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Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
02-05-2014, 11:23
Post: #31
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
Gnomus - I noticed in this and other posts you have Sonos kit.
I have a three story house with my modem, router and a Sonos bridge in my study on the top floor. I have a Play3 in the kitchen on the ground floor which is two floors down and at the opposite end of the house. The Play3 cannot connect to the top floor bridge directly. So I have placed another Sonos bridge on the middle floor about half way along.
The Sonos system is different to a normal WiFi router in that any unit can receive and broadcast. So the middle floor bridge can connect to the top floor bridge through one solid wall and one floor and also connect to the kitchen Play3 again through one solid wall and one floor.
Most Sonos units have 2 Ethernet sockets, so in my case I have a small wireless router connected to the Play3 to provide Wifi coverage for iPads, tablets and phones to that part of the house.
So in your case you could connect your Akurate DS to a Sonos Play unit or bridge and have another unit half way to your router where you must have a Sonos unit connected anyway.
If you own 3 Sonos units you could try this out to see if it works OK. If it does then I'd suggest buying a Sonos bridge, £40, as the mid point unit.
Hope this is clear.
I use it for the Play3 which only does 16/44 Max and have not tried it with a DS. But it would be an easy solution as you probly have most if not all of the kit already.

Peter
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Linn Klimax DSM O&U & Solos, Wilson Benesch ACT C60s & Torus
Linn Selekt Edition DSM Organik, Wilson Benesch P1.0
Linn Klimax Renew DSM, Chord Mezzo 75, ProAc 1SCs
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02-05-2014, 12:34
Post: #32
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
(02-05-2014 10:50)gnomus Wrote:  I could move the location of the Router - to a room that is downstairs with only 1 partition wall and 1 solid wall. It will be still be some 20-30 feet away, though.

What about getting another router and setting up a music only network? I could get another router (hard wired the NAS) within 15-20 feet (but with the signal passing through a door that is timber/glass. All I would need then is a way of getting the music-Router to talk to the main router for the times it needs to get access to the Internet. Would something like this be possible.

Failing that I suppose I could attach my NAS directly to the Streamer, but I am not sure if this would allow MinimWatch and MinimStreamer to function as they are installed on the PC in my upstairs room.

Having shelled out for an Akurate, I want it to work flawlessly.

Is the NAS close to the streamer? If so, you could solve the problem by buying a switch (not router) and attaching the NAS and streamer to the switch using Ethernet cables. This will handle your local music streaming with no dropout problems.

For radio streams, you need an internet connection from the NAS. The homeplugs are probably adequate for this, as the maximum bandwidth you need (currently) is only 320 kbps.

MinimServer and MinimStreamer are running on the NAS, not the PC. MinimWatch is running on the PC, and the homeplugs will be adequate for communication between MinimWatch and MinimServer/MinimStreamer.

I am told the NETGEAR GS108E ProSafe Plus (see this page) is a good switch. I have had good experience buying things from Ballicom. Their free delivery is supposed to take 7 days, but it always seems to arives much sooner. If you prefer to buy from Amazon, see this page.

This approach doesn't require a wireless bridge. The only issue is the possibility of noise from the NAS interfering with your enjoyment of listening to music from the streamer. If this is an issue, you would need to put the NAS and switch in an adjacent room and use an ethernet cable (through the wall) or wireless bridge to connect the streamer to the switch.
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02-05-2014, 12:56
Post: #33
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
(02-05-2014 12:34)simoncn Wrote:  Is the NAS close to the streamer? If so, you could solve the problem by buying a switch (not router) and attaching the NAS and streamer to the switch using Ethernet cables. This will handle your local music streaming with no dropout problems.

I could move the NAS close to the streamer if that would solve the problem. If I use this switch then I assume I can still rip to the NAS in the usual way?

(02-05-2014 12:34)simoncn Wrote:  ...I am told the NETGEAR GS108E ProSafe Plus (see this page) is a good switch....

Thanks for the recommendation. I will look into this a bit more and maybe buy a switch to check it out.

(02-05-2014 12:34)simoncn Wrote:  This approach doesn't require a wireless bridge. The only issue is the possibility of noise from the NAS interfering with your enjoyment of listening to music from the streamer. If this is an issue, you would need to put the NAS and switch in an adjacent room and use an ethernet cable (through the wall) or wireless bridge to connect the streamer to the switch.

