DSD ‘Pops’

[gnomus]

(07-06-2021 09:25)simoncn Wrote:  The processor is the HS-210 is not very powerful and lacks floating-point support, so floating-point calculations must be emulated in software. Transcoding from DSF to WAV requires floating-point calculations. If you look at Resource Monitor on the NAS while you are playing a transcoded DSF file, you will see CPU usage rising to 100%.

The only solution is to buy a more powerful NAS with floating-point support. I have an HS-251+ and I have been very pleased with it. It has floating-point support and a fast enough processor for any transcoding combination.

Thanks Simon. I'm not against getting a new NAS. However, the issue I have is that the QNAP needs to be in the same room as the Linn. As such, it needs to be fanless. I think the model you suggest has fans - am I right?

Incidentally, I am still using hard drives - should I be switching to SSD? What are the plusses and minusses?

[simoncn]

The QNAP HS series is fanless. I have the HS-251+ very close to me (about 1 metre away) and I cannot hear any noise. I use 2 x Samsung/Seagate 2 GB 2.5 inch quiet HDDs in the HS-251+. I prefer 2.5 inch HDDs to 3.5 inch HDDs because they are quieter and use less power. The model I have (ST2000LM003) is no longer available but there are current 2 GB 2.5 inch models from Seagate and Toshiba.

You could use SSDs. These are faster than HDDs (not very important in a NAS) and silent. Prices of SSDs are coming down but they are still a lot more expensive than HDDs.

[gnomus]

Thanks again. I see - there are TS and HS models. Unfortunately, the HS 251+ seems to be discontinued. I cannot find one anywhere. It also looks like installing an SSD in a NAS is not straightforward. I'll look into your suggestion of the 2.5" Samsung HD drives. So my only question now is what is the best currently available 'silent' NAS?

Incidentally, I have e-mailed Linn about the issue. I will report back if/when I have an answer.

[simoncn]

The demise of the HS-251+ is very bad news for music lovers.

I also have a Synology DS118. Although this has a fan, the fan never comes on in normal use. It has only one bay, which might not be enough for you. I don't know whether the two-bay version (DS218) is equally quiet.

[gnomus]

(07-06-2021 13:58)simoncn Wrote:  The demise of the HS-251+ is very bad news for music lovers.

I also have a Synology DS118. Although this has a fan, the fan never comes on in normal use. It has only one bay, which might not be enough for you. I don't know whether the two-bay version (DS218) is equally quiet.

Thanks again, Simon. I have multiple backups so I only need one bay. But there’s nowt wrong with my current NAS. I may try to convert the DSD to FLAC, and just keep going with the current QNAP.

Does anyone know any good DSD to FLAC conversion programmes?

[Peter StreamMagic]

(07-06-2021 15:15)gnomus Wrote:  

(07-06-2021 13:58)simoncn Wrote:  The demise of the HS-251+ is very bad news for music lovers.

I also have a Synology DS118. Although this has a fan, the fan never comes on in normal use. It has only one bay, which might not be enough for you. I don't know whether the two-bay version (DS218) is equally quiet.

Thanks again, Simon. I have multiple backups so I only need one bay. But there’s nowt wrong with my current NAS. I may try to convert the DSD to FLAC, and just keep going with the current QNAP.

Does anyone know any good DSD to FLAC conversion programmes?

This should be possible with dbpoweramp https://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread....SD-to-Flac

[gnomus]

Thanks Peter. I do have that program, so I’ll have a go.

[gnomus]

Updates:

HD Tracks suggested that I buy the album as FLAC files and have agreed to refund me for the DSD purchase. So I've done that.

Linn got back to me. They tell me that one other customer has reported the same thing and that their engineer is working on the problem. It may be fixed in a future software update. There is no timescale for this, however.