Post by heronsflight on Feb 9, 2015 11:07:29 GMT
Hi,
I am thinking of buying an X12 to replace an NAS from another manufacturer with which I have a number of issues - obviously, I wish to avoid these as far as possible in a new purchase.
I was hoping to get a demo and "walk-through" of the X12 at my local Richer Sounds who are the only "stockists" in the area. However, a quick telephone call to them on Friday revealed that they don't actually stock any Novafidelity products, including demo kit, at all, you have to buy and pay for it in advance before they will order one from the manufacturer. A bit of a risk, not least as the lad on the phone obviously wasn't too familiar with the product when I asked him to explain how they work.
My current NAS uses Vortexbox as a "portal" to the "MusicBrainz" (MB) database to gather it's metadata (?) and to "Bliss" to gather artwork/genre/date. I believe Bliss also uses MB for it's info. Consequently, I need to have my PC running to bring up Vortexbox in my browser whilst I rip any discs. Playback is via server software (Logitech, Plex or Minim). The NAS is hardwired by ethernet cable to my home network. Playback is mostly through our living room A/V system based around a networked Yamaha RX-V671 A/V receiver. As the NAS has no screen, music selection is by an on-screen menu on our TV. This becomes a bit of a nightmare as my PC and TV are on different floors in the house so, currently, the NAS is in the same room as the PC. I would want to network the X12 and playback music via this system but have the X12 in our living room downstairs.
Anyway, my questions.
1) I have a lot of releases on small/artist's-own labels. These aren't present on the database my current machine uses (MusicBrainz) consequently the disc rips as Unknown_Artist_-_Unknown_Album. If I then rip another "unknown" album, the tracks simply merge with the first. If I try to manually add the tags and data (which I have to do through my PC) the disc will still not play as it is still "unknown" to the database. Similarly, artwork and other data cannot be applied either. Question: If I rip an album which isn't contained in the X12 database, can I manually add the missing data easily and can I drag & drop artwork from, say, Google images or, as a last resort, from my own scanner?
2) If the X12 gathers the wrong info and artwork - this seems to be a major problem with classical CDs - is this easily amended manually?
3) I have backup copies of around 600 albums in FLAC format currently on a USB external drive. So that I don't have to re-start ripping my collection from scratch, can these files be imported onto the X12.
4) Conversely, I assume it is simple to back up my X12 files to an external drive?
5) One of the issues I have had with my existing NAS is the protocol under which different albums by the same artist are stored. For example, in a 16 disc boxset of Mahler symphonies, some have stored under "Gustav", some under "Mahler", some under "Klaus", and some under "Tennendt". (Klaus Tennendt is the conductor FWIW). Obviously, for ease of access/search I want them all stored together in order, not in four separate places. Currently, if I amend the name under which the album is stored, the Bliss file then goes into error and the album will not play. Is this a problem with the X12?
6) What happens with double albums? On my existing NAS, these often merge, consequently there are 2 track 1s, track 2s etc, and playback then is out of order as the tracks "ping-pong" between discs. This is particularly annoying on live albums or classical albums spread over two or more discs as the movements/sections play out of sequence.
7) Where there is a piece of music made up of several segued tracks (i.e. there is no gap between them) will the X12 retain the segue or will it insert (as my current NAS does, much to my annoyance) a gap that doesn't exist aurally?
8) How does the X12 treat DRM copy-protected discs? Currently, after ripping these discs (mainly Warners amd Sony/Columbia releases from the late-90s early 2000s but there are still some current releases even though DRM - I believe - has been dumped) I just get white noise. As an aside, this can be rather odd as in a two disc set I have found that only one disc is encrypted in this way.
9) I have read that it is easier to edit with a USB keyboard. Will any PC USB keyboard do? Can I use a wireless keyboard with dongle?
10) Realistically, how many CDs in FLAC format will the X12 store?
Sorry, I know there's a lot there but I would appreciate any help. My existing server has been a bit of a disaster so I don't want to repeat the same expensive mistakes again.
