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    SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server Review

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    Have a good USB DAC? Check. Want to turn it into a networked device without changing one item on the DAC? Check.

     

    Over the last couple years I increasingly wanted a specific product that didn't exist. I wanted an ultra simple device with Ethernet input and USB audio output. This seems like such an obvious product that should have been available since the day the first USB DACs hit the market. Especially because so many of the network addressable DACs have big problems with file types, compression schemes, gapless playback, etc… Plus, if the sound of a specific USB DAC is what the listeners want, but they also want the functionality of a networked DAC, they should be able to bridge the gap. This isn't rocket science and this isn't the 1980s. Tiny ARM based Linux compatible single board computers are everywhere. It's time for the Internet of Things and running on this IoT are millions of tiny devices that can be used to create a simple Ethernet in and USB audio out device. As The O'Jays, The Kinks, and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings said, Give the People What They Want. Thus, the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server was created. We finally have a physically simple device that converts network audio streams into USB audio streams for playback on nearly any popular USB DAC.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

     

     

     

    What Is It?

     

     

    In ultra layman's terms the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server is an Ethernet to USB converter. Plug it in to a network on one side and a USB DAC on the other side. This sounds simple enough for most people to get the essence of the sMS-100. The "inside baseball" details involved with this Ethernet to USB converter will be covered later.

     

    The SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server is a very versatile in that it that enables the listener to stream audio through the device to a USB DAC using one of several methods. The sMS-100 supports USB Audio Class 2.0 compliant DACs as well as DACs from Chord, Mytek, and the M2Tech HiFace 1 & 2. Only one streaming method can be used at a time, but the listener can switch to any of the other methods very easily. For example, the listener can start using AirPlay then switch to use UPnP / DLNA with a couple mouse clicks.

     

    SqueezeLite - When set to this mode the sMS-100 receives audio from any Logitech Media Server (LMS). LMS can be installed on any computer and most NAS drives, enabling listeners to stream from a Mac, PC, or even straight from the NAS without a traditional computer "middle man". This configuration essentially turns the sMS-100 into a modern Squeezebox replacement. iOS apps such as iPeng 7 can be used to browse an LMS library or Internet radio service and stream the audio directly to the sMS-100 for output to a USB DAC. Gapless playback of FLAC, ALAC, WAV, and AIFF is supported. DSD is supported in combination with Vortexbox 2.3 or newer, Daphile, or a custom version of LMS for Mac.

     

    AirPlay - In this mode the sMS-100 looks like an Apple AirPort Express to any audio device that supports AirPlay. These devices such as an iPhone, iPad, and computer running iTunes can stream directly to the sMS-100 the same way audio is sent to an AirPort Express. Selecting the sMS-100 as the audio end point is done via the identical process as selecting an AirPlay speaker or other AirPlay device.

     

    UPnP / DLNA - In this operating mode the sMS-100 turns into a UPnP / DLNA Renderer. Listeners can use their favorite UPnP / DLNA server such as JRiver Media Center, MinimServer, Asset UPnP, or any number of apps built-in to NAS drives from Synology, QNAP, or Thecus. In addition, the selection of a UPnP / DLNA control point (remote control) is wide open to the listener. PlugPlayer is one iOS option with some limitations while BubbleUPnP is a solid Android based option. JRemote is a solid option used in conjunction with JRiver as the media server. Gapless playback of FLAC, ALAC, WAV, and AIFF is supported as well as DSD / DoP when using a DoP compliant server such as MinimServer and JRiver Media Center. I've been told Audionet is a good option for iOS as well, but can't verify it at this time.

     

    MPD - This is a unique mode that requires the use of a Vortexbox based music server from companies such as Sonore, SOtM, and Wyred 4 Sound. The sMS-100 functions as an MPD player, but has the ability to find music stored on a Vortexbox automatically over the network. Both PCM and DSD are supported. Gapless playback of FLAC, ALAC, WAV, and AIFF is also supported.

     

    HQ Player NAA - This mode works in combination with the Sygnalyst HQ Player application. HQ Player is an advanced application capable of serious DSP. The app is a bit complex for most computer audiophiles. Nonetheless the sMS-100 can accept network audio streaming from the app.

