaming, but digital storage was an expertise of mine in a previous life. I don't know what the dependability of the SSD drives is compared to HHD, but it's far faster. However, if you are storing data on a hard drive I don't think lack of speed will be a problem.

    But a fool proof solution is a RAID storage device. I've seen some WiFi solutions advertised by Western Digital, for a few hundred, surprisingly affordable compared to what it cost 25 years ago. But it's just a large box, with 3 hard drives in it. And it stores data spread across all three drives, so, it's a 3 Terabyte storage device. And it used RAID technology to spread the data across these drives, using a check bit, so that if any one Drive crashes, the data can be recreated using the other two. Very ingenious actually, but it's just about fool proof, unless you beat it with a sledge hammer. If security is important, this is the way to go. And 3 Terabytes sounds like a lot of space, but the one Terabyte drive on my notebook filled up faster than I thought it would. You can store all of your music on it, full sized lossless data, and back up your computers, etc, you can even set up automatic backups of your computer devices. So when a crash does happen, you can recover 100%. Losing your family photos and music files can be a traumatic event.

    Others here may be more versed in how you play music from a server, but I'm sure I've read that some of these streaming devices are designed to work with an external server. Once it's set up. It sets out of the way and you never think about it, works in the background, and you won't fill it up too soon.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  7. #17
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

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    https://www.wdc.com/products/externa...-book-duo.html

    Check this out, $250 US


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  8. #18
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Coventry

    Posts: 3,039
    I'm Will.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adrian Ho View Post
    Ernest uses a streaming software called JRiver in his studio, and said it's the best on the market. Do you know it?
    All depends what 'best' means, I know there are keen users on this forum, but I think they're more PC/Mac based, it's also more of a multi-media solution than LMS etc.

    If you're considering using a pi I'd strongly recommend piCorePlayer as the 'best', as it only executes from memory it will survive no end of power outages without corrupting the SD card...however as you say there are many alternative solutions out there.

    I'm particularly keen on the open source nature of LMS, when Logitech dropped Squeezebox a lot of users were nervous about the future, now a whole community has grown up supporting multiple offerings, with future support...the pi now fills in the hardware gap

    I suppose the other consideration is do you actually need multi room? I lived in Hong Kong in the nineties, and 1 system was ample the size of flat I had then...
    Last edited by WAD62; 11-03-2017 at 09:43.
    Cheers, Will

  9. #19
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Hong Kong

    Posts: 21
    I'm Adrian.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WAD62 View Post
    All depends what 'best' means, I know there are keen users on this forum, but I think they're more PC/Mac based, it's also more of a multi-media solution than LMS etc.

    If you're considering using a pi I'd strongly recommend piCorePlayer as the 'best', as it only executes from memory it will survive no end of power outages without corrupting the SD card...however as you say there are many alternative solutions out there.

    I'm particularly keen on the open source nature of LMS, when Logitech dropped Squeezebox a lot of users were nervous about the future, now a whole community has grown up supporting multiple offerings, with future support...the pi now fills in the hardware gap

    I suppose the other consideration is do you actually need multi room? I lived in Hong Kong in the nineties, and 1 system was ample the size of flat I had then...
    Hi Will, sorry for being quiet. Have been on the road (trying to escape the small flats here in HK, lol!)

    Yes, the music will be for one room only. I did make it to a few hi-fi stores to continue my education and have found some reasonably priced DACs that seem to do the job (the Luxman DA250 might be the winner). Have also researched all the RAID storage devices and know what I'll go for. What I need to figure out now is whether I actually need a Raspberry Pi (or a computer) as it seems I can control everything from a tablet. I sense your Pi set-up is more ably suited to a multi-room speaker environment?
    Amplifier: Now: NAD C 315BEE; Previously: Magnum Audio A.100 Mono-block Amplifiers (2 @ 400W/8R); P.100 Pre-Amplifier; PS.100 Power Supply
    Speakers: Now: Epos Elan 15s; Previously: Celestion SL700s

    CD: Linn Mimik
    DAC Streamer: Cambridge Audio CXN

  10. #20
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Coventry

    Posts: 3,039
    I'm Will.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adrian Ho View Post
    Hi Will, sorry for being quiet. Have been on the road (trying to escape the small flats here in HK, lol!)

    Yes, the music will be for one room only. I did make it to a few hi-fi stores to continue my education and have found some reasonably priced DACs that seem to do the job (the Luxman DA250 might be the winner). Have also researched all the RAID storage devices and know what I'll go for. What I need to figure out now is whether I actually need a Raspberry Pi (or a computer) as it seems I can control everything from a tablet. I sense your Pi set-up is more ably suited to a multi-room speaker environment?
    Hi Adrian, I'd recommend a separate DAC for your main (or only ) system too! I use an upgraded MDAC in mine, which also gives you the flexibility of using it for other digital sources...

    If you already have a laptop that might be a good starting point, you could always try a Pi later on...

    Are you intending to rip your CDs? You'll need a laptop for that at least...
    Cheers, Will

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