Music servers
These are stationary iPod's.
They are called music servers as most of them support multi room so can act as a server for other players but all of them are able of direct playback.
The idea is nice; you have 1 box which does it all.
Comfort is the name of this game.
It has the look and feel of conventional audio equipment. Connect it to your amplifier just like a CD player and there you are. Some brands even stresses that they are NOT a computer.
What do you get?
Well, a computer running Linux or Windows with some proprietary software to manage your music collection and in general a very small display and a sound card. A computer in disguise.
These are the internals of a Meridian - Sooloos Source:One
From left to right:
- switching power supply
- VIA Epia PC
- RME Hammerfall DSP 9632 PCI sound card
Price €3,600.00
A silent PC combined with a high quality sound card or an outboard DAC will probably:
- equal or outperform most of these dedicated boxes in sound quality
- offers a better interface
- at a lower price.
But you do have to do your own homework.
Buying a music server means a couple of engineers has done your homework.
A great comfort but, yes, engineers need payment too.
If you go this in general a bit expensive way there are a couple of things you better check.
The music server is your tool to store and maintain your collection.
Beside sound quality, you should also check the ease of use.
- Backup
The box might break down or be dropped or stolen or one day you want to move to another music server, in other words can you get your collection out of this box?
Check backup facilities, some use a backup strategy making it impossible to transfer your music to another system.
Maybe they do so to avoid problems with copyright but you are lost the moment you want to move to another system.
- Network access
Can you access the audio files over the network?
Convenient if you want to backup to a NAS.
Required when you want to use a system like Sonos (file sharing).
Often network access to the music folder is blocked.
- Tagging
The tags allow you to browse your collection by artist, genre, etc.
What is the quality of the tagging?
If the tagging fails (it does sometimes as looking up a CD is guesswork) can you manually correct it?
Does it support cover art?
In case of classical music, is the composer tag supported?
- Stability
Check user forums, the software is often proprietary so might be a bit buggy - Performance
All these boxes works fine if you load a couple of CD’s.
What happens if you have a +20.000 tracks collection?
Often these boxes crack under load.
- Hardware
Check what is inside. This is a bit hard to do but as it is a computer, how its price tag does compares with a well-designed silent PC and a good quality sound card or external DAC. - Noise level
The unit is in your listening room.
Fans and hard disks can make a lot of noise.
Fan less design and good sound isolation of the HD are a must. - Digital out
If you are not satisfied with the sound quality, a digital out allows you to connect an outboard DAC of your choice.
I'd personally not write out a blank cheque to so-called audiophile music servers; nor their rationale as a species. I view them as generally overpriced, more or less kludgy and suffering compromised graphic user interfaces. For every big-screen Sooloos done right there's an Olive with a squinty window. For me an iMac, MacMini + iPad remote or equivalent Windows/Linux system generally offer better functionality for significantly less coin.
Arcus DAR 300
| Specs | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz |
| Distortion factor | < 0,002 % |
| Channel separation | > 102 dB |
| Signal-to-noise | > 103 dB |
| Audio inputs analogue | 1 x stereo cinch |
| Audio outputs analogue | 1 x stereo cinch |
| Audio inputs digital | SPDIF (coaxial and toslink) |
| Input sample rate | WAV: 8 - 48 kHz |
| Audio outputs digital | SPDIF |
| Video outputs | VGA |
| Weight | 15 kg |
| Dimensions inc. feet’s | 44 x 8,8 x 38 cm |
| Power supply | 110 / 230 Volt |
| Disc drive | CD/DVD-Drive |
| Used memory | Audio formatted memory with damped suspension |
| Memory size | 160 GB, 500 GB, 750 GB |
| Backup function | Yes |
| Cooling | Heat pipe System without fan |
| Networking wired Ethernet | 10/100 m/bits |
| Networking wireless | By USB-stick |
| Encryption | Following Rules |
| Other ports | USB 2.0 |
| Finishes | Silver, black |
| Technology platform | Linux |
| Supported media | CD, CD-R/RW, DVD (only playback) |
| Audio support | MP3 (32 kBit/s - 320 kBit/s), WAV, FLAC |
| Supported formats | TCP/IP, UPnP AV, DHCP, AutoIP |
| Supported data systems | FAT, FAT 32 |
AudioNec Music Server STV3 € 11.000,-
Totally silent, fanless music oriented media server, no hard drive, no noise and extremely fast access
Automatic optimized distortion free ripping with multi read error correction
Maximum sampling frequency: 192 KHz
AES/EBU and S/PDIF digital output
Clock generator with extremely low jitter Signal to noise ratio on digital output: 117 db
Storage capacity: 512 Gb (SSD)
Extension until 2.4 Tb. 32 Tb xcan be reached with external storage unit
Size: width: 43cm, Height: 17cm Depth: 43cm
Weight: 25 Kg
User friendly interface available in 7 languages.