     

     

    The SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server runs Fedora Linux as its operating system. Software named Sonic Orbiter, created by Small Green Computer, and licensed to SOtM, is what makes the sMS-100 special. Sonic Orbiter is a combination of open source and proprietary software that enables seamless switching between the aforementioned audio modes, and the ability for the sMS-100 to find networked music on a Vortextbox automatically. The selectable audio modes enable the sMS-100 to support various playback schemes supporting PCM and/or DSD with several file formats at several sample rates. In other words, Sonic Orbiter is the secret sauce of the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server.

     

    Note: I've been working with small ARM based single board computers for years. I know exactly what it takes to create a product such as the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server with Sonic Orbiter software. Getting such a device most of the way toward working is the easy part. Perfecting the device to support all relevant sample rates, file formats, gapless playback, without sonic dropouts, and third party USB drivers is no simple task. I mention this because invariably some readers will insist that a device like the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server can be built easily by someone with a little Linux knowledge. In my experience getting a device to work this well is not an easy task.

     

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    Why The Need?

     

    The need for an Ethernet to USB audio device is obvious to some and lost on others. This need came about for several reasons. First, the market for USB DACs has exploded and listeners want to take advantage of these DACs in every way possible. Second, an add-on device like the sMS-100 increases choice for consumers looking for a USB DAC with a specific sound or set of features. Third, high performing audio components with built-in Ethernet capability, like Linn, T+A, and dCS, have traditionally been much more expensive than USB DACs, plus many other expensive streamers use the same internal card from Stream Unlimited. That card brings us to the fourth reason, reliability and functionality. Many network capable devices like the Musical Fidelity M1 CLiC and PS Audio Perfect Wave Bridge have been fraught with streaming issues. Many network DACs, especially early builds, had issues leading consumers to steer toward USB DACs. That's a brief, but not exhaustive view of how we got here and why the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server is a solution for a real audio need, not a solution looking for a problem.

     

     

     

     

    The SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server In Use

     

    app-switcher-small.pngThe SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server isn't a complete end-to-end solution. It's simply an end point or renderer that requires a server and remote control app. During the review period I tested all kinds of apps and servers using both UPnP / DLNA and Logitech Media Server (LMS). I prefer to go the UPnP / DLNA route over the LMS route because I like the server and remote control interface options much better. To be 100% honest, I'm not a big fan of LMS. But, I do understand the platform has a really large following and I can't argue with people's preferences.

     

    The configuration I used for most of the review period was a Synology DS1812+ NAS for music storage, a Windows 8.1 PC running JRiver Media Center as the DLNA server and music library curation application, and JRemote to browse and select music from an iPad. Once the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server is connected to the network, with DLNA enabled, it appears automatically as a zone in JRiver / JRemote. Each additional SOtM sMS-100 device added to the network appears as a separate zone and JRemote has complete independent control over these zones. The sMS-100 is a very smart dumb device. Once DLNA is selected there is nothing else a user needs to configure on the unit. It acts like a "dumb" Ethernet to USB audio converter. However, the software inside the sMS-100 is far from dumb.

     

    I like to test devices like the sMS-100 not only by streaming all types of audio, but also by connecting and disconnecting DACs and pulling the power cable when I probably shouldn't cut the power. There wasn't a single thing I could do to make the sMS-100 malfunction. I started playing music with the EMM Labs DAC2X connected. I wanted to try the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB so I stopped playback, like any normal person would do, plugged the USB cable in to the Alpha USB, then pressed play. Playback commenced immediately. The sMS-100 didn't skip a single byte or bit. Many servers on many operating systems would struggle with this USB audio device swap and would require user intervention. There was no such issue with the sMS-100. I get that most users will have a single DAC and have no interested in hot swapping DACs. However, I described this test as an indication of the sophistication of the sMS-100 and Sonic Orbiter software.

     

    Testing audio playback with a handful of difficult or problem tracks also displayed no weakness in the sMS-100. I sent 24 bit / 192 kHz gapless tracks, high resolution tracks with multi-megabyte album art, gapless DSD, compressed and uncompressed FLAC without identifying a single issue with the sMS-100. The sMS-100 performance in this area is much like the Lumin DLNA player. The similarity between both devices is that they handle all the network audio functions with Linux based software. The major differences between the devices are functionality and price. The Lumin is a full featured DLNA renderer with DAC and iOS app for around $7,000 and the sMS-100 is a much simpler device with less functionality for $450.

