[fiveoclockfriday]

Hello, my current setup is a Synology NAS (running Media Server + Bubble UPnP server which makes it openhome compatible), which is connected to a Cambridge Audio CXN, which goes out via xlr to a pair of DAC Maraschino monobolocks, to Kef LS50. The sound quality is truly great and I love how few components there are.

But, I am quite disappointed with all the control apps I've tried. I have both iOS and Android devices. I don't have a full list, but I've tried things like:

• Cambridge Connect
• Linn Kazoo
• Bubble UPnP

etc.

What I can't help but feel is that none of them are offering some of the things I got with past setups (which involved a Raspberry Pi running Volumio or Moode (so Mpd software), or way back to a Squeezebox). Specifically, most of the apps I tried do not support:

• searching - this is a big one, how do you not have search? am I just dense and missing it?
• fast forwarding/rewinding within a track?
• this is a tough one I know, but the ability to show a list of 'recently added' albums?

Is there something I'm missing to make UPnP apps better or is it just a limitation of the format? Perhaps a different setup on the NAS? Is Audio Station better than Media server? I've heard good things about Lumin and Auralic apps, but neither one seemed to work for me - they needed actual products from those companies.

Thanks in advance,
Eric B.

[spons]

Sign up for a free Roon trial if your NAS supports it. Check here to see http://kb.roonlabs.com/Roon_Server_on_NAS.

The CXN will show up as a Roon endpoint since it is Airplay compatible. If you decide you like the Roon interface but are worried about the sound quality of the Airplay interface, you can get a small computer like this hP Mini https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-300-240-Desktop-Celeron/dp/B016K0AAFI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1472044515&sr=8-5&keywords=HP+Pavilion+Mini running Roon endpoint software connected to the CXN's USB input as an endpoint.

I have Marantz and Yamaha media receivers that are UPnP and Airplay compatible and have been using Roon for about six months after having tried all the UPnP apps you mentioned along with many others. I love it. I use the Roon iOS remote on my phone as the remote control.

I currently use Roon to stream via Airplay on the receivers and it sounds very good. But my plan is to purchase a CXN and use Airplay for casual listening, and use the hp Pavilion Mini/USB input for serious listening. Actually, I am looking forward to comparing the Airplay and USB inputs to see how Airplay stacks up.

Fire away with questions or it you want to see screenshots of the Roon software.

[JohnR]

I think search might be on the server. Give MinimServer a try (you can do a test run on your computer before going to the effort of installing it on your Synology).

The Lumin app doesn't require Lumin hardware. I use it all the time. The iOS version is better than the Android version (I forget why exactly).

[fiveoclockfriday]

Thanks for your help guys, giving me some things to think about.

JohnR - I'll give minimserver a try. I knew of it, but I haven't actually tried it yet. I'll also give Lumin a try again; maybe I was trying that before the openhome setup was working? Who knows.

Spons - thanks for your advice as well. I still have the RPi, which I think I could use as a Roon endpoint. Right now my NAS doesn't even come close to supporting Roon, so I'd have to replace and migrate that. Maybe that's a good plan long term, not sure. The interface does look really nice!

[TJHUB]

I run MinimServer on my Synology NAS, Bubble DS Next (virtually the same as BubbleUPnP), with a PC running JPLAYSTREAMER.  I can do everything you're wanting except the recently added thing.  That would be a nice feature.  I have been very satisfied with my setup, even though it's not everything I'd want. 

[smk]

Just about whenever dealing with extra boxes for over-the-air, etc., your are going to have to tweak. It may/may not be worth the extra expense/time.

[JohnR]

the recently added thing.

The Lumin App has that. Well, I think it looks at file dates, so it may somewhat depend on exactly how you add.

[TJHUB]

The Lumin App has that. Well, I think it looks at file dates, so it may somewhat depend on exactly how you add.

I've never tried the Lumin app as it doesn't see JPLAYSTREAMER as a "Lumin" or audio renderer.  It does see MinimServer, but there's still no use for me. 

[spons]

Right now my NAS doesn't even come close to supporting Roon, so I'd have to replace and migrate that. Maybe that's a good plan long term, not sure. The interface does look really nice!

Do you have another PC that has the capability to run Roon (minimum i3 processor and SSD), even temporarily? I think that once you try out Roon and use it for a few weeks you will gladly invest the $500 or so for a dedicated PC to run it. But the best way to find out would be to try it, as it is hard for me to overstate how much I like it compared to the other setups I have tried.

[JohnR]

I've never tried the Lumin app as it doesn't see JPLAYSTREAMER as a "Lumin" or audio renderer.

Oh, how about that. It doesn't. It's worked with everything I tried it with up until now. Perhaps that is related to why fiveoclockfriday is not able to use Lumin App with the Cambridge streamer.

It does seem to take a while to find the optimum combination of pieces with DLNA... 

[Odal3]

Im not familiar with the CXN so perhaps the following will not work.  If the CXN has USB input as well you can perhaps load mpd on the server and connect it via USB or alternatively use the raspberry pi as the mpd streamer with USB out or digital out via one of the addon boards. But that perhaps defeat the purpose of the CXN.

[fiveoclockfriday]

Just a quick update here. I tried minimserver on the nas, and the Lumin app again. The Lumin app is working great on iPad, so thanks to JohnR for that. It has almost everything I want. It doesn't technically do "show me my most recently added albums" (at least in my setup, that I could find), but it has easy filters for year, so if you're buying new music you can find it quickly that way.

Odal3, yep, the CXN has USB (and other digital inputs) so you could do exactly what you said. It would add another box into the equation, but it's always an option.

Spons, yeah I have some newish computers that would work, but they're all laptops which are obviously not a good long term music server setup. They would work fine to try Roon though. I think I'll plan on trying that out this fall.