Touch sensitive universal Remote Control delivered as standard.
OS: Win7
STV3 € 11.000,- (no DAC, digital out only)
SDV3 € 19.200,- (with DAC)
Remote control € 930,- (19" touch screen)
Bladelius Design Group £4,850.00
Bladelius Design Group is offering a totally new replay system. The Embla offers a silent playback system without any moving mechanical parts when playing from the built-in flash memory. The Embla is built from the ground up as a high performance audio playback system.
Unlike computer based playback products the Embla is based on our proprietary audio DSP design, allowing complete control over the timing and reading of the discs. The Embla is designed as a true audiophile unit from the ground up and it's not a modified computer that can copy discs. Not only is the Embla a playback system but it also includes an analog preamplifier, a world class DA-converter based on our reference CD-player, the Gondul M. The DA-converter also carries a switchable digital filter with analog behavior. Insert a CD and you have the option to play directly from the disc like a standard CD-player or you can store the disc on the internal flash
| Specs | EMBLA |
|---|---|
| Distortion | < 0.001% |
| Data rate | 32 bit/192kHz |
| Digital inputs | 1 AES/EBU 1 RCA 1 TosLink 2 USB 1 RJ45 1 Bluetooth |
| Analog inputs | 1 pair balanced 2 pairs unbalanced |
| Digital outputs | 1 AES/EBU 1 RCA 1 TosLink |
| Analog outputs | 1 pair balanced 2 pairs unbalanced |
| Control | Touch screen Remote |
| Weight | 12 kg |
| Dimensions | 440×445×125 mm (W×D×H) |
Boulder 1021 Disk Player € 24.900
- FORMATS: CD, MP3, WAV, FLAC, Ogg, AIFF & others
- DATA RATE: Up to 24 Bit / 192 kHz
- ANALOG OUTPUT: 2 pairs 3-pin Bal, Adaptable to Unbalanced
- DIGITAL OUTPUT: 3-pin AES, Adaptable to SPDIF
- VOLUME: 80 dB range in 1.0 dB steps
- DISPLAY: 640x480 VGA 15-pin connector
- INTERNET: RG45 Ethernet connector
Certon Integrita £2950
- Security: RAID level 5 – intelligent data protection (a hard disk may fail and the data integrity is maintained)
- Capacity: 5 internal hard disks*, 2.5 TB, 5TB or 10TB total /1.5TB, 3TB or 6TB usable / *including 1 hot spare
- Hard drives: SATA-II AV hard drives certified for 24/7 continuous operation
- Fans: None
- File types: Including 192khz/24bit, AAC, ALAC, FLAC, M4A, MP3, MP4, WAV, WMA
- Connectivity: 1 x Gigabit Ethernet, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x eSATA
- Network: TCP/IP
- Management: Integrita Control Centre via web browser
- Media server: iTunes, DLNA
- Size: 425w x 370d x 140h (mm)
- Weight: 11.3kg
- Power supply: Fanless, 84% efficient, filtered against harmonic ripple
- Power requirement: 60W 100-240V; 50/60Hz
- Guarantee: 2 years
Cocktail Audio X10 € 299
2 TB + € 100
| CD Player | Type | Slot loading | |
| Format |
CD, CD-DA, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R/RW | ||