     

     

    The sound quality of music played through the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server had three distinct levels, good, better, and great. But, not all levels were present while connected to all DACs. For example, when connected to a completely isolated USB audio device such as the Alpha USB or Ayre Acoustics QB-9 the sMS-100 was only capable of great sound. The other levels of sound quality were present with unisolated devices, and depended on use of the SOtM mBPS-d2s Intelligent Battery Power Supply ($399).

     

    Listening through the sMS-100 connected directly to the EMM Labs DAC2X via USB the sound quality was good. Most of my rock and roll tracks from Pearl Jam, The White Stripes, and new 2014 Led Zeppelin 24/96 remasters had no sonic issues. When listening to Perfect Sense, Part I on Roger Waters' Amused To Death album I noticed the soundstage was reduced quite a bit from what I'm used to hearing in my system. This album features Q Sound. The voices in the begin of Perfect Sense, Part I should emanate from the far left while the piano should emanate from the far right. It's an enveloping sound when done right. In this configuration the voices barely reached outside the left side of the left speaker and the Piano wasn't nearly as far right as it should have been. Switching to Shelby Lynne's track Like A Fool, I noticed a little lack of resolution and my inability to place the instruments and vocals exactly in their familiar positions. The sound was running together a bit.

     

    In addition to receiving the sMS-100 I received the SOtM mBPS-d2s battery supply to try if I was interested. I initially planned on skipping the battery supply for this review. However, I had a gut feeling that the sonic impurities I heard we related to electrical noise. I connected the sMS-100 into the mBPS-d2s battery supply and played the same tracks through the identical system. The sound quality was quite a bit better. It was easy to hear the soundstage widen while listening to Perfect Sense, Part I and better delineation of the instruments in Like A Fool. This was a very positive improvement. But, sound quality wasn't as good as it would get with the sMS-100.

     

    Testing my theory a bit more I connected the sMS-100 without the battery supply to a Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB converter that converts USB to AES. This converter has the best isolation of any converter I've ever used. The setup was USB out of the sMS-100 in to the Alpha USB, and AES out of the Alpha USB and in to the EMM Labs DAC2X. Playing the same tunes I immediately noticed my music come to life. The ultra wide sound stage of Q Sound and the delicate backing instruments of Shelby Lynne's band were right there in front of me. This was the sound I was searching for from the sMS-100. Continuing the evaluation I placed the mBPS-d2s battery supply back in the chain to power of the sMS-100 while still connected to the Alpha USB. This made absolutely no sonic difference. Based on this little unscientific experiment I concluded the USB output of the sMS-100 with its standard switch mode power supply is probably a bit dirty, but there are viable remedies to improve performance greatly.

     

    Logitech Media Server isn't normally that intriguing to me because I like the alternatives much better. However, there's one development that changes things a little bit. After a recent trip to Munich's high end audio show and my discussions with the team from WiMP, I rigged LMS to stream lossless 16 bit / 44.1 kHz music from WiMP's HiFi service in Norway and controlled playback from my iPad using the iPeng 7 app. It wasn't the ideal solution, but it enabled me to stream from a collection of over twenty million bit transparent lossless tracks. In the coming months and years there will be several variations of this type of system that enable streaming lossless CD quality and higher resolutions. I enjoyed WiMP through LMS, but moved away from it eventually because the iPeng 7 interface with WiMP leaves a bit to be desired (the same can be said for the official Logitech iOS app) and the WiMP / Sonos interface). While in Munich I talked to a couple people who used this exact setup WiMP / LMS / iPeng 7 and they were completely satisfied with the interface. Again, I can't argue with people's preferences.

     

     

     

     

    Conclusion

     

    cash-logo-black-thumb.jpgStreaming via DLNA, LMS, AirPlay, NAA, and even from lossless cloud based services through the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server is terrific. Audio isn't a one size fits all hobby. Some people love Logitech Media Server while others prefer DLNA streaming. Yet others prefer to stream podcasts from iTunes via AirPlay to the sMS-100 then switch to DLNA for the serious stuff. The sMS-100 makes all of these use cases possible and simple to execute with excellent reliability. Great sound quality is possible through the sMS-100, but may be dependent on one's DAC, USB audio interface, or even the relatively inexpensive SOtM mBPS-d2s Intelligent Battery Power Supply ($399). Computer audiophiles interested in the new Auralic Aries ($1000-$1600) should consider the already-available SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server at less than half the price. Based on its great performance for a relatively small price and the fact that this product fills a huge hole in our wonderful hobby, the SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server is CASH Listed.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Product Information:

     

     

     

    • Product - SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server
    • Price - $449, (optional SOtM mBPS-d2s Intelligent Battery Power Supply - $399)
    • Product Page - Link
    • User Manual - Link (PDF)

     

     

     

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    Where To Buy

     

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    User Feedback

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    Isn't the code based on the VAMP 0.6 image that Andrew released over at Vortexbox? Also, I see that the hw you guys provided is a Pogoplug E02. I wonder where you guys find so many E02 as a few friends of mine are looking for E02 and is pretty hard to find now unless you pay a hefty price on eBay. My friend has the sMS100, the code certainly works on my E02.

     

    The VAMP was a test bed to gauge approval for the project. However, the systems are not the same. The SOtM Mini Server has a lot more features compared to the VAMP and is running a newer kernel as an example. The SOTM Mini Server is also a fully supported platform with updates planned such as release 1.3 that is coming out soon. There is only one board from the PogoPlug series that will work so be careful if you find then for sale on eBay....

     

    Jesus R

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    Hello, I just bought a SMS100 with battery to stream music on a Synology NAS to a Oppo HA-1 headphone amplifier.

    i like a lot LMS but there is a lot of limitation (lms7.8 installed with ssods on my NAS) : bug with aiff native higher than 24b/96, no DSD files, etc...LMS 7.9 should help me to solve all the issues but I did not succeed in installing it on my NAS. The iPad interface with iPeng is great.

     

    The installed dlna on the Synology is very simple so no interest.

     

    i don't want to use jriver as I should need a PC to run it with the server.

     

    minimserver should be great : no problem with all the formats, efficient, read DSD,...the only issue should be around the iPad app as 99% are crap (audionet, etc...) and not sure they are hapless compliant.

     

    So I was thinking about mpd but I'm not sure I understood everything. I though I should be able to install This server on my NAS and stream the music to the SMS100. MPad is excellent. So do you think this configuration should work ?

    my biggest issue is that in the application switcher in sotm web interface I don't see MPD, so would only a vortexbox work or mpd on the Synology should be ok ?

     

    thanks for your support

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    Hello, I just bought a SMS100 with battery to stream music on a Synology NAS to a Oppo HA-1 headphone amplifier.

    i like a lot LMS but there is a lot of limitation (lms7.8 installed with ssods on my NAS) : bug with aiff native higher than 24b/96, no DSD files, etc...LMS 7.9 should help me to solve all the issues but I did not succeed in installing it on my NAS. The iPad interface with iPeng is great.

     

    The installed dlna on the Synology is very simple so no interest.

     

    i don't want to use jriver as I should need a PC to run it with the server.

     

    minimserver should be great : no problem with all the formats, efficient, read DSD,...the only issue should be around the iPad app as 99% are crap (audionet, etc...) and not sure they are hapless compliant.

     

    So I was thinking about mpd but I'm not sure I understood everything. I though I should be able to install This server on my NAS and stream the music to the SMS100. MPad is excellent. So do you think this configuration should work ?

    my biggest issue is that in the application switcher in sotm web interface I don't see MPD, so would only a vortexbox work or mpd on the Synology should be ok ?

     

    thanks for your support

     

    I don't recommending hacker versions of software be installed on a Synology NAS....it's just to risky and results vary. I do recommend MinimServer and AudioNet alone or as a combo. To imply Audionet is "crap" is misleading and nonsense. It's your opinion, but I disagree. When you select DLNA/MPD the APP switcher starts both the applications. DLNA works with compatible UPNP/DLNA servers and controllers and MPD works with a Vortexbox on the network. Some of the features in the up coming 1.3 release may be of interest to you. I'll be announcing the 1.3 release features soon....

     

    Jesus R

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    Hello, concerning audionet, you are fully right it's my own opinion and I maintain it ! Have you already used iPeng, LUMIN application, or mPaD ? If yes I think you can understand that most of the dlna applications are far away in terms of user experience than the ones I mentioned.

