Melco Audiophile NAS

[simoncn]

(07-04-2015 21:59)Peter@57m Wrote:  I have a 10m run of Supra Cat7 cable from my NetGear GS108 switch to my Melco and then a 1m run of Melco ethernet cable to my KDSM/1.

When I did the comparison I used the RLI/1 at the KDSM/1 end of the 10m Supra cat7 cable. So the Melco was not used in that connection.

But as you say we have different networks......

Over the last few weeks, I have tried many different combinations of switches, isolators, cables and the Melco (in both "pass-through" and "server" modes). At each stage, I have made one change, compared the results and chosen the one I preferred.

I think it would now be helpful for me to go back a few steps, try some "typical" combinations and post the results. I will try to do this in the next few days.

[Rakija]

Definitely best place to for lan isolator is between internet router and network switch to isolate home network from noise that coming from internet connection. For these purpose i'm using Baaske MI1005. These is 1000base-t isolator.

[Mihaylov]

(07-04-2015 20:43)Peter@57m Wrote:  

(03-04-2015 09:59)Peter@57m Wrote:  Based on my experience with Melco N1A I was curious about this too.

I have ordered an Acoustic-revive LAN Isolator (RLI-1) from Japan. Will take a while to arrive but will report back when I have done a comparison.

I would use two of these with my Renew DS and DSM if they work well.

The Acoustic-Revive LAN Isolator (RLI-1) has arrived - I ordered it on 1 April and came today 7 April AND this included 4 days of public holidays for Easter - so very prompt delivery (reached UK on 4 April)

I have been comparing it with:

1) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - KDSM/1
2) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - Acoustic-Revive RLI-1 - KDSM/1
3) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - Melco N1A* - KDSM/1
4) Melco Twonky - KDSM/1
* Melco is just being used as a LAN switch

OK. Try this option :
5) Melco Twonky (LAN socket) - NetGear GS108 switch with/without Acoustic-Revive RLI-1 - KDSM/1
and compare it with 4) Melco Twonky - KDSM/1 and you will know how good a built-in Melco N1 switch. So you eliminate the influence of different media servers (Minimserver and Twonky).
Moreover, in 4) SMPS of NetGear GS108 switch must be turned off.

[Peter@57m]

(08-04-2015 12:43)Mihaylov Wrote:  

(07-04-2015 20:43)Peter@57m Wrote:  

(03-04-2015 09:59)Peter@57m Wrote:  Based on my experience with Melco N1A I was curious about this too.

I have ordered an Acoustic-revive LAN Isolator (RLI-1) from Japan. Will take a while to arrive but will report back when I have done a comparison.

I would use two of these with my Renew DS and DSM if they work well.

The Acoustic-Revive LAN Isolator (RLI-1) has arrived - I ordered it on 1 April and came today 7 April AND this included 4 days of public holidays for Easter - so very prompt delivery (reached UK on 4 April)

I have been comparing it with:

1) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - KDSM/1
2) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - Acoustic-Revive RLI-1 - KDSM/1
3) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - Melco N1A* - KDSM/1
4) Melco Twonky - KDSM/1
* Melco is just being used as a LAN switch

OK. Try this option :
5) Melco Twonky (LAN socket) - NetGear GS108 switch with/without Acoustic-Revive RLI-1 - KDSM/1
and compare it with 4) Melco Twonky - KDSM/1 and you will know how good a built-in Melco N1 switch. So you eliminate the influence of different media servers (Minimserver and Twonky).
Moreover, in 4) SMPS of NetGear GS108 switch must be turned off.

Need to work out how to do 5) as I don't have two 10m ethernet cables for the Melco and KDSM connections to the GS108. May be able to move things around a bit to try this.

GS108 is an unmanaged switch so there are no setting you can change as far as I know.

[Mihaylov]

I see, Peter. I was sure that the switch is near KDSM/1 .

[Martin H]

Crikey you lot have some patience if you are going to test and compare all of those.

I look forward to seeing your conclusions though as I continue to strive for 'best'.

My new Melco is nicely embedded in the system and yesterday evening's listening was very enjoyable I have to say. In part it is because I have stopped trying to AB everything and just listened to some 'toons' which was nice.

I have the short Melco cable to the player but unfortunately have to rejig some things to get the 3m cable and the network right. It's sounding pretty cool already though so .......

Could just do with that future random playlist generator feature and all would be perfect.

[Peter@57m]

(08-04-2015 12:43)Mihaylov Wrote:  

(07-04-2015 20:43)Peter@57m Wrote:  The Acoustic-Revive LAN Isolator (RLI-1) has arrived - I ordered it on 1 April and came today 7 April AND this included 4 days of public holidays for Easter - so very prompt delivery (reached UK on 4 April)

I have been comparing it with:

1) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - KDSM/1
2) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - Acoustic-Revive RLI-1 - KDSM/1
3) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - Melco N1A* - KDSM/1
4) Melco Twonky - KDSM/1
* Melco is just being used as a LAN switch

OK. Try this option :
5) Melco Twonky (LAN socket) - NetGear GS108 switch with/without Acoustic-Revive RLI-1 - KDSM/1
and compare it with 4) Melco Twonky - KDSM/1 and you will know how good a built-in Melco N1 switch. So you eliminate the influence of different media servers (Minimserver and Twonky).
Moreover, in 4) SMPS of NetGear GS108 switch must be turned off.