| MP3, FLAC, WAV, WMA, M4A, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, PCM, PLS, M3U |
|||
| Amplifier | Output | 30W+30W @1KHz, 8Ohm, 1% THD | |
| Headphone | 100mW+100mW @1KHz, 16Ohm, 0.1% THD | ||
| Line out | 2Vrms @1KHz, 0.1% THD | ||
| Display | 3.5" color-TFT LCD | ||
| Input |
Line(AUX)-in (recording) | ||
| output |
Line-out,speaker,headphone, SPDIF(Optical out) | ||
| Connectivity | Netzwerk |
Wired | Ethernet(10/100) LAN |
| Wireless (Optional) | 801.11b/g/n WiFi USB Dongle | ||
| USB | Host X 2ea | High speed 2.0 Host port | |
| Target X 1ea | High speed 2.0 Target für PC | ||
| Audio formats | MP3, FLAC, WAV, WMA, M4A, AAC, Ogg Virbis, PCM, Playlist(PLS, M3U) | ||
| HD | Type | 8,9 cm (3.5") SATA(1/2) (*up to 2 Terabytes) | |
| File system | NTFS/FAT32 | ||
| Language |
deutsch, englisch, französisch, koreanisch, spanisch, russisch, portugiesisch, türkisch, griechisch, tschechisch, hebräisch | ||
| Power |
AC adapter(24V/3.5A) | ||
| Dimensions |
18(W) X 9.8(H) X 14.7(D) cm | ||
Cary MS-1 USD 2,500
| Drive Mechanism | 24x Slot-loading disc drive for music loading |
| Hard Drive | 1 Terabyte SATA |
| Formats | .flac, mp3, .ogg, .wav, .m4a, .wv |
| Digital Outputs | USB 2.0 |
| Digital Output Rate | 24 bit 96 kHz Max |
| Ports | USB, Ethernet |
| Power Input | 100-240VAC, 50-60 Hz, auto-switching |
| Power Consumption | ~30 Watts |
| Weight | 8 lbs |
| Dimensions | 3.25" H x 11 " W x 12.5 " D |
fan-less mini-PCIE motherboard running Linux
Cary MS-1 Server Revealed on AudioAsylum
Colorado vNet - Vibe
IP-based digital distributed audio system.
Colorado old model Vibe was a hard disk player. The new model is a true server solution.
The Color Touch screen includes a Class D amplifier.
Network: ethernet
6 independently- controlled streams
500/750 GB HD
Escient Digital Media Managers
Network: ethernet
160 - 750 GB HD
Supported Audio Formats:
ENCODE: MP3, FLAC
DECODE: PCM, MP3, FLAC, WMA, AAC
Streams: 4 (probably proprietary format)
Internet database: Gracenote
Hifidelio Wireless Music Center €1249,00 (160 GB)
Yes, you can connect it with a cat 5 cable to.
Network: ethernet/ Wi-Fi
80 / 160 GB HD
OS: Linux
Player software: Hermstedt
Streaming: UPnP AV(Twonky Vision)
Recording
- MP3 and MP3 VBR
- RAW data formats: AIFF, PCM, WAV
- FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec)
Supported sampling rate for recording: 44.100 Hz
Playback and Multi-room streaming
- MP3 and MP3 VBR
- RAW data formats: AIFF, PCM, WAV
- OGG/Vorbis
- FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec)
- AAC (MPEG4)
Supported sampling rate for playback: 44.100 Hz
Analog out: RCA
Digital out: SPDIF
The single source where you can find everything about the Hifidelio: Hifidelio-User.de
Don't worry about the German, most of them are pretty good in English.
