kennythekey

I thought to myself, just do it, and it worked! I formatted the Glyph without assigning a drive letter or path. I connected it to my Synology NAS with an eSata cable. The backup Wizard in Disk Manager recognized the Glyph Drive and I was able to set a backup schedule. My J. River Media Center 17 on my PC, now also recognizes the drive (Network > DiskStation (NAS) > Satashare (Glyph GPT50)), so I can play files from it. I'm sure for many of you this is common knowledge, but for me it's very cool.

I need to reformat my new GPT50 for Windows. The instructions say that I have to assign a drive letter to the Glyph. I'm connecting the GPT50 to my Synology NAS using an eSata cable, so here lies my confusion. I use my PC only to upload files to my NAS and work with the Disk Manager software on the NAS. My NAS is not assigned a drive letter, so it's available with this path from my Vista PC: Computer > Network > DiskStation. I will use my PC to format the GPT50 for Windows and there is an option "Do not assign a drive letter or path." I simply want to backup my NAS to the GPT50 using the eSata cable. Must I assign a drive letter to the GPT50 or will the drive be available if I don't? What's the best way to set this up?

Harry, I use a Squeezebox Touch between my NAS (DS712+) and my DAC. It works well and sounds great. The DSM for my Synology comes with a Logitech Media Server option in the Package Center, so you can install it and run it on the NAS. Once you tell the Media Center where your music folder is on your NAS the SBT displays it on its menu. The SBT also streams internet Radio stations, so an extra benefit for what seems to be a very reasonable price, IMO. I use the coax digital out option on my SBT to my DAC. This bypasses the not-so-hot internal DAC of the Touch. The only thing I use my computer for is to rip CDs to my NAS or download hirez music files to it. I have also employed most of the SBT free tweaks for shutting down unecessary services, etc. Kenny

Regarding, data, mass, and dark energy. etc...Funny, I just found this site...http://scottkurowski.com/massbit/index.htm My comments were not to argue theoretical physics because that's pointless. My point was only to offer the suggestion that measurements and observations may have limitations because science and perceptions are limited...And, may always be. Therefore, the "measurable proof" that's held onto so dearly by some, may be arguable, as well as others' observations and subjectivity. We argue about science and new discoveries are made, and we argue about our opinions. From this we divide into different camps and create our happy places. For all of us or perhaps just some of us, getting better SQ in musical reproduction is only a personal pleasure. What pleases one person simply may not please another. My wife picked my Squeezebox and I picked my CD Transport for better SQ. Am I right because I'm the Audiophile? My point from my previous reply, was that I would pursue that discovery on my own now that I have the different camps of information from this forum. And, I appreciate the science and the personal experiences. I will examine all of it. In the end, none of you can prove to me or tell me what pleases me the most.

Hawking eventually backed off on his position, but first believed that information entering a Black Hole is lost forever. Susskind thought that preposterous, as it violates the laws of physics. He concluded that the information is trapped along the event horizon. I'm just your average Joe and didn't care for either explanation. I thought about it and figured that the information goes into the Black Hole and does not get lost but is converted to Dark Matter and Energy pushing our Universe further apart. Right now, that works for me but of course it's probably just this nut-job's unscientific observation. What works for me best, given different camps of thought, are the results that I conclude from my own observations. While I have no skills to test my Black Hole theory, I certainly can listen to music and discover what sounds the best...For me. I appreciate everyone's input and enjoy your music.

With what Phaedrus and Julf are stating, does this mean that when dealing with the same audio file nothing in front of the DAC matters? So, different CD Players containing different DACS may make a difference, but different CD Transports or any other source playing the same file and using the same DAC will not make a difference?

I must confess, that I played the same song from the Sara K album about ten or twelve times now with both the CD and the SBT, and I can no longer distinguish an audio level difference that I first reported. I then played the song for my wife, who is not an audiophile. She also could not distinguish any level differences. I did this three times without telling her what source I was using and mixed up the order. The most interesting result, is that all three times she picked the SBT as having better SQ in her mind. Of course, I thought the opposite when I had listened. I think it's time to put on an LP and enjoy the music!

