Melco Audiophile NAS

[dan46]

Below is PR from Feb 2016 no true answers but opens debate further I guess :

MELCO Direct Streaming Music (DSM) :

Regardless of the precautions and optimisations within a digital music source/ network player, it all comes to nothing when sensitive music data is put onto a LAN network.
Compromises such as commodity grade data cables and data switches designed purely for rapid data transfer all have a detrimental effect on music files. To combat this, MELCO Music Libraries (MML) have a dedicated Ethernet port for direct link to the network player. By removing the necessity for external network switches, this architecture not only ensures the best possible data delivery from the MDML to the player, but also exposes the benefits of carefully engineered precision Ethernet cables.

The dedicated Player port establishes the relationship between the MML and the player, including management of the player IP address, and software filtering ensures that only appropriate data is presented to the Player for maximum fidelity.

A separate isolated Ethernet port provides a high-quality connection to the LAN, so that the network player will still be connected via the MML and, therefore, can be controlled by iOS or Android devices, whilst also connect to music streaming sites or Internet radio.

This line here below for a debate perhaps :

But for the simplest purest playback of High Resolution music on a network player that has its own control, all that is required is the Melco Music Library and a precision Ethernet cable as the MML can then act as DHCP server.

[Mihaylov]

(27-03-2016 11:06)dan46 Wrote:  It would be good if and when Melco release better white paper style explanations as to why the Direct Mode could be better. I have been playing with the various settings and apologies to all here for probably repeating some observations in earlier posts, as I learn myself the best setting up.

For CP use (NAIM app or others like Kinsky) then I have streamer connected via player out, network mode is set, and LAN is connected to 1GbE switch and thus the network (DHCP on). This gives best overall access to the library allowing for the CP access with playback.

Now setting to Direct Mode in the settings, the LAN/Player network bridge I believe is disconnected, thus allowing for one network cable from Player out and into the streamer.

I have assumed that Direct Mode through the Player out network is the best playback mode (for isolation/noise reasoning) and for me it is the best way to playback the files for quality (lower noise floor. slightly airier around everything, longer ringing out of higher frequencies) but you loose that CP access.

There isn't as such a definitive answer as to the option of selecting Direct Mode producing much better playback quality, some seem to suggest it isn't, and that network mode is just as good. But for me why is it there then as an option. More testing needs doing so I can hear for myself.

And what about this: https://forum.minimserver.com/showthread...9#pid20309
Did you try it?

[Madd P]

Hi Simon.

I'm a new N1A owner, would you please pm me the instructions for installing MinimServer.

Thank you.

[dan46]

(27-03-2016 14:10)Mihaylov Wrote:  

(27-03-2016 11:06)dan46 Wrote:  It would be good if and when Melco release better white paper style explanations as to why the Direct Mode could be better. I have been playing with the various settings and apologies to all here for probably repeating some observations in earlier posts, as I learn myself the best setting up.

For CP use (NAIM app or others like Kinsky) then I have streamer connected via player out, network mode is set, and LAN is connected to 1GbE switch and thus the network (DHCP on). This gives best overall access to the library allowing for the CP access with playback.

Now setting to Direct Mode in the settings, the LAN/Player network bridge I believe is disconnected, thus allowing for one network cable from Player out and into the streamer.

I have assumed that Direct Mode through the Player out network is the best playback mode (for isolation/noise reasoning) and for me it is the best way to playback the files for quality (lower noise floor. slightly airier around everything, longer ringing out of higher frequencies) but you loose that CP access.

There isn't as such a definitive answer as to the option of selecting Direct Mode producing much better playback quality, some seem to suggest it isn't, and that network mode is just as good. But for me why is it there then as an option. More testing needs doing so I can hear for myself.

And what about this: https://forum.minimserver.com/showthread...9#pid20309
Did you try it?