[Pete Schumacher]

I run Foobar2000 on a stripped down Windows 10 mini PC that has foo_remote installed which allows full control using Apple "Remote" control, including search features.  Not quite as slick looking as Roon, but just as functional. 

Let me know if you'd like to try it out and I could send you the foo_remote file.

[Rusty Jefferson]

I think search might be on the server. Give MinimServer a try (you can do a test run on your computer before going to the effort of installing it on your Synology).

Late to the party. I think search may be on Bubble Upnp. I "updated" mine a few months ago and lost the search funtion.     It took a month for them to release another version with search restored. Perhaps you have the version without it.  I'm running Mimimserver on my nas.

[Mike-48]

Hello, my current setup is a Synology NAS (running Media Server + Bubble UPnP server which makes it openhome compatible), which is connected to a Cambridge Audio CXN, which goes out via xlr to a pair of DAC Maraschino monobolocks, to Kef LS50. The sound quality is truly great and I love how few components there are.

But, I am quite disappointed with all the control apps I've tried. I have both iOS and Android devices. I don't have a full list, but I've tried things like:

• Cambridge Connect
• Linn Kazoo
• Bubble UPnP

etc.

What I can't help but feel is that none of them are offering some of the things I got with past setups (which involved a Raspberry Pi running Volumio or Moode (so Mpd software), or way back to a Squeezebox). Specifically, most of the apps I tried do not support:

• searching - this is a big one, how do you not have search? am I just dense and missing it?
• fast forwarding/rewinding within a track?
• this is a tough one I know, but the ability to show a list of 'recently added' albums?

I am using MinimServer on a Synology DS414 and BubbleUpnp on a tablet. Renderer is Auralic Aries.

BubbleUpnp does support your #1 and #2. Searching depends on the server to a great degree -- I don't know or use the Synology one, but I do use MinimServer on my Synology. No problem with searching. I also use JRiver running on a PC, and its DLNA server also supports searching.

Make sure you have the server-side search setting turned on in BubbleUpnp.

Seeking within a track depends on the renderer hardware. If yours supports it, it will work with BubbleUPnP. It does work with the Aries, but I've owned renderers that did not support it. Oddly enough, the Simaudio MiND supported it with FLAC files, but not when transcoded to WAV.

A list of recent albums also depends to a great degree on the server.  I have added a tag, "Import Week" to my music library, in the format "201635" say for a recording added in the 35th week of 2016. After the initial pain of adding it, it's not too difficult to add to each new album. Then I have BubbleUpn sort by that, so recent albums can be found. This is not an ideal solution, but it works. The JRiver server (which has other shortcomings for me) will display a list of recent albums.

As others have said, if your endpoint is Roon ready, you may want to investigate that. It is pretty darned good.

HTH

[Bubbamike]

Asset UPnP from Illustrate has searching and dynamic browsing in the paid version. Same developer as dbPoweramp.
https://dbpoweramp.com/asset-upnp-dlna.htm

[samspade]

Hey Eric - did you ever get a good solution to the Cambridge CXN controlapp question?

I have the same.  Great piece of kit, but the control apps are rubbish compared to my old "orangesquueze" from the Logitech Media server world.

CHeers,

Adam

[Phil A]

I recently (literally just over a week ago) got a new integrated/DAC (Hegel H190) in a secondary system (decided to simplify it and will get rid of an amp, preamp and DAC soon).  They recommended Bubble UPNP.  I initially got it working but then upgraded to the paid version ($4.69) and for whatever reason couldn't get the App to do anything except play the music over the Android Tablet (I may revisit it).  Synology's DS Audio App works really well (and easily) on the iPad mini (with my Synology NAS), however the DAC in the integrated via a network connection (only does 96kHz over USB) can do 192kHz.  One apparently cannot transcode via the DS Audio App and I use a Lumin U1 in the main system and don't want to change settings (for stuff like DSD) on the NAS. I did listening of just a few tracks with CD quality or higher PCM and found I preferred (at least from the limited sample) the network connection vs. the USB via an old Teac UD-501 DAC playing the same files.  I'm probably going to get a 9.7 inch iPad for the main system and then give the Lumin App a try from the iPad mini.  I don't spend tons of time on the secondary system so I don't want to go too nuts (more so than usual ).

[glynnw]

J River does all asked for in first post and a lot more.

[lokie]

Hello, my current setup is a Synology NAS (running Media Server + Bubble UPnP server which makes it openhome compatible), which is connected to a Cambridge Audio CXN, which goes out via xlr to a pair of DAC Maraschino monobolocks, to Kef LS50. The sound quality is truly great and I love how few components there are.

But, I am quite disappointed with all the control apps I've tried. I have both iOS and Android devices. I don't have a full list, but I've tried things like:

• Cambridge Connect
• Linn Kazoo
• Bubble UPnP

etc.

What I can't help but feel is that none of them are offering some of the things I got with past setups (which involved a Raspberry Pi running Volumio or Moode (so Mpd software), or way back to a Squeezebox). Specifically, most of the apps I tried do not support:

• searching - this is a big one, how do you not have search? am I just dense and missing it?
• fast forwarding/rewinding within a track?
• this is a tough one I know, but the ability to show a list of 'recently added' albums?

Is there something I'm missing to make UPnP apps better or is it just a limitation of the format? Perhaps a different setup on the NAS? Is Audio Station better than Media server? I've heard good things about Lumin and Auralic apps, but neither one seemed to work for me - they needed actual products from those companies.

Thanks in advance,
Eric B.

Your not missing a thing. UPnP sucks if you want to have fun and listening to music. If you want to constantly wrestle with software and network problems, well... then, I suppose its great. ROON was my solution.