I understand the general concepts about jitter, but there are a couple of things that I can't get my head around regarding the digital domain concepts. My findings seem to run counter, but maybe there's a good explanation. I own a Theta Data Basic II CD Transport and a Theta DS Pro Basic III DAC that I've had since the mid-nineties. Back then I used an Audio Alchemy DTI Pro 32 in-between the transport and DAC to better control jitter. At least, that's what the main function of the Pro 32 was supposed to be about. I did not have to bend my ear to imagine a difference between the sound quality of the device being in or out. The SQ was difference was not subtle, but provided the "Wow" factor when the Pro 32 was inline. I may be missing something, but this seems to go against those digital domain concepts if I'm reading them right. I have since replaced my Theta DAC with the new EE DAC Plus, but I'm still using my Theta CD Transport. The transport is connected to the DAC with an AES cable. Additionally, my Squeezebox Touch is connected to the DAC with a Coax cable. If I understand your reasoning, neither cable type should make a difference because it's before the DAC. Using dBpoweramp, I ripped my Sara K, Play on Words CD to my hard drive. I then played the first cut on the album through my SBT. Right after that, I played the CD from my Theta Transport and noticed two things... First, the audio level on the CD version was slightly higher. Second, the SQ of the CD version was noticeably better. I was hoping that the SBT would sound superior, but it didn't. So, in this case, it wasn't a case of "desired results" influencing an imaginary difference in SQ. I will also not use vague terms like more organic or holographic to explain the differences that I heard. Instead, I will try best to explain the actual differences that I heard. I don't know why but the CD version sounds like there is more information within the soundstage, so for example, the illusion of more air between the instruments. Additionally, Sara's voice sounds more human and the entire presentation sounds bigger and more open. A cymbal when struck rings truer. This is not the result that I expected or wanted, as I'm trying to rip my CDs, retire my CD Transport, and move forward.

Thanks, for everyone's help and generous information. I welcome all opinions whether grounded deep within science or just pure observation. Right now I have a Squeezebox Touch, so I am network dependent. My computer that is in another room I use for business, so full of programs and services. Currently, I have a small collection of hi-rez files on it that I need to move out, as I don't want to use this computer for storage. However, I do want to use it for ripping my CD collection to external storage, and for downloading hi-rez files from the Internet and sending them to the same storage. I have the recommended dbpoweramp software. My immediate solution was to get a NAS and continue to use the SBT, for now. This is what started the thread. I've already ordered and received two-2TB WD Caviar Black drives because of the warranty, so at least perceived reliability. I'm also waiting for the price of the Synology DS712+ to come down, as the high retail price is only being offered by sellers who are out-of-stock. The NAS will be in another room, but just on the other side of the wall from my audio components. I have a dedicated circuit for it. I will not be able to hear the drive in my listening room. I've also received the Galvanic Opto-Isolator that Chris may use, but this may become an expensive paperweight. We'll see, as I will try it with the SBT. I've decided to do my best to remove the "SQ factor" from the NAS and internal drives by getting an external hard drive that's plugged directly into a future music server. This config will also give me backup of my file storage. This may be ass-backwards, but I don't see any harm from using my backup extHDD as the source of my playback, as I can unplug it from the "grid" when I want. Hopefully, these steps can for the most part side-step some of the issues put forth here.

Phaedrus - I am only now getting into computer-based audio equipment, and I don't need to be an engineer to enjoy music. I'm not sure if you did a speed-reading of this thread, but it started with me asking the forum if there is a SQ difference in NAS because of an article I read from Enjoy the Music's HiFi Critic. Up until that point, I was ready to purchase drives that were simply reliable. I accepted earlier on in this thread with the help from Mark Powell and Julf that files played from memory are not going to be compromised, therefore the drives don't matter. Another notion was introduced that perhaps noise could be introduced into the playback equipment through cabling. There were opinions for and against this. There were also observations from forum members running their own tests that differences could be heard. So, not just the HiFi Critic’s findings. Chris Connaker, who founded CA, reports on finding differences between SSDs and HDDs, and uses an opto-isolator with his Ethernet cabling. The C.A.P.S music player utilizes noise filtering components, and there are many who report the benefits of using clean AC. I've gotten this information from Computer Audiophile, so I don't know why you're suggesting that computer playback of music is not for me? I am just trying to get some help along the way, so I can make good choices. Funny, I posted my question to CA because I thought I would get better advice than from a forum of mostly analog types. Anyway, I came in here with an open mind and will leave the same way. Regarding those who preach science with closed minds, I have this statement: Wikipedia - A scientific theory is empirical, and is always open to falsification if new evidence is presented. That is, no theory is ever considered strictly certain as science accepts the concept of fallibilism. The philosopher of science Karl Popper sharply distinguishes truth from certainty. He writes that scientific knowledge "consists in the search for truth", but it "is not the search for certainty ... All human knowledge is fallible and therefore uncertain." BTW - A dedicated CD Transport straight to the amp does not work. You need a DAC.

Trishend - What HDDs, brand and model, are you using in the NAS setup that you prefer for SQ?

I don't know the answer because I don't have the setup. Will a file continue to play from memory if you pull the plug on the ethernet cable? If so, a blind test for cable in/cable out may be useful.

Briefly, I was in a happy place! Let's assume that this has nothing to do with the playback of the file from memory. Is it possible that during the playback there is cross-talk between the NAS and Player that may not be 100% isolated?

So, the opto-isolators really don't serve any worthwhile function in this regard? Do they do anything useful?

If I understand...Regardless of any file being played back from memory, there may be noise introduced into the player from the ethernet connection. Therefore, the purpose of an opto-isolator may be to minimize that type of noise?