Question

What NAS is recommended?

  • 7 January 2018
  • 7 replies
  • 6059 views

I am after some advice on a NAS drive to hold my music that I can access through the SONOS app.

I ask the question as I just purchased a WD 'My Cloud' 3tb with the intention of installing Plex on it, but once opened, it became apparent that the app was not available and I am thinking of sending it back.

So, just need some advice on what is recommended please, do I send this one back and get a different one and if so what one?

Any advice is much appreciated

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7 replies

The WD NAS drives seem to be well recommended around here, to store and serve up music files to Sonos. I didn't know that it didn't have a Plex app but, to be honest, unless you have very straight-forward musical tastes then the Sonos version of Plex is rather poor. I installed it on my NAS (Synology) but don't use it as you can only view music by album or artist - not a lot of use if you have a number of tracks both contemporary and classical.

If you use Plex via a PC (i.e. not to the Sonos kit), then it has all the bells and whistles and I can see that it could be useful - it's just the Sonos version that's lacking - and AIUI nothing much is happening to improve it.

Simply for use for Sonos (without Plex) then most NAS drives will work fine. I'm using a 7 year old LG NAS just for Sonos - the Synology is for my other data and Sonos backup.
@Amun from what you are saying it sounds like I can have all my music on this NAS then and play through my SONOS, I will have a look into this then.

Good to have that feedback on Plex as well, I think I will look at other options then

Am I correct in assuming that I can connect to the music on my phone/ipad without my computer being on?

Many thanks for the reply
I use a Synology DS216+II, my second Synology. I love it. Just bought the Sonos speakers a couple days ago, and just added the Synology as a Music Library to the Sonos. Had to use the PC Sonos app to add it as a NAS fileshare, Sonos indexed it, and now it appears on the mobile app and is searchable along with all the other music services.

You can probably do the same with the WD. Enable the music folder as a network fileshare, download the Sonos PC (or Mac) app, go to "Manage" and "Music Library Settings...", click "Add" and give the network pathname, possibly ID and password, and let Sonos index the fileshare. Done.
I use a Synology DS216+II, my second Synology. I love it. Just bought the Sonos speakers a couple days ago, and just added the Synology as a Music Library to the Sonos. Had to use the PC Sonos app to add it as a NAS fileshare, Sonos indexed it, and now it appears on the mobile app and is searchable along with all the other music services.

You can probably do the same with the WD. Enable the music folder as a network fileshare, download the Sonos PC (or Mac) app, go to "Manage" and "Music Library Settings...", click "Add" and give the network pathname, possibly ID and password, and let Sonos index the fileshare. Done.


Thanks Ireddy, I am putting the drive back on my network as we speak to try and get it all working, maybe I won't be sending it back 🙂
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I made a Music folder on my WD MyCloud Public folder, ripped all my CD'S there in FLAC format and used the Sonos Windws app to add the Folder to Sonos.

No need for Plex and no need for the PC after the initial setup..
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The WD MyCloud PR series (PR2100, PR4100) is more than capable of running Plex, especially if you are going to use it to serve up video, record TV shows, and things of that nature. But Plex certainly isn't needed to serve music to Sonos. So if you were thinking you needed Plex for that reason, then keep your current MyCloud, copy your music over to it, and set up Sonos to access it directly over your network.
Cheers for all the help, I've got it all working, thank you 🙂