My personal experience: The Rough Guide to the Hifedelio
Hush DigiFi H-DF200
- Bit perfect ripping with AMG lookup for Artwork and Extended Data such as Performer, Composer
- You Control how much Music you can Store
- Add more NAS drives and DigiFi rips to them for unlimited storage
- You Control what Formats you want to Rip to and Play
- DigiFi prefers WAV but transcodes any existing music to the best format your players support.
- DigiFi transcodes hi-def audio files for ROKU and SONOS
Technical Specification
- XP embedded
- 2 Terabytes of Local Storage (1TB Mirrored)
- Full Size 19” Silent Fanless Case by Hush
- Powered by the award-winning DigiFi software
- Supports up to 24bit 192kHz WAV, WMA inc lossless), MP3, FLAC, AAC.
- Rips (bit perfect), encodes, stores in WAV, FLAC*, WMA and MP3 locally and on connected NAS Drives.
- Creates global playlists across the whole music library for playout through streaming players including Linn DS, Sonos® and other (supported) UPnP players
- Locally plays out single stereo stream for monitoring
- Utilise a push technology for rapidly changing data to maximise synchronisation across multiple interfaces
Loewe Reference media center
Part of the Reference line including electrostatic speakers, subwoofer and a 52-inch LCD TV
Formats
- Playable disks: DVD-Video, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW (Video Mode), Audio CD, CD-R/RW, CD+R/RW
- Playable formats: CD-DA, FLAC (lossless Audio), WMA, MP3, AAC, WAV, PCM
RAID operation for data security
Database: Gracenotes
Connectors
- Antenna FM
- Audio analogue L/R In/Out
- Audio analogue Out ( 5.1 channel output)
- Audio digital In/Out
- Component Video Out (cinch)/ Composite Video Out
- HDMI In/Out
- Headphones
- LAN
- RS 232 (RJ12)
- USB 2.0
- WLAN
- iPod/iPhone Dock
Music Vault Pearl $1799
Media player: Media Monkey
Fan less power supply and fan less processor
2 TB of storage and a 60 GB Solid State Drive for the operating system.
Output Network / USB / SPDIF / HDMI , no onboard DAC.
Nuforce Music Server MSR-1 (Sonata Edition) € 2250,-
- Audio output – Zone 1 Audio RCA, Zone 2 Audio RCA
- S/PDIF output – 44.1 – 96kHz Coaxial 75-ohm output RCA
- Video output – 15-pin DB Sub-15 (VGA) output
- 500GB 2.5” quiet, low power consumption hard disk
- USB – 4 ports
- Network – RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
- Standard ports – PS/2 style Mouse, Keyboard, RS-232
- Power: External 90-240VAC, 12Vdc input
- Power consumption: 45W
- Operating Temperature - 0 to 55 degree C (Ambient)
- Nominal temperature: 36 to 40 degree C
- Chassis is made of high-grade anodized brushed aluminum to reduce audio resonance
- Noise level: < 25dBA
- Dimensions: 2.35”H x 8.5”W x 15”D Weight: 7 lbs.
Remote control and/or touch screen (not included).
Player software: JRiver.
Olive OHD3 $ 999.-
- Ultra-quiet 500GB AV hard drive
- Cushioned in 4 layers of noise cancelling padding
Analog output: 1x RCA
Digittal output: none
Supported Audio Formats
- Bit rate: 16-bit, 20-bit, 24-bit
- Sampling Frequency: 10kHz up to 200kHz
- WAV, FLAC, MP3 (128 and 320 kbit/s), AAC (128 kbit/s)
Other Ports: 1 x USB 1.1/2.0
A must read tread on AV Science
A user forum
Remember, also, that Olive backups, when they do work, are encoded in a proprietary format that only an Olive device can use. So, if your Olive hard disc crashes, you must apply to Olive for repair or your music will be lost.
AV Science Forum
This turned out to be untrue, it are tar files so WinZip can read them.