    I don't understand why you say that installing mpd is a hacking version ! It's just installing mpd in a Linux box..by the way it is your opinion :-)

    So from what I understand MPD is only compatible with a vortexbox.

    i expect the 1.3 with a lot of interest if it brings more opportunities. This SOTM is really interesting and I appreciate a lot the way you can make it evolutate.

    when this 1.3 should be out ?

    Ludovic

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    Hello mate,

     

    Trust my experience, MPD is not better than LMS on SMS-100

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    Hello, concerning audionet, you are fully right it's my own opinion and I maintain it ! Have you already used iPeng, LUMIN application, or mPaD ? If yes I think you can understand that most of the dlna applications are far away in terms of user experience than the ones I mentioned.

    I don't understand why you say that installing mpd is a hacking version ! It's just installing mpd in a Linux box..by the way it is your opinion :-)

    So from what I understand MPD is only compatible with a vortexbox.

    i expect the 1.3 with a lot of interest if it brings more opportunities. This SOTM is really interesting and I appreciate a lot the way you can make it evolutate.

    when this 1.3 should be out ?

    Ludovic

     

    The iPeng app works with unit in SqueezeLite mode. The Lumin app is primarily intended to work with Lumin products so you need to ask them about allowing it to control other hardware. The MPaD app works with the unit in DLNA/MPD mode. They each have good and bad traits....

     

    Jesus R

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    Thanks for your feedback.

    Concernig mPaD, it is like for squeezelite/LMS, mpd,need to be installed,somewhere !

     

    To be honest if I'm succeeding in making work LMs7.9 on my Synology I would keep it ! Concerning SMS 100 and squeezelite, the v1.2 embed squeezelite v1.5 (https://code.google.com/p/squeezelite/source/browse/ChangeLog.txt?spec=svn388794fab1d3ee00d126fa5e397729b3057ec27c&r=388794fab1d3ee00d126fa5e397729b3057ec27c) which support dop and dxf playback (if LMS is compatible which is the case since LMs7.9).

     

    The latest stable squeezelite is v1.6x : do you plan to integrate it in v1.3 of SMS ?

    Did you try dxf/dop with the right LMS and squeezelite v1.5 (DDSD built in option) ?

     

    Patatorz

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    Hello mate,

     

    Trust my experience, MPD is not better than LMS on SMS-100

    Same Gordian fan of Mapleshade I know ?

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    Hello mate,

     

    Trust my experience, MPD is not better than LMS on SMS-100

     

    Based on customer feedback they are split 50/50 between LMS and DLNA/MPD.

     

    Jesus R

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    Thanks for your feedback.

    Concernig mPaD, it is like for squeezelite/LMS, mpd,need to be installed,somewhere !

     

    To be honest if I'm succeeding in making work LMs7.9 on my Synology I would keep it ! Concerning SMS 100 and squeezelite, the v1.2 embed squeezelite v1.5 (https://code.google.com/p/squeezelite/source/browse/ChangeLog.txt?spec=svn388794fab1d3ee00d126fa5e397729b3057ec27c&r=388794fab1d3ee00d126fa5e397729b3057ec27c) which support dop and dxf playback (if LMS is compatible which is the case since LMs7.9).

     

    The latest stable squeezelite is v1.6x : do you plan to integrate it in v1.3 of SMS ?

    Did you try dxf/dop with the right LMS and squeezelite v1.5 (DDSD built in option) ?

     

    Patatorz

     

    The import thing is not the version number of these apps, but rather that they meet our design goals and prove stable for our customers. Generally, we update to the latest stable version of the apps as needed during these releases. All the recent releases have been tested for DSD/DoP playback with Vortexbox 2.3 and the combination works great. I also have a DSD capable version of LMS for Mac available on my website.

     

    Jesus R

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    Thank for,your answer. It is quite clear concerning the potential evolution.

    It would have been great if you had a LMS compatible for DSD and Synology :-)

     

    Patatorz

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    Same Gordian fan of Mapleshade I know ?

     

    yep same one

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    I just received my SMS-100 and I love it. It just works. I have been a longtime LMS user and really love my Squeezebox Touches. However, I have been looking for a replacement that handles DSD and seeing how Jesus has a Mac version of LMS that does DSD(I use a Mac as my server), the SMS-100 seemed a natural fit.

     

    I have only had it a couple of days and it is all I hoped it would be. I use it along with a Teac UD-501 DAC and the iPeng 7 control app. For you Squeezebox users it is highly recommended.