The Synology is pretty quiet - probably quieter than the Krell - and the "stack" is a good 8-10 feet away from the listening position (it's a big room). It may be possible to have the NAS/Switch in an adjacent room and run an ethernet cable to the streamer. However, if do end up using a bridge to connect streamer to switch, which bridge would you suggest? Do I need a pair (one to connect to streamer and one to the switch/NAS)? Would Peter@57m's idea of using the Sonos Bridge work (I already have one of them)?

Sorry to be bombarding you with so many questions and, as ever, thanks for your ongoing help.
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02-05-2014, 13:58
Post: #34
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
(02-05-2014 12:56)gnomus Wrote:  I could move the NAS close to the streamer if that would solve the problem. If I use this switch then I assume I can still rip to the NAS in the usual way?

Yes. The ripping computer would send ripped data to the NAS via the homeplugs and switch.

Quote:The Synology is pretty quiet - probably quieter than the Krell - and the "stack" is a good 8-10 feet away from the listening position (it's a big room). It may be possible to have the NAS/Switch in an adjacent room and run an ethernet cable to the streamer. However, if do end up using a bridge to connect streamer to switch, which bridge would you suggest? Do I need a pair (one to connect to streamer and one to the switch/NAS)? Would Peter@57m's idea of using the Sonos Bridge work (I already have one of them)?

Sorry to be bombarding you with so many questions and, as ever, thanks for your ongoing help.

I would expect that a Sonos bridge would only be able to connect other Sonos equipment.

I haven't found a good option for a bridge to use to connect the streamer and the switch. The units I have are no longer available. It might be necessary to buy a wireless access point and range extender. This would be an awkward solution and it would be much better to find some way to connect the streamer and switch using an Ethernet cable.
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02-05-2014, 14:07
Post: #35
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
(02-05-2014 13:58)simoncn Wrote:  ....It might be necessary to buy a wireless access point and range extender. This would be an awkward solution and it would be much better to find some way to connect the streamer and switch using an Ethernet cable.

OK. I'll let you know how I get on.
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02-05-2014, 18:10 (This post was last modified: 02-05-2014 18:11 by Peter@57m.)
Post: #36
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
(02-05-2014 14:07)gnomus Wrote:  
(02-05-2014 13:58)simoncn Wrote:  ....It might be necessary to buy a wireless access point and range extender. This would be an awkward solution and it would be much better to find some way to connect the streamer and switch using an Ethernet cable.

OK. I'll let you know how I get on.

As I said in my previous post, you could try to use the Sonos mesh network for your Akurate DS. You can use the Sonos mesh network for things other than Sonos.
So it would be router Ethernet cable to Sonos unit -- mesh wireless -- Sonos unit -- mesh network -- Sonos unit Ethernet cable to Akurate DS. The mesh network can extend networks as one unit only has to be able to "see" the next unit.
If you already have 3 Sonos units you can try this out.
This should operate the same as a direct link from your wifi router to the Akurate DS.

Peter
________________________________________________________
Linn Klimax DSM O&U & Solos, Wilson Benesch ACT C60s & Torus
Linn Selekt Edition DSM Organik, Wilson Benesch P1.0
Linn Klimax Renew DSM, Chord Mezzo 75, ProAc 1SCs
QNAP 559 ProII, Melco N1ZH, MinimServer, Linn, Lumin & Kazoo
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02-05-2014, 19:17
Post: #37
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
(02-05-2014 18:10)Peter@57m Wrote:  
(02-05-2014 14:07)gnomus Wrote:  
(02-05-2014 13:58)simoncn Wrote:  ....It might be necessary to buy a wireless access point and range extender. This would be an awkward solution and it would be much better to find some way to connect the streamer and switch using an Ethernet cable.

OK. I'll let you know how I get on.

As I said in my previous post, you could try to use the Sonos mesh network for your Akurate DS. You can use the Sonos mesh network for things other than Sonos.
So it would be router Ethernet cable to Sonos unit -- mesh wireless -- Sonos unit -- mesh network -- Sonos unit Ethernet cable to Akurate DS. The mesh network can extend networks as one unit only has to be able to "see" the next unit.
If you already have 3 Sonos units you can try this out.
This should operate the same as a direct link from your wifi router to the Akurate DS.

