Minimserver and Melco

[Lio84]

I am thinking of buying a used Melco server (Melco N1A/2EX-H60B) to replace my Nas QNAP. I am wondering if :

- the Melco would benefit from the same functionality as for instance the possibilty to install the last versions of Minimserver with recently added / played albums, the possibilty to see the booklet, the same customization for tags wiew ?

- it would allow a significant uplift in sound quality compared to the QNAP ?

Thanks in advance for your answer

Edit: Qnap and Melco used as NAS only, with an external player

[simoncn]

The answer to both your questions is Yes.

The Melco EX comes with a preinstalled version of MinimServer that is the same as Starter Edition with the added benefit of three preinstalled profiles with browsing settings for Classical, Rock/Pop and Jazz music. if you activate your MinimServer full license on the Melco, it will have the same functionality as MinimServer on a QNAP as well as these three profiles.

I have a QNAP and a Melco set up for use as servers. Streaming music from the Melco to my player (actually another Melco with USB-attached DAC) sounds much better than streaming the same music from the QNAP to the player.

You can connect the player to the Melco via the Melco dedicated Ethernet player port. For even better sound quaility, you can connect them with a Melco S100 switch and disable the player port.

This is not a commercial for Melco, just sharing my personal experience.

[Lio84]

Thanks, I will likely push the button

[Lio84]

I have an additionnel question : is it the same answer for the new Melco serveurs : n1, n5, n50 ?

[simoncn]

I don't have any personal experience with these models. Perhaps someone else can comment.

[Lio84]

I thought there were a kind of agreement between Minimserver developpers and Melco to make the Melco servers compatible with Minimserver ?

However, I have checked on Melco website: on the N5 technical description, it is written « MinimServer or Twonky UPnP server or Roon Endpoint selectable ». So can we hope that the last models of Melco have the same level of compatibility than the previous « EX » models ?

[simoncn]

I thought your question was about the sound. MinimServer is fully supported by all these models but I have not listened to any of them.

[Lio84]

I have installed a Melco N1A-60 (non EX) server to replace my QNAP. The installation of Minimserver 2 and its customization was quite easy and I am very happy with the sound.

I would like to know if I can have the same « recently added » albums than in the QNAP by just copying the added-dates.txt file of the QNAP into the MELCO ?

[simoncn]

You would need to edit this file before copying it to the Melco because the file paths will be different. Melco non-EX paths start with /mnt/disk1/share/. If the paths are correct, copying this file into the MinimServer/recent folder on your Melco should do what you expect. You need to restart MinimServer after copying the file.

[Lio84]

Thanks for your help !