Squeeze Box vs Transporter

[garym]

Yes, I am leaning towards returning Synology NAS... But doesn't it make sense to keep HD's and only buy an external HD for backup ? Instead of buying more external HD's as data grows ? Also, This would mean less devices/wires/outlet... especially if I start ripping Blu Rays... And if I do.. my data will grow quickly.

Yes, I used to use the 2nd router as a access point but that gave me 2 wireless networks... which was a pain connecting to 2 different networks depending where I was in my house. I just checked with Linksys and they sugessted getting product RE1000... Basically extends the wireless range...

yes, if you are ripping blurays, you will need these HDs in your PC. So I'd keep. My point about the second router is that I have no "pain" connecting to 2 different WIFI systems in my house because my devices can connect seamlessly, in the background, to either, depending on which is stronger. But this is because the SSIDs are the same and the passwords are the same. So my iphone connects to either one without me doing anything at all.

[spike99]

yes, if you are ripping blurays, you will need these HDs in your PC. So I'd keep. My point about the second router is that I have no "pain" connecting to 2 different WIFI systems in my house because my devices can connect seamlessly, in the background, to either, depending on which is stronger. But this is because the SSIDs are the same and the passwords are the same. So my iphone connects to either one without me doing anything at all.

Actually, I bought WD WD30EFRX which is NAS specific... So I'm thinking of returning both HD's and purchase a single Internal HD and then get an external HD for backup.

For stationary devices... It's fine to connect to 2 different networks... but for example with either my IPhone or IPad... They don't automatically switch to which ever has the strongest signal... I used to manually change... which is a pain. I have the Linksys extender on the way... which I think is a better solution... I'll give some feedback after I receive it.

[garym]

Actually, I bought WD WD30EFRX which is NAS specific... So I'm thinking of returning both HD's and purchase a single Internal HD and then get an external HD for backup.

For stationary devices... It's fine to connect to 2 different networks... but for example with either my IPhone or IPad... They don't automatically switch to which ever has the strongest signal... I used to manually change... which is a pain. I have the Linksys extender on the way... which I think is a better solution... I'll give some feedback after I receive it.

your extender will work fine I'm sure. But to be clear, my iphones and ipads SWITCH AUTOMATICALLY from one WIFI AP to the other without me doing anything. But this is because both WIFI APs have the same SSID and password. So the iphones and ipads don't see them as DIFFERENT networks. You must have had your two routers setup as DIFFERENT networks rather than one router functioning simply as a 2nd WIFI AP (which is how I use my second router).

[spike99]

your extender will work fine I'm sure. But to be clear, my iphones and ipads SWITCH AUTOMATICALLY from one WIFI AP to the other without me doing anything. But this is because both WIFI APs have the same SSID and password. So the iphones and ipads don't see them as DIFFERENT networks. You must have had your two routers setup as DIFFERENT networks rather than one router functioning simply as a 2nd WIFI AP (which is how I use my second router).

Hmmm, Yes, I did have 2 different network names but with same password for both..

If I knew this.. then I would set them with same network name

[spike99]

your extender will work fine I'm sure. But to be clear, my iphones and ipads SWITCH AUTOMATICALLY from one WIFI AP to the other without me doing anything. But this is because both WIFI APs have the same SSID and password. So the iphones and ipads don't see them as DIFFERENT networks. You must have had your two routers setup as DIFFERENT networks rather than one router functioning simply as a 2nd WIFI AP (which is how I use my second router).

I connected back my second router and name the network name to the same name... IT WORKED !!! LOL, Man... I continue to learn new stuff here !!! AND YES, My devices IPhone SWITCHES AUTOMATICALLY... I expected to see 2 networks with the same name... but I only see ONE... This is GREAT

The extender I just purchased is going back

Edit: Let me not get too excited here... Checking the internet speed... something is not right... for some reason running SpeedTest on IPad/IPhone it always gets stuck... This never has happened before... and it only gets stuck when its connected to the second router (The one I just setup with the same network name)...

I may actually test the extender after all... and compare... but the speed doesn't seem normal.

[spike99]

Update:
Last night I retested Internet from second router and it is good now. I made no changes... But now when I check Internet speed I get expected results, also it no longer gets stuck.

In addition, initially my laptop was not getting any Internet even though the wireless strength showed all bars, but last night it now connects to Internet with expected download/upload speeds.

I suppose it fixed itself.

Again, Thanks for your suggestion. Garym

[spike99]

Another Update:

In regards to WiFi, having second router... It really was not stable... Seems like sometimes is good and other times not. For example, On my IPad, although I'm getting all bars seems there are times that its connected to first router (I know this because of download speed)... Also, my notebook although I get all bars on WiFi, I would not get any internet. Eventually, my IPad is able to connect to second router... Seems like IPad is better able to connect vs using a notebook.