So I was looking to try your suggestion and thinking about how I'd move things and cable them. Then I looked at your option 5) with/without RLI-1 and option 4) is the same as my 1) & 2) and 3). The difference is that 1), 2) & 3) use QNAP MinimServer as the source whereas 5) and 4) use Melco Twonky as the source.

So rather than move things around and re cable them, I will predict that I would have found the order in preference to be 4) then 5) with RLI-1 and last 5) without RLI-1. As Martin H said in his post, I am just enjoying the music. I will wait to do further tests until I have MinimServer on the Melco.

[dannyssc]

Hi Simon,

After reading your finding on the MELCO N1A, I had just bought MELCO N1A, however my experience of using Twonky is letting me down.

Can you share on how to install Minimserver on the MELCO N1A? Also, which version of Minimserver/Streamer should I download for the installation?

Your sharing and helps is greatly appreciated.

Danny

[Peter@57m]

(07-04-2015 20:43)Peter@57m Wrote:  The Acoustic-Revive LAN Isolator (RLI-1) has arrived - I ordered it on 1 April and came today 7 April AND this included 4 days of public holidays for Easter - so very prompt delivery (reached UK on 4 April)

I have been comparing it with:

1) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - KDSM/1
2) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - Acoustic-Revive RLI-1 - KDSM/1
3) QNAP - MinimServer - NetGear GS108 switch - Melco N1A* - KDSM/1
4) Melco Twonky - KDSM/1
* Melco is just being used as a LAN switch

In terms of sound quality 1) is definitely last, 2) 3) and 4) are all very close, but I often thought I preferred 2). If pushed I'd say the overall order would be 1), 4), 3), 2). The RLI-1 needed a few minutes to bed in, when first connected it didn't sound good but I left it for 30 minutes or so, listened again, and it was much better.

Given that the last three options are all very close, you would have to consider price. The Melco N1A is £1,600, the Acoustic-Revive LAN Isolator RLI-1 was £107 imported from Japan. So bang for buck, the Acoustic-Revive RLI-1 is a good deal.

The caveat is that this is in my system in my network. Simon has posted that a GISO isolator made his system sound worse. Its a different isolator, perhaps Acoustic-Revive is better or perhaps my network is different - who knows.

Of course with the Melco you get a NAS, so if you don't already have one, it could be a great solution. If you already have a good NAS running MinimServer, do you really need another which can only be used with one renderer?

I will be ordering another RLI-1 so I can use one with both my Renew DS/1 and Renew DSM/1. For me they seem a good return on investment for the sound quality improvement.

I am hoping that MinimServer running on the Melco with transcoding will be the overall winner, but waiting for Simon and Melco to agree how to make this available. Then you would have to evaluate whether the benefit that will hopefully provide would warrant the extra cost.

Well I now have MinimServer running on the Melco. So it would be option 5) above Melco MinimServer to KDSM/1.

And this is quite clearly my favourite. Its more spacious, better clarity and I think better timing.

So now there overall ranking would be (best first): 5) 2) 3) 4) 1)

A big thank you to Simon and Alan (Melco)

So now back to listening to music and not doing comparisons........

[simoncn]

(14-04-2015 14:05)Peter@57m Wrote:  Well I now have MinimServer running on the Melco. So it would be option 5) above Melco MinimServer to KDSM/1.

And this is quite clearly my favourite. Its more spacious, better clarity and I think better timing.

So now there overall ranking would be (best first): 5) 2) 3) 4) 1)

A big thank you to Simon and Alan (Melco)

So now back to listening to music and not doing comparisons........

I think I have solved the mystery of why you prefer 2) to 1) and I prefer 1) to 2). My preference is based on using a Cisco switch to connect MinimServer (running on QNAP or Synology) with the KDS/1. I also have a NETGEAR GS108Tv2 and I tried the comparison again using the NETGEAR switch in place of the Cisco. This reversed the order of preference, with the RLI-1 now having a positive effect. For this comparison, I wasn't using the N1A.

It seems the effect of the RLI-1 depends on which switch is being used.

I also tried putting the RLI-1 inline into the connection between the N1A and the KDS/1. This made the sound worse.

The best combination for me is 5) using the NETGEAR switch to connect the N1A to my LAN. This is slightly better than 5) using the Cisco switch to connect the N1A to my LAN.

The LAN switch connection to the N1A does matter because it appears that audio packets sent by MinimServer[N1A] to the KDS/1 are routed via the LAN switch even when the player port of the N1A is connected directly to the KDS/1. If the cable from the N1A to the LAN switch is removed while audio is playing, the audio stops. I will do some further investigation to try to find out why this is happening.