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    I just received my SMS-100 and I love it. It just works. I have been a longtime LMS user and really love my Squeezebox Touches. However, I have been looking for a replacement that handles DSD and seeing how Jesus has a Mac version of LMS that does DSD(I use a Mac as my server), the SMS-100 seemed a natural fit.

     

    I have only had it a couple of days and it is all I hoped it would be. I use it along with a Teac UD-501 DAC and the iPeng 7 control app. For you Squeezebox users it is highly recommended.

     

    That's cool. It is a really nice piece--and at an amazing price! Enjoy.

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    Contact me about this and I'll help you out offline...

     

    Jesus R

     

    Hi Jesus,

    I've sent a query few weeks ago to you.

    Could you check it, pls?

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    Thanks for the link : I missed it !

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    This is an interesting review. I note that the manufacturer refers to this as a "network player." That seems right. Could we please stop calling all networked audio devices "servers"? It's bad usage, and it perpetuates confusion about networked audio. The server is the box that has the audio files and sends them over the network. This thing can reasonably be called a client, a receiver, a player, or a renderer.

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client%E2%80%93server_model

     

    Thanks for considering it!

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    Hello Mike48, I don't have difficulties with all the terms you mentioned as far as the manufacturer really explain what the device is able to do. With the latest v1.3 of the SOtM sms100, this device embed a version of LMS which is able to map to files on a hard drive or a NAS : in this case how would you name the SMS 100 ?

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    This is an interesting review. I note that the manufacturer refers to this as a "network player." That seems right. Could we please stop calling all networked audio devices "servers"? It's bad usage, and it perpetuates confusion about networked audio. The server is the box that has the audio files and sends them over the network. This thing can reasonably be called a client, a receiver, a player, or a renderer.

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client%E2%80%93server_model

     

    Thanks for considering it!

     

    Agree with you Mike and the contradiction is apparent in the review itself when it reads "The SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server isn't a complete end-to-end solution. It's simply an end point or renderer that requires a server and remote control app"

     

    I wonder if its considerer a server because of storing it's how database of metadata locally, but agree that since the storage is elsewere in the network, should not be considered a server at all..

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    Agree with you Mike and the contradiction is apparent in the review itself when it reads "The SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server isn't a complete end-to-end solution. It's simply an end point or renderer that requires a server and remote control app"

     

    I wonder if its considerer a server because of storing it's how database of metadata locally, but agree that since the storage is elsewere in the network, should not be considered a server at all..

     

    Is a Ford Mustang a horse? This is the SOtM Mini Server and it's model number is sMS-100. The unit has several output modes and features that each independently can be described to perform a function such as player, decoder, renderer, streamer, server, host, etc. Personally, I really like the nick name that the French forum gave it...petite merveille.

     

    Jesus R

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    This is an interesting review. I note that the manufacturer refers to this as a "network player." That seems right. Could we please stop calling all networked audio devices "servers"? It's bad usage, and it perpetuates confusion about networked audio. The server is the box that has the audio files and sends them over the network. This thing can reasonably be called a client, a receiver, a player, or a renderer.

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client%E2%80%93server_model

     

    Thanks for considering it!

    Hi Mike - I agree with you for the most part. The way I used the device it should be called the Renderer. However, there are many uses, one of which could be a server. I can't control what manufacturers name products, but it has a bit to do with marketing. Potential customers may have no clue what a renderer is and have at least some idea about servers.

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    Hello Mike48, I don't have difficulties with all the terms you mentioned as far as the manufacturer really explain what the device is able to do. With the latest v1.3 of the SOtM sms100, this device embed a version of LMS which is able to map to files on a hard drive or a NAS : in this case how would you name the SMS 100 ?

     

    I'd call it a really great device. As to terminology, I think I'd still consider it basically a network player (or receiver or client or renderer), with some server features.

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    Hi Mike - I agree with you for the most part. The way I used the device it should be called the Renderer. However, there are many uses, one of which could be a server. I can't control what manufacturers name products, but it has a bit to do with marketing. Potential customers may have no clue what a renderer is and have at least some idea about servers.

     

    Sure, let's educate them! The only reason I used that odd word is that it's apparently part of the UPnP/DLNA spec. Anyway, thanks again for some interesting work in this ever-evolving field.

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