I'll give that a try as well. Only have 2 Sonos units though - a play and a Bridge.
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02-05-2014, 19:57
Post: #38
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
(02-05-2014 19:17)gnomus Wrote:  
(02-05-2014 18:10)Peter@57m Wrote:  
(02-05-2014 14:07)gnomus Wrote:  
(02-05-2014 13:58)simoncn Wrote:  ....It might be necessary to buy a wireless access point and range extender. This would be an awkward solution and it would be much better to find some way to connect the streamer and switch using an Ethernet cable.

OK. I'll let you know how I get on.

As I said in my previous post, you could try to use the Sonos mesh network for your Akurate DS. You can use the Sonos mesh network for things other than Sonos.
So it would be router Ethernet cable to Sonos unit -- mesh wireless -- Sonos unit -- mesh network -- Sonos unit Ethernet cable to Akurate DS. The mesh network can extend networks as one unit only has to be able to "see" the next unit.
If you already have 3 Sonos units you can try this out.
This should operate the same as a direct link from your wifi router to the Akurate DS.

I'll give that a try as well. Only have 2 Sonos units though - a play and a Bridge.

OK - may not help you but may be worth a try. You could also try your long ethernet cable from the play unit to the Akurate DS. This should test whether using the Sonos mesh network may be a solution.
Is your play unit closer to the Akurate DS than the router?

ps: I tried moving my wifi router around in my office on the top floor, eventually found a spot that would give coverage to all of the first floor and half of the ground floor. It can be central heating pipes, water pipes etc as well as just walls and floors that can make a difference to the signal range.

Peter
________________________________________________________
Linn Klimax DSM O&U & Solos, Wilson Benesch ACT C60s & Torus
Linn Selekt Edition DSM Organik, Wilson Benesch P1.0
Linn Klimax Renew DSM, Chord Mezzo 75, ProAc 1SCs
QNAP 559 ProII, Melco N1ZH, MinimServer, Linn, Lumin & Kazoo
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05-05-2014, 18:07
Post: #39
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
Simon

Thanks for recommending that switch. The Linn is now playing quite happily with no stuttering.

(02-05-2014 13:58)simoncn Wrote:  
(02-05-2014 12:56)gnomus Wrote:  I could move the NAS close to the streamer if that would solve the problem. If I use this switch then I assume I can still rip to the NAS in the usual way?

Yes. The ripping computer would send ripped data to the NAS via the homeplugs and switch.

And that brings up the latest problem. Since going "wireless" on my "ripping" computer, this process has become even more tedious than before. The speed of "rip" is, of course, unaffected. However, the "CPU-Encoding" stage has become very slow, presumably because of the amount of data that I am now having to send via wireless. Indeed, if I am ripping and re-tagging at the same time, the system will occasionally give up the ghost.

It looks like I am going to have to set up a temporary ripping station close to the Linn/NAS that I can hard-wire into when I have a ripping session (nearly every day at present).

I know that you already knew that that would happen, but I thought I'd post up here for others who may, like me, be at the beginning of this process.

For those thinking of setting up a NAS in the listening room, the Synology is quiet. I cannot hear it in action, perhaps the flickering lights from the NAS and switch are a little off-putting. I will probably get a small cupboard to house the NAS and switch.

On the plus side, I have just managed to rip and tag the Blu Ray disc that came with my Solti Centenary Ring. This gave me 48KHz, 24 Bit files. A horrific tagging job, but to anyone who knows these recordings, I would suggest that this should be given serious consideration - I've never heard anything quite like it.

Thanks again for your assistance, Simon.
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05-05-2014, 18:58
Post: #40
RE: Total Newbie - Apologies in Advance
(05-05-2014 18:07)gnomus Wrote:  On the plus side, I have just managed to rip and tag the Blu Ray disc that came with my Solti Centenary Ring. This gave me 48KHz, 24 Bit files. A horrific tagging job, but to anyone who knows these recordings, I would suggest that this should be given serious consideration - I've never heard anything quite like it.

ya, agreed its an absolut classic recording. I got the high res files as a download a while ago, I guess at hdtracks.com. Saved me a bit on the tagging side Smile

BTW its DVD Audio quality, not Blue Ray but still fabulous sounding Wink
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