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dan46 · (This post was last modified: 17-03-2016 13:11 by dan46.)

(17-03-2016 12:49)simoncn Wrote:
(17-03-2016 12:36)dan46 Wrote: If the app allows MinimServer control through Direct Player with library browsing I would be immensely happy :-) How they could do it???

What is Direct Player?

Player output from the N1A, in Network settings it is labelled as Network-Player-Direct Mode
This plays the files Directly to the Player output, bypassing the LAN output and in theory a more cleaner direct method of playback.
For me this is the best setting for playback.

Apologies I may have used a shortcut to describe the above as Direct Player, perhaps it is better described as Direct Mode via Player output, but it is that mode that is selected, direct mode via the rear player ethernet output.

I assume the bridge connecting LAN & Player in Network mode is off allowing for the direct signal delivery to the Player output only.

simoncn · 17-03-2016, 13:22

(17-03-2016 12:56)dan46 Wrote: Player output from the N1A, in Network settings it is labelled as Network-Player-Direct Mode
This plays the files Directly to the Player output, bypassing the LAN output and in theory a more cleaner direct method of playback.
For me this is the best setting for playback.

Apologies I may have used a shortcut to describe the above as Direct Player, perhaps it is better described as Direct Mode via Player output, but it is that mode that is selected, direct mode via the rear player ethernet output.

I assume the bridge connecting LAN & Player in Network mode is off allowing for the direct signal delivery to the Player output only.

Thanks for the clarification. In Direct Mode, there is no possibility for the app to communicate with the N1 because the N1 is hard-wired to the player and cannot communicate with any other devices.

dan46 · (This post was last modified: 17-03-2016 13:35 by dan46.)

(17-03-2016 13:22)simoncn Wrote:
(17-03-2016 12:56)dan46 Wrote: Player output from the N1A, in Network settings it is labelled as Network-Player-Direct Mode
This plays the files Directly to the Player output, bypassing the LAN output and in theory a more cleaner direct method of playback.
For me this is the best setting for playback.

Apologies I may have used a shortcut to describe the above as Direct Player, perhaps it is better described as Direct Mode via Player output, but it is that mode that is selected, direct mode via the rear player ethernet output.

I assume the bridge connecting LAN & Player in Network mode is off allowing for the direct signal delivery to the Player output only.

Thanks for the clarification. In Direct Mode, there is no possibility for the app to communicate with the N1 because the N1 is hard-wired to the player and cannot communicate with any other devices.

Yes and it is certainly a head scratcher. I can talk to the library via the LAN but this has no control over playback of course. The app would need to communicate with the N1A directly somehow (say bluetooth, or another way) to allow this to happen I would imagine.
Sharper minds would need to be at work certainly, shame my 272 can't also talk to the NAIM app allowing for this control of the library while in the direct mode. I'm trying workarounds but not much joy so far.
In Network mode everything is working fine, plenty of apps (Kinsky, NAIM and more) all work fine as the Network is all connected, but in Direct Mode this is not applicable. Hmmm...

simoncn · (This post was last modified: 17-03-2016 16:08 by simoncn.)

(17-03-2016 13:33)dan46 Wrote: Yes and it is certainly a head scratcher. I can talk to the library via the LAN but this has no control over playback of course. The app would need to communicate with the N1A directly somehow (say bluetooth, or another way) to allow this to happen I would imagine.
Sharper minds would need to be at work certainly, shame my 272 can't also talk to the NAIM app allowing for this control of the library while in the direct mode. I'm trying workarounds but not much joy so far.
In Network mode everything is working fine, plenty of apps (Kinsky, NAIM and more) all work fine as the Network is all connected, but in Direct Mode this is not applicable. Hmmm...

Do you have any evidence that Direct Mode sounds better than Network Mode with a suitable switch and a suitable N1 confguration (static IP address)? My experience has been that Network Mode can deliver the same sound quality with the correct setup.

dan46 · (This post was last modified: 17-03-2016 20:59 by dan46.)

(17-03-2016 16:07)simoncn Wrote:
(17-03-2016 13:33)dan46 Wrote: Yes and it is certainly a head scratcher. I can talk to the library via the LAN but this has no control over playback of course. The app would need to communicate with the N1A directly somehow (say bluetooth, or another way) to allow this to happen I would imagine.
Sharper minds would need to be at work certainly, shame my 272 can't also talk to the NAIM app allowing for this control of the library while in the direct mode. I'm trying workarounds but not much joy so far.
In Network mode everything is working fine, plenty of apps (Kinsky, NAIM and more) all work fine as the Network is all connected, but in Direct Mode this is not applicable. Hmmm...

Do you have any evidence that Direct Mode sounds better than Network Mode with a suitable switch and a suitable N1 confguration (static IP address)? My experience has been that Network Mode can deliver the same sound quality with the correct setup.

Not sure I can answer this too well. For me the sound is cleaner, more open, high frequencies ring out longer, more background being brought forward, overall more of everything but the clean blacks is the one for me.

I have tried various set ups and the best one for me is static IP (go to status and find the IP for Player out) I set this manually and have just one ethernet (Cat6) cable connected to NAIM 272. When switched on 272 (which is set to manual, wifi off static IP) finds the N1A and refreshes and its all good.

In another example I then add a 1GbE switch in the signal path. This allows me to then control the library and playback via Kinsky on OS X Laptop and I can playback from the library, but a switch is now in the signal path.

I have no LAN connection active or connected, no wifi, no network, just static IP from 272 to N1A, 1 x Cat6 cable thats it.

This set-up is best quality playback for me, in Network mode I hear no better playback than a normal Synology I have with SSD storage. But in network mode I have all apps working and full library control, but not the quality of playback I get here in Player only Direct mode.

Can I ask myself I guess that why would Melco have the option for a Direct Mode via Player output if it had no effect on the quality of the output, it would seem pointless to do it I think if it didn't add something more, but Melco needs to answer this.

It would be great to hear how others set up their Melco.

suffolk tony · 19-03-2016, 12:16

I see you're a fellow Naim user Dan! I use the Melco's USB out to feed my Chord QBD76HDSD (nice snappy name) DAC, via a Luckit USB to SPDIF convertor; the Chord uses FPGA async. USB input & isn't recognised by the Melco. Still, no worries as the sound quality is a considerable step up from the Mac Mini, optimised for audio-only use, I was using previously.

Mihaylov · 19-03-2016, 13:45

Hi Dan!
Did you try Network mode with static network addresses (ip, subnet mask, gateway, dns) vs Direct mode as Simon said? Do you hear the difference?
In Network mode with static IP you may even disconnect patch cord from LAN port after loading of playlist by CP and begining of playback.

dan46 · 19-03-2016, 18:31

Thanks Mihaylov, I'll try that approach and see what the differences in playback may be.

I might be thinking that the Direct Mode via Player out is the best solution, cleanest, and does sound better on this set-up.

Try though static IPs etc in Network Mode see if there is parity.

RedSectorA · 20-03-2016, 23:11

Hi Simon.

Reading this thread with interest and have been using Minimserver for another network install. New N1A owner here, would you please pm to me the instructions for installing MinimServer into N1A?

Thank you,

Dan

dan46 · (This post was last modified: 27-03-2016 11:20 by dan46.)

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.