However, though you have your music back you still miss the title and album names.
Anyway, it remains an example of the problems users will encounter when buying these type of boxes.
See How to read the Olive backups.
Pathos Musiteca £5950.00
- Proprietary user-friendly interface with 16/9 touch screen
- Built-in CD drive for music ripping
- 1 TB hard drive
- State-of-the-art D/A converter, the same of the acclaimed Endorphin™ CD player
- USB input for importing either lossless or Mp3 files
- LAN connection for downloading track info and cover arts
Pinnacle Audio Folio £2,399.00 (250 GB) - £2,799.00 (750 GB)
| Audio | System | ||
| Bit Depth | 24-bit | Storage Options | 2x250GB, 2x500GB, 2x750GB (RAID 1) |
| Sampling Rate | 96kHz | Power On | < 30 Seconds |
| Frequency Response | 22Hz-22kHz,-0.4,-0.4dB | Power Off | < 10 Seconds |
| Dynamic Range | 104dB (A-weighted) (D/A) 100.4dB (A-weighted) (A/D) |
Power Consumption | < 40W (Max) |
| THD | < 0.002% | Supply Voltage | 120/230 VAC 60Hz/50Hz |
| Audio Formats | Wav FLAC (lossless) MP3 Ogg Vorbis |
Control | Wireless touch screen control Wired Ethernet (direct commands and web control) Serial Port Integration libraries |
The Antenaeum (£4,500) is technically identical but has storage up to 1.5 TB (Raid 1).
QAT MS5 5,900 USD
Musisc server with 7" touch screen remote.
TEAC CD drive.
● Built-in 1TB capacity 3.5-inch Seagate Enterprise hard drive for music data storage;
(Storing up to 2000 music CDs by using FLAC lossless format); connection with
other storage tools via USB interface.
● Proprietary operating system, fully remote-controllable.
● Supported audio formats: PCM, WAV, APE, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, M4A, MP3, AAC, Ogg
Vorbis and future formats via software upgrade.
● Supports internet radio.
● Supports 192 KHz/32 Bit master formats and playback music with excellent results.
● Asynchronous Sample Rate Converter: Analog-Devices AD1896 chip converts
44.1KHz/16Bit digital music up to 192 KHz/24Bit, thus improving performance.
● DAC: Balanced DAC circuitry, 2 Analog-Devices AD1955（192KHz/24Bit）chips
supporting SACD’s DSD decoding.
● Full Balanced output with proprietary full discrete OP amplifiers consisting of FET and
Bipolar devices. Very high slew rate with high drive capability.
● Aluminum, fan-less chassis design.
● Analog outputs: RCA, XLR
● Digital outputs: RCA, USB
● Digital inputs: USB, RJ45
● Network connection: RJ45
● WDH: 425×370×265(mm)
Qsonic
$ 5995- 7795
- Full compliment of digital outputs; (x2 S/PDIF (RCA + BNC), x1 AES/EBU, x1 Optical Toslink)
- Add a second discrete output via USB Audio Device (DAC)
- 1TB or 2TB storage capacity options
- 15", 17" or 19" touchscreen controller options
- Support for RS232/TCPIP based 3rd party integration (e.g. Creston/AMX/Control 4, etc)
- Based on Qsonix award winning Q210 platform and world class touchscreen user interface.
- Complete output stage circuit design and performance optimization by Wadia Digital
- Support for high bandwidth audio data rates (up to 24bit 192kHz)
Resolution Audio Cantata music center €5.800
- slot-loading compact disc drive
- USB up to 96kHz / 24-bit using asynchronous mode
- Ethernet link for iTunes and UPnP libraries
- S/PDIF inputs (AES/EBU, RCA, Toslink)
- iPhone/iPod Touch remote control
- XLR and RCA outputs, fixed or variable
OS: Linux
Request
The S.Series ($ 18,500) no longer exist, they went multimedia at a more affordable price tag.
