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Build Your Own Music Server |
An Elegantly Self-Sufficient System to Be Proud Of
I possess a great wealth of fine music of various types — classical,
new age, vocals, jazz, movie soundtracks, and more. Over the decades,
my collection has been derived from various sources including store-bought
CDs, vinyl discs, radio tapings, online streaming, and home-recordings of my
efforts on the piano.
My collection of nearly 900 CDs was stored on three big jukebox units connected to a stereo system. This relatively convenient setup satisfied me for a while, until the sound quality began to deteriorate as the units aged. Something needed to be done, and the seeming solution was to modernize my system by digitizing the music and getting rid of all disc players, which technology is being deprecated in any case.
Research into existing music-server technology proved revealing, disappointing,
and a bit scary. Feeling that I was not the only person wanting a simple
solution to the storing and playing of music, I was surprised to learn that such
devices virtually do not exist — at least, not within my price
range. I would happily have spent a thousand dollars on the right unit,
but that was not to be.
Many so-called music servers on the market feature the latest connectivity
features of networking, streaming, and internet radio; yet most treat the actual
storage and management of music as a low priority, and some of the user interfaces
are comically poor. I didn't care about any exotic capabilities.
All I wanted was a self-contained unit that simply plays
good-sounding music, accommodates my entire collection, is reliable,
and is easy to use.
There are high-end models that purportedly do work nicely, but the sky is the limit on their prices. The cheapest researched unit that would begin to do a credible job retails for $2,000, and one easily could spend ten times that much. Recently, a few vendors have begun offering less expensive units; but of those I investigated online, all are flawed in one or more ways. Here is a partial listing of documented problems and drawbacks:
I actually tried the vaunted Logitech Squeezebox Touch; but it refused to accommodate my collection of more than 15,000 tracks, so I dropped it off at the thrift store
It seemed as if the most affordable option would be to build a server from a
computer. Numerous blogs on that topic (many of which are just
self-complimenting drivel) detail the pros and cons of various hardware and
software options, and what file types to use. There is a lot of scary commentary
about what might work and what might not, and what might sound good and what might
not. Enough technical jargon is bandied about to put off many would-be
hobbyists, but now I am going to tell you not to worry about any of it.
Opting for the easiest setup I could think of, I constructed my own music server, and it works beautifully!
– PARTS –
My new system required an outlay of only about $550 plus some items that you might already have:
This is what the new system looks like all set up, including a cassette tape unit on the top shelf:
The storage disk is behind the screen
– THE COMPUTER –
This being a stand-alone server, its sole function is to store and play music files. Networking, the internal speaker, and all unneeded drivers are disabled. The sound signals are acquired from the USB grid.
The only connection to the outside world is by way of a USB stick, used for
adding new albums. The only program that must be run is the one that actually
plays the music, and it can be launched automatically. Boot time on my new
server is under twenty seconds — a small price to pay.
Processor speed is relatively unimportant, for it doesn't take much power
at all to play a music file. Similarly, most any version of operating
system probably would suffice; in fact, the older it is, the faster it would
be likely to boot. My current server has Windows 7; before that, an old
laptop with Windows XP worked just fine. I upgraded to a tablet-style
computer solely to do away with the keyboard that is unneeded after the initial
setup. My model also happens to have a touchscreen, but a mouse is all that
one needs for negotiating the music file folders in normal Windows style.
– THE DIGITAL TO ANALOG CONVERTER –
The function of a DAC is to convert the computer's digital signal
to an analog format compatible with a stereo amplifier, while improving the quality
of the sound in the process. Because most sound-cards are inadequate in
that regard — at least on little computers, a good DAC is needed.
Every DAC model has different electronic circuitry that produces a unique
listening experience. The only way to know for sure which one might like best
would be to test them all, which is not likely to happen. Having selected
the Peachtree DAC-iT after extensive review of user ratings and
comments, I am quite pleased with the resultant sound quality, which now is far
better than it ever was with the old jukeboxes. Any concerns about the
technical efficiency of USB-style DACs in general seem unfounded; in fact,
some feel that using USB avoids certain sound-corruption issues.
– FILE STORAGE –
The hard disks on older laptops rarely exceed 160gb in size, which
is far too little for a lot of music unless all of it is MP3 files; that is why
the external hard drive is needed. My 900 CDs, ripped as WAV files,
consume nearly 500gb of disk space; and I have added another 200gb since
then. Plenty of room for expansion remains; but should ever a bigger disk
be required, then so be it.
– OUTPUT –
Two analog cables connect the DAC to an auxiliary input of a stereo
receiver. A $50 amplifier might have sufficed, but I'll use the one
I already have. Also, ordinary RCA cables are perfectly adequate; besides,
the hideously expensive ones are well-known to be a ripoff.
– SOFTWARE –
Naturally, any geek with a wire running from his navel to a PC
doubtless will want a program that does everything, supports remote access, and
features playlists, multiple skins, and a variety of screen options. Among the
current freeware favorites are foobar2000 and Media Monkey.
Those apps, however, are unnecessarily complicated and redundant for a stand-alone
system.
All that actually is needed on the screen is a way to select folders and tracks,
and it would be nice to display a picture of the album as well. To that end,
I liked the popular Music Bee program; but I finally settled upon
Boom Audio, an unpretentious freeware application that is uncluttered
and proved the easiest of all to use. On the left side of the screen is a
selectable listing of folders and tracks; on the right is a 500×500
graphic of album art.
Boom Audio plays every track in a folder in alphabetical sequence,
starting wherever the user chooses, then either stops as a CD player would or
optionally repeats the tracks. It also handles every type of file that I
have thrown at it — WAV, FLAC, MP3, M4A, WMA, OGG. Those file
types can be mixed or matched at will within a folder. A graphic image named
cover.jpg, placed in a track folder, displays album art automatically.
Of course, this software has limitations. There are no provisions for creating playlists or placing music in a queue. I can handle that, because I have been doing so for my entire life. No remote options are supported, but I can live with that as well. I am not yet too old to get up and walk across the room to "change the record". Also, one must create any desired album art.
One feature that I do miss, and which is present in most other music apps, is a progress bar. Sometimes it can come in handy to be able to scroll around inside a track, but I have given up that toy in the interests of simplicity and efficiency. In any case, if desired, I can exit Boom Audio and temporarily use a different media player.
– THE BOTTOM LINE –
Actually, any computer could be used as the server, including a
Mac. You could try using the old PC in your attic; but then you would need a
monitor, a keyboard and/or mouse, and extra shelf space; and you would have to deal
with a possibly noisy fan as well. Alternatively, you could use a Mini-PC
or even a newfangled Computer-on-a-Stick, at additional cost; but a primitive
laptop or the equivalent is your cheapest and most compact option.
Remember — the sound quality comes from the DAC, not the playback device.
In retrospect, I am pleased that the Squeezebox didn't work
out. My nifty homemade setup has opened up new dimensions in library-editing
capability. Now I can add, delete, and arrange tracks and folders at
will — even while music is playing, and no special software or disk
formats are required. I cannot adequately stress how great those features are.
I cannot imagine another homemade setup that could provide better functionality or ease of use. The combined hardware requires just a few feet of shelf space, the sound quality is outstanding, and it can last you the rest of your days!
