Help needed: how to connect my stored music to my Zuma: ESATA vs. NAS

[Mike Gillespie]

Hi,

 

I looked at this thread, but didn't find the answers I needed:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/esata-vs-nas-15824/

 

Here's my problem: I have a CAPS Zuma server with 16gb of RAM, etc. I have an awful lot of music -- about 7tb of AIFF files, over 3 tb of DSD files, and another 2-3 tb or more of other hi-rez including PCM.

 

I'll run JRiver. I can either connect multiple 6tb Western Digital ESATA drives powered by Tripplite Linear Power Supplies (not the stock AC/DC switching power supply) and with one drive with AIFF, another with DSD, etc, I can connect one at a time to the Zuma and swap them out as needed, depending on what I'm listening to...

 

OR:

 

I can run an 1812 Synology NAS with about 20tb or so. It will hold everything.

 

If I go with NAS (in another room), I'm using the following as a hard wire solution: Internet over built-in coax wiring:

 

Actiontec Verizon Coaxial Network Adapter

 

Amazon.com: Actiontec Verizon Coaxial Network Adapter (ECB2200V): Computers & Accessories

 

which seems to work well enough since it "Provides up to 175 Mbps networking speed." But that isn't the same as direct CAT wiring... (can't be done in my house)

 

It seems to me that the big minus of the direct local ESATA drive is having to switch drives for certain tracks.

 

The big minus of the NAS is that it might be slow, especially with the Actiontec internet over coax approach.

 

I'm not knowledgeable about this so I need some help.

 

Will there be any real difference in sound quality?

 

I know that it will take days to copy the music files onto the NAS, but once on, will the speeds on a NAS be OK for playback listening? I'd love to have more knowledge about this before I spend over $2,400 or so for NAS plus drives plus UPS).

 

Thanks.

[acg]

Hi Mike, I am not familiar with coaxial network adapters, but the speed listed (175 Mbps) may or may not be sufficient for streaming hi-rez pcm although I am tending towards not, especially if there will be other network traffic. CAT 5, 6, 7 ethernet cable is eight wires and is pretty good at getting packets to the other end of the line but I doubt that coax with is going to cut it. I am not an expert though, there may be others that have a more informed opinion.

 

As far as the NAS goes, once you have one you will probably wonder how you did without it. At least that was my experience. A 20tb NAS is going to make plenty of noise. Can you put it in a cupboard or in the ceiling locally so that you can run an ethernet cable to it?

 

NAS speeds are generally fast enough for hi-rez music, but some NAS's are much more powerful than others, especially the business oriented ones such as the Netgear ReadyNAS PRO Business Edition that runs a celeron chip and can use teaming to increase network throughput above gigabit speeds.

 

Anthony

[Kal Rubinson]

Hi Mike, I am not familiar with coaxial network adapters, but the speed listed (175 Mbps) may or may not be sufficient for streaming hi-rez pcm although I am tending towards not, especially if there will be other network traffic.

 

I have been running these coax network adapters (MOCA) for a while with MCH hi-rez PCM and DSD without any apparent problems and without concern for other network tasks. That is not to be taken as a blanket endorsement but, rather, that I have not seen it as a limitation.

[brightonjel]

Can you buy or borrow a much smaller network drive to test what you think will be the worst case? I am guessing DSD will be the highest-stress format. single NAS drives come in smaller and cheaper packages than a full down Synology so if you can spring for one - and convince yourself there's some per use for it in the future - - you might have a way to get a test done prior to dropping the big bucks?

[Mike Gillespie]

Thanks to all. I'll run a test with some DSD files on a 4tb Seagate NAS and see how that works.

[preproman]

Here's another option for a direct connect system. I have no idea if it's loud or not.

 

Mass Storage 2500