SOtM sMS-1000 US$2,999.00
- Easy control of music playback with a free Android app and free iTouch/iPhone/iPad app.
- Automatically rip CDs and DVDs that are inserted in the DVD drive to the hard drive.
- Automatically tags all music files from online music database.
- Automatically downloads the CD cover art.
- Automatic sharing of file to SMB (Microsoft) file shares.
- DLNA support - for Windows 7 media player and other DLNA compliant players.
- Good support for Sonos, Logitech, and Linn music players.
-
USB output
tX-USB USB port for audio output
USB audio class 2.0 support
USB power on/off -
Coaxial output
Output impedance : 75Ω
Minimum output voltage : 0.5 Vpp
Sampling rate : 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, 96KHz, 176.4KHz, 192KHz
Bit-depth : 16bit~24bit, PCM -
Optical output
Maximum data rate : 12.8Mbps(NRZ code)
Output power range: -21dBm ~ -15dBm
Peak emission wavelength : 650nm
Sampling Rate : 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, 96KHz, 176.4KHz, 192KHz
Bit-depth : 16bit~24bit, PCM -
AES/EBU output
Output impedance : 110Ω
Minimum output voltage : 2 Vpp
Sampling Rate : 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, 96KHz, 176.4KHz, 192KHz
Bit-depth : 16bit~24bit, PCM -
Analog output
32bit/192KHz DAC chip
Balanced output voltage : 1.9Vrms
Unbalanced output voltage : 0.85 Vrms
THD+N : 0.002% > @ 1KHz
Output band width : -3dB@100KHz
Sooloos € 12.000
A nice optical illusion. If you stare hard at this picture for 5 minutes you see a fat control at the right.
Sooloos has become part of Meridian. This deprived us of the girl, not of the price tag.
The Memory Player US$7,950.00 (transport only)
The Memory Player + DAC US$9,890.00
The Memory Player 64 Select - US$24,850.00
192 khz Analog Output
192 khz Digital Output
192 GB Click-and-Play SSD Library
2 TB Archival Library (for music backup)
The Memory Player System Bundle (Copier, Player, High Resolution Audio Copier, Opera Browser)
Direct to DAC
CD Burner
High Resolution Digital Recorder
Upsampler
Teflon Capacitors in power supplies and DAC outputs
Trigon Chronolog $9,495
CD/DVD player/ripper
Formats:
wav, mp3, flac, cdda, nsv, m4a, aac, strm, pls, rm, mpa, wma, ogg, mp2, m3u, mod, amf, 669, dmf, dsm, far, gdm, imf, it, m15, med, okt, s3m, stm, sfx, ult, uni, xm, sid, ac3, dts, cue, aif, aiff, wpl, ape, mac, mpc, mp+, mpp, shn, zip, rar, wv, nsf, spc, gym, adplug, adx, dsp, adp, ymf, ast, afc, hps, xsp
HD: 120GB SDD
OS: Linux
Protocol: UPnP
Networking: 1GB LAN Ethernet/WLAN-WiFi interface
Graphical user interface using touch-WEB portal
Bit rate and frequency display
Automatic updates via the Internet
Output: RCAs/XLR and HDMI/DVI
Wyred4Sound Music Server US$ 1,999.00
- Wireless control
- Supports 24 bit 192 kHz files
- Coaxial, Toslink, I²S outputs
- Automatically copies CDs using built-in drive
- Network file uploading
- 1TB of on-board storage
- Internet Radio
- 3rd party apps such as Pandora®, MOG and more
- Interfaces with Sonos Zone Players
- Back-up the hard drive contents with one click
- Fan less
- Low power consumption
- Supports AAC, APE, AIFF, Apple Lossless, Monkey's Audio, FLAC, QuickTime, MP3, MPEG-4, Musepack Ogg Vorbis, MPEG-4 SLS / HD-AAC, WAV, Windows Media, WMA Lossless, WMA Pro, Wavpack