Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Help me build a music server!

I’m not at home with access to any of my saved links but if you do a google search for “build your own NAS” or something to that effect you can find step by step directions for turning any even a fairly old computer into a stand alone NAS using FreeNAS.

If you plan on using it to serve HD video files you may need to worry about the CPU speed. What software you use to play your media really depends on what you want out of it. I find that MediaMonkey offers such a huge amount of features it was a no-brainer for me to pick.

I prefer to use Exact Audio Copy (EAC) for my FLAC rips because I think it does the best job of ensuring you get an exact digital copy and if not it tells you so. Other ripping tools can be faster but none I’ve found are as accurate. This is mainly important if you plan on your rips also being your backups.

As for the stand alone media server vs computer choice it mostly boils down to easy of use vs customizability respectively plus cost since you’re likely going to need a computer and requisite software (often free) and knowledge of use to create rips anyway.

Thanks Tom!

I do hate iTunes (the store and software) but I'm glad that it pumps money into Apple. I am partial to the OSX operating system. Windows has always been a pain to me.

I'm hearing that Win7 is a lot more stable and workable, so...

Just took a look at the Sonos. Nice. I do like the idea of using an iPad for the HUI. Star Trek-y!

And yes, I will go hungry to put $ into music!

Now gonna go check out Media Monkey.

I really appreciate all the input Axiomites. I probably should have checked older post for these ideas, but I think the technology has been changing so fast that I'm pretty certain this newer thread could help others who are contemplating setting up a server based music system in 2011.

We are living in the future now!

DACs are technically only 'o', and if you're planning to use USB or FireWire interfaces then you are building a jukebox, not a music server. Then, there's no networking involved, and you don't need any server software either.

The benefit of having a server, is that you can have a completely silent client doing the music playback. While my current computer is much better than the previous "hairdrier", it's not something I want in the room with me when I'm doing critical listening.

I was going to say that a PC is the easier way to go for finding the serving software. But if you're really wanting a jukebox type of configuration where the machine that holds the music also plays the music, then a Mac is perfectly suited. Doubly so, if it is a machine as quite as the Mini.

You just need an iTunes equivalent to pick your playlist, and away you go.

Good point!

My specific knowledge is a couple years old, however I think the general principle remain the same.

You may plan to build a music only server, however I’ve found I’m putting more and more video on my server because I’ve been collecting a huge number of music videos from YouTube. Lots of high def stuff is being uploaded these days.

I like Media Monkey, too. Perhaps you can find some kind of library/streaming software for OSX that ISN'T iTunes. Dunno. Not my thing.

Last time I looked at FreeNAS, it would not run SqueezeServer (or wahtever the server side of Squeezebox is called now).

It would be hard for me to have to choose between going to Windoze where none currently exists, and learning to tolerate iTunes. Good luck with that.

What do you dislike about iTunes?

If you liked iTunes, and you want it Mac based, then your decision is easy, get a MacMini and call it a day. With it's HDMI port, the new one is basically designed to be a media server.

Me, I've been keeping the music on my laptop and using AirTunes/whatever they're calling it now to play it to my Airport Express. Done.

Quasi-ditto. I use a Gen1 AppleTV synced to my media collection (movies, music, photos) that's housed in iTunes on my MacBook Pro. Done. I've thought about getting an Airport Express to do exactly what you're doing for another room of my home.

Other than the once-or-twice a year occurrence when the AppleTV spontaneously thinks it needs to resync all of my media (75GB+ across my home network, a multi-hour process), it works flawlessly.

Just to add, if you go the Sonos route (remember that's for music only - no video options) you don't need a media server, you just need a shared data (music) folder somewhere on your network. Sonos scans and looks at that share and serves the music to itself. Adding a media server to the equation just expands getting the media to whatever other devices/clients you are using. In fact I am listening to Chad Smith on my Sonos as I type this being controlled from my MacBook.

I had considered buying an Olive at one time. They were terribly expensive, but looked way cool. I think they have different models out now. And for a fee, they'll rip your collection. Worth a look at any rate.

DB Poweramp uses EAC but has some neat options like gathering album art and simultaneous dual format ripping. I like that option as I use MP3's for my Ipod. They just dump into different folders. You do have to pay for it though.