Thanks.
Dave.
I am thinking of buying an X12 to replace an NAS from another manufacturer with which I have a number of issues - obviously, I wish to avoid these as far as possible in a new purchase.
I was hoping to get a demo and "walk-through" of the X12 at my local Richer Sounds who are the only "stockists" in the area. However, a quick telephone call to them on Friday revealed that they don't actually stock any Novafidelity products, including demo kit, at all, you have to buy and pay for it in advance before they will order one from the manufacturer. A bit of a risk, not least as the lad on the phone obviously wasn't too familiar with the product when I asked him to explain how they work.
My current NAS uses Vortexbox as a "portal" to the "MusicBrainz" (MB) database to gather it's metadata (?) and to "Bliss" to gather artwork/genre/date. I believe Bliss also uses MB for it's info. Consequently, I need to have my PC running to bring up Vortexbox in my browser whilst I rip any discs. Playback is via server software (Logitech, Plex or Minim). The NAS is hardwired by ethernet cable to my home network. Playback is mostly through our living room A/V system based around a networked Yamaha RX-V671 A/V receiver. As the NAS has no screen, music selection is by an on-screen menu on our TV. This becomes a bit of a nightmare as my PC and TV are on different floors in the house so, currently, the NAS is in the same room as the PC. I would want to network the X12 and playback music via this system but have the X12 in our living room downstairs.
Anyway, my questions.
1) I have a lot of releases on small/artist's-own labels. These aren't present on the database my current machine uses (MusicBrainz) consequently the disc rips as Unknown_Artist_-_Unknown_Album. If I then rip another "unknown" album, the tracks simply merge with the first. If I try to manually add the tags and data (which I have to do through my PC) the disc will still not play as it is still "unknown" to the database. Similarly, artwork and other data cannot be applied either. Question: If I rip an album which isn't contained in the X12 database, can I manually add the missing data easily and can I drag & drop artwork from, say, Google images or, as a last resort, from my own scanner?
2) If the X12 gathers the wrong info and artwork - this seems to be a major problem with classical CDs - is this easily amended manually?
3) I have backup copies of around 600 albums in FLAC format currently on a USB external drive. So that I don't have to re-start ripping my collection from scratch, can these files be imported onto the X12.
4) Conversely, I assume it is simple to back up my X12 files to an external drive?
5) One of the issues I have had with my existing NAS is the protocol under which different albums by the same artist are stored. For example, in a 16 disc boxset of Mahler symphonies, some have stored under "Gustav", some under "Mahler", some under "Klaus", and some under "Tennendt". (Klaus Tennendt is the conductor FWIW). Obviously, for ease of access/search I want them all stored together in order, not in four separate places. Currently, if I amend the name under which the album is stored, the Bliss file then goes into error and the album will not play. Is this a problem with the X12?
6) What happens with double albums? On my existing NAS, these often merge, consequently there are 2 track 1s, track 2s etc, and playback then is out of order as the tracks "ping-pong" between discs. This is particularly annoying on live albums or classical albums spread over two or more discs as the movements/sections play out of sequence.
7) Where there is a piece of music made up of several segued tracks (i.e. there is no gap between them) will the X12 retain the segue or will it insert (as my current NAS does, much to my annoyance) a gap that doesn't exist aurally?
8) How does the X12 treat DRM copy-protected discs? Currently, after ripping these discs (mainly Warners amd Sony/Columbia releases from the late-90s early 2000s but there are still some current releases even though DRM - I believe - has been dumped) I just get white noise. As an aside, this can be rather odd as in a two disc set I have found that only one disc is encrypted in this way.
9) I have read that it is easier to edit with a USB keyboard. Will any PC USB keyboard do? Can I use a wireless keyboard with dongle?
10) Realistically, how many CDs in FLAC format will the X12 store?
Sorry, I know there's a lot there but I would appreciate any help. My existing server has been a bit of a disaster so I don't want to repeat the same expensive mistakes again.
Thanks.
Dave.
.