Hi Mihaylov,

I did try this and had everything running smoothly kit and network wise but only briefly could really check audio quality playback properly hence why I haven't posted as yet. I had the N1A LAN and Player ports set to manual with static IP address, with both routing as per their addresses.
Player has a static IP in the N1A settings/network list which I used and LAN can be set in menus to manual IP and DHCP off. I noticed no obvious improvement, but it wasn't so fair as I wasn't giving it enough before and after playback testing to hear any difference, so I wish to go back and start over to do this better. I have Synology with SSD running MinimServer also so wish to check all the playback and routing options in one proper session as I would like to know myself for sure. I also convert FLAC - WAV via Minim which I also believe is better overall.

Initially though when playing back N1A for very first time a few weeks ago it was the noise floor level, this was very noticeable to me then, and then when playing Direct Mode for first time I felt another improvement in that airiness and longer high frequencies, it felt at the time quite noticeable also, but not as much as that initial noise floor on first network playback not the same level of difference. I wish to now repeat this experience so I do need to go back a step or two to repeat it and be sure.

Another poster elsewhere has described how the noise and general traffic pollution in Direct Mode is reduced to zero, so if any traffic is polluting the network this is removed which could potentially enhance the playback quality by removing all the potential unwanted noise from that extra traffic.

[dan46]

Here is an interesting link to a chat had with Andrew Ainslie and he discusses many things and it may be of interests, such as slowing down the speed of delivery of the data and the timings of the delivery, it may provide an interesting listen to get his view on what Melco is trying to do.

http://www.theaudiophileman.com/#!sound-...port/c22he

It is 17 minutes long audio from Paul Rigby, The Audiophile Man website.

[Martin H]

All I really care is that if I plug my DSM into the network via the Melco - it sounds better.

I don't mean that I am not interested as to why, because I am, but that was enough for me to order mine. After a week of using one comprising general listening and blind AB tests with different visitors blah de blah it was a dead brainer TBH. A lot of folk that haven't actually tried it have tried to persuade me that this is not possible but ........ if it's not possible then the laws of chance are clearly distorted by it's very presence in the house because anyone musing over which one sounds the best always chooses the Melco connected one. So I would still buy it for being super spooky and buy a lottery ticket dependent upon which you believe.

[dan46]

From Melco FB page today :

Hi Dan, There is a common view that all the unnecessary Ethernet traffic impacts on audio quality. Melco achieves isolation from this traffic initially by having all that traffic on the LAN port and isolating the dedicated Player port. That eliminates unnecessary traffic but the Melco is still connected to the Ethernet. So in order to be able to disconnect totally from the Internet and avoid all risk of pollution and interference, we then have the Direct Mode. With this connection there is nothing attached to the LAN port and no possibility to influence the system from outside. The Network Connected Player still needs an IP address which is given by the Melco, and there are no switches or other IT devices in the system. If iPod control is required a Travel Router is simply connected to the LAN port for iPod connectivity, but still no outside influences. We hope this answers your question!

[Mihaylov]

(30-03-2016 21:25)dan46 Wrote:  If iPod control is required a Travel Router is simply connected to the LAN port for iPod connectivity

How does it really make? What is Travel Router? How to configure it? Do you know?

[Peter@57m]

You normally use them to create a wifi hotspot from a wired connection. So I guess you plug it into the lan port of the Melco and then connect your iPad or whatever to that wifi network. Only traffic will be your control point.

See examples at http://www.techhive.com/article/2150741/...where.html

If I were to do this in my setup, I would have to switch back to full network access to load music to the Melco, play radio and use any streaming service. I could connect the travel wifi network to the wider network but this rather defeats the purpose.

[dan46]

I think in this instance it isolates the N1A and router from your main connected Network and all its associated traffic. I have connected a separate wifi router ( I own a second one here) and it has its own wifi network (not connected to anything incoming it is on its own)though it is not connected to the main home one. I run Kinksy on the iOS and connect to this new separate wifi network and can browse the library while, select music and playback through the Player port. This is in Network mode though not Direct Mode.

Another thread mentioned putting the CP point in the same signal path as the Player or LAN and have full CP control that way. Will test this next.