I was going to return the Linksys RE1000, but decided to give it a try... and it works good. For download speeed, when connected to my second router... it would give a 20MB download speed but with RE1000, I'm getting about 10MB download. Normally, if able to connect to first router in my bedroom, I would get under 2MB... this is how I know which router it is connected to.

Although I'm only getting 10MB with RE1000, it's good enough...

Also, I had previously had issues with LMS and to fix... It was complaning about not admin... If I remember correctly, I needed to right click and select "Windows 7 Compability" and select "run as admin". When my PC would start, LMS would not start automatically... took me some time to figure out... Basically when running manually, I would always get a pop up (probably because it was running as admin ?)... something about if I wanted to accept this program to run and after I said yes.. it would start.... I needed to suppress this message.. I updated user controls to the lowest level for all programs... So now when I start manually, I don't get this message. And now... when I start PC... LMS starts up automatically.

[garym]

Sounds like you're in pretty good shape at this point. Enjoy!

[spike99]

Sounds like you're in pretty good shape at this point. Enjoy!

Yes, everything is good now

I returned Synology NAS with NAS WD harddrives....

Yesterday, I received a Seagate Barracuda ST3000DM001 (3TB drive). I installed this as a secondary drive. When installing I couldn't believe how much dust I had in my PC... I'll need to clean PC at least every 6months.. After installing drive, I moved all music, pic's & videos to this secondary drive. My SSD primary drive is now like 75% full instead of 95% full. And then finally, I updated LMS to look for new drive instead.

[spike99]

This is not just you. This is normal. You've discovered the dirty secret of audiophoolery. Congratulations as you've learned for yourself before you waste money on things that don't likely matter.

It is perfectly normal that you can't tell the difference between 320 lossy and lossless (Flac or apple lossless, etc.). There have been lots of formal tests done to determine transparency of lossy files as compared back to original CD (search hydrogenaudio.org to see many of these). To loosely summarize, it is very unlikely that you could tell the difference between an mp3 or m4a (AAC) file at around 192k and the original CD. There are of course known "problem" samples where differences might be detected (certain trumpets or harpsichords, etc.). But for normal music, anything at about 192 or higher should be transparent (no noticeable difference) based on the tests that have been performed. And in fact, you may even find lossy at 128k transparent. Although there is certainly more evidence that 128k files can be detected as compared with the original CD.

I use lossless files not because I think I can tell the difference between the lossless and the high bit rate lossy. (I can't and I've done several formal ABX tests....mp3 at 192k (LAME V2) is the sweet spot for me). Rather, I use LOSSLESS in my rips so that I can rip once and never rip again. And if I want to create a bunch of 128 mp3 files from my LOSSLESS FLACs to use on my iphone then I can do this with a couple of mouse clicks. If I had ripped to LOSSY to begin with I wouldn't be able to convert to anything else. Thus, ripping to LOSSLESS is optimum.

Regarding 24/96 or 24/192: If these files are from the same mastering, there is ample evidence that people can't detect any difference in double-blind tests between 24/96 (or 192) and 16/44.1. But the important point is "from the same mastering". That is, sometimes the 24/96 or 24/192 files are actually mastered differently. So they do sound different (perhaps better). But the difference is the mastering not the mere fact that one file is 24/96 and the other is 16/44.1. Personally, I would never pay more for 24/96 or 24/192. I might purchase 24/96 or 24/192 downloads if the price is the same as 16/44.1, or if I know that the mastering is different (better) on the high-rez file.

Wanted to comment on this...

Recently purchased Bob Marley (Legend - Remastered) from HD Tracks 96kHz/24bit, and I compared this to Spotify...

1. Don't remember which song I played, but at start there were a couple of seconds of silence before audio(singing) starts...
Spotify: I get reminded of playing LP record where you here some noise before song starts
96kHz/24 bit: Dead silent until song starts

2. I don't know why but audio is much lower for 96kHz/24bit. In order to match volume level see below
Spotify: -20db
96kHz/24: -15db and possibly had to go up to -10db to match Spotify volume level.

3. Audio Quality: With the remastered version... Yes there were some additional instruments... But audio quality is not night and day (I really can't say that 96/24 actually sounds better either)

I am perplexed on the audio volume... For example after I ripped some CD's, the volume levels are comparable to Spotify... but album from HD Tracks 96kHz/24 is much much lower. This is a bit funny... because when I'm on my PC... and I play sample songs from HD Tracks, and then I play same song on Spotify... Audio from HD Tracks is so much louder in volume compared to Spotify... But when you download... and I listen in my HT, it's the opposite.

But in general, I do think 96kHz/24bit is a bit better... Probably good idea to buy 96/24 but I would have to like the album alot before I buy.