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Question about setting up a NAS

  • 15 February 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 102 views
C
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  • cwell
  • Avid Contributor I
  • 16 replies

Ok I have been browsing NAS-related discussions here and have a couple questions/confirmations as I am hoping to get all of my CDs onto a library. 

  1. It looks like something as simple as this WD My Cloud Home 4TB drive - https://www.bestbuy.com/site/wd-my-cloud-home-4tb-personal-cloud-white/5990204.p?skuId=5990204 might do the trick. Agree? Pros/cons? Better alternatives (even if more expensive)?
  2. Could this be set up to run independent of my Mac? Or would the Mac need to be powered on to do so? I mean I know I need to the Mac to get it all set up, but once set up would this operate whether the Mac was powered on or no?
  3. Best software for ripping CDs on the Mac? I want to be able to rip full-resolution audio even if playback on Sonos is lower-res and I don’t want to use iTunes. 

Thanks in advance!

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Best answer by lohr500 16 February 2021, 10:15

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3 replies

L
Userlevel 5
Badge +10

Hi cwell, to try and answer your questions :

  1. I don’t think you need to spend $199 to get a reasonable NAS drive. I am in the UK and bought a cheap Verbatim 1TB NAS drive for around $70.
  2. Once you have set up the NAS drive on your network, it should run independently of your Mac. Mine certainly does. I can switch off my PC and the NAS drive can still be seen in the Sonos App.
  3. For Win 10 I used bDpoweramp to rip all my CD collection in FLAC format (which is lossless and works on Sonos up to a bitrate of 1536kbps). It also took care of the album artwork. I can see there is a Mac version available but I have no experience in using the Mac version.

Hope this helps.

Belly M
Badge +20
  1. Save some money…. this is the UK store but Google yours https://shop.westerndigital.com/en-gb/c/recertified?utm_medium=pdsrc2&utm_source=gads&utm_campaign=wd-uk-recertified&utm_content=&utm_term=wd%20recertified&s_kwcid=AL!10192!3!393224698250!e!!g!!wd%20recertified
  2. yes, it will run independently (don’t install any of the crappy WD supplied software as it’s not required)
  3. Max from sbooth.org is nice and easy to use or use xACT for extensive options / AccurateRIP checking.
bockersjv
Userlevel 7
Badge +21

Firstly Sonos is NOT low Res.  That would be MP3s ripped at les than 320Kbps. Sonos is capable of play Flac and WAV files. For older recordings that could be higher than the masters.  I get what you are saying though in that is is lower than the so called HiRes devices about.

 

Suggestion for  a NAS is to make one yourself.  You can do this with a Raspberry Pi and re-use an old HD or even buy one.  OpenMediaVault is free to install and gives you a very capable low power NAS that is also fun and satisfying to build an configure.

Once ripped, and i can’t comment on Mac progs as I use ExactAudioCopy on the PC.  but I would recommend MP3Tag to help tidy tags and Album art after ripping.

 

Good luck.  A NAS is a far better solution that having PC’s or MACs on full time just to serve music.

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