No one has been snarky, we are just surprised you missed the extensive thread on exactly the topic.
I saw Paulâs comments in April which Pmotz pointed out but I wanted to make a decision soon on a new server and was hoping for something more definitive than âsometime this yearâ. But If thatâs the latest⌠Thanks.
Paul McGowan saidProgress on the new Music Server has been steady and so far is on track for hitting the streets this year, but not definitive date has been set.
Not being a pest but ⌠is this status still correct? Is this for the beta version or the full on production unit? Personally Iâm not interested, but others are âŚ
Hi guys. Progress moves along at a medium pace. Hardwareâs done and being put through paces. As always, softwareâs the biggest time sink of them all. We will be looking for a few volunteers to help test navigation on the new software via a webpage perhaps as early as this month. Stay tuned to Paulâs post for details when we need help.
Thought things had gone a bit quiet.
Someone (above) has started a new thread on the progress.
The more the merrier!!!
Slightly disappointed that the release seems to have slipped but I am sure that everyone would sooner wait a bit longer and make sure everything is right!
Keep up the good work.
I (like a lot of others) am patiently waiting.
Could you give us a few more hints?
Just to whet our appetites!
Thanks.
Bruce
Paul, if you need someone that has only gotten into PC audio and streaming in the last year or so, Iâm your guy. Although maybe not, as I wonât be able to buy the finished product. But always willing to help, PSA has been very good to me.
Thanks, Jeff. The people we choose donât need qualifications like ability or desire to purchase, just a good sense of how a music library should be navigated. And itâll be varied. In some cases, we want people completely clueless to look for us - because navigation should be so intuitive and obvious no instructions needed. In other cases, we want deep experts to verify it handles according to their expectations. Iâll set out some parameters when the time gets near.
Howdy @adminpaul
Had you considered dual (bridge) ethernet ports, so one ethernet port could connect directly to the DSâs Bridge II input, allowing the music server to be in a different room?
And Iâd be happy to help with any UI beta testing. Iâve used nearly every one of the popular music management programs, before settling onto Roon with my DS and Bridge II. That definitely doesnât make me an expert but Iâd be more than happy to help with any feedback, if it would help the end product in any way.
Cheers!
Has PS Audio looked at the Roon optimized core kit? Wondering if the server would have the ability to run this if desired.
We have and rejected it. Roon is far too expensive for manufacturers to incorporate and it makes no sense to build a product without a dedicated user interface. Besides, if something were to ever happen to Roon as a company, then our customers would be left with useless bricks for servers.
I do understand they are making a low-cost Intel NUC available to run the program if you want.
I am very familiar with the Roon interface as well as JRiver, ITunes and Tidal (both through Roon and Native). I think you are correct in observing that this is a very sticky issue. There is probably no hope of getting it right for every user because every user approaches their music differently. There is no correct answer to how to navigate a music library, let alone the entire multi-source universe of music.
None of the above do classical very well (IMHO). Classical is very difficult and has its own unique issues. In fact none of the above are very good at tailoring the interface at all to your particular music interests unless current pop is your thing. I guess that makes sense because mass market pop sales probably pays the bills. Roon is the best at letting you explore music in different genres and also integrates internet radio and Tidal streaming the best. This is critical in my opinion.
I would question your interest in building your own interface if only because this would seem to be such a massive undertaking and distraction from what you do best which is great hardware. Frankly, you canât help but fail at it in someoneâs view. Why not let customers just pick their favorite 3rd party flavor and pay for it as an integration? As you point out, these companies and their products are quite ephemeral. A few years ago JRiver was all the rage, now its Roon, tomorrow someone else.
You are absolutely correct that the software is notoriously difficult, but PS Audio is committed to doing it right. It plans to release a server with truly functional software. I do not envy them the task.
I have combined the two threads on this topic as some information was being posted in each thread separately, combined with a certain amount of duplication. One thread appears to be a better way to go.
You would not have to incorporate Roon though. What I am talking about is Roonâs custom linux os that they developed for customers who want to roll their own core server. Itâs a free download for Roon users. Roon guys explain here. What I thought might interest you, Paul, was their comment âTo allow partner manufacturers to build custom turn-key Roon Server based offerings, Roon OS has a few hooks for manufacturers to customize Roon OS to their specific device.â This would give customers who buy the new server the choice to use it as a Roon server if they wanted to. If the new server will be running linux anyway and it would meet the system requirements for Roonâs OS this could be quite a desirable option for folks given how popular Roon is among audiophiles. The customer pays for Roon, PSA just makes sure their new hardware can run Roonâs OS. If Roon goes away at some point. The user could install PS Audioâs OS. Giving customers the choice would be compelling when they are looking at purchasing the new server.
I get it, but the problem is we canât just build a hardware box without a user interface and we canât depend on users to have to install Roon. And even if they did, how would we guarantee the quality of our product and user experience? I see no way forward on that path.
A well-built hardware box that depends on third-party software to use it isnât something interesting to us. Besides, I have never been a fan of the Roon server sound. While I love their interface, their serverâs sound can be bested by the $10 Bit Perfect software package controlled by iTunes.
There are just too many variables out of our control to make this something interesting to us and our customers.
Lastly, our plans arenât just for a big server with built-in hard drive. Our long term goals are to bring the price down on different hardware packages (including Stellar and perhaps Bridge III) with identical software - something impossible with third party software even if the customer supplies it themselves.
That makes sense, I wasnât aware you were working on using the same software across multiple devices. You have always been a very brave man. Blessings to your efforts. So far as Roon is concerned I assume the Bridge would then be the way to enjoy that. Interesting stuff!
Paul, youâve set yourselves worthy goals, both for the upcoming server and for bringing the price down on other products. I wish you every success (and would be glad to help test), particularly with metadata for classical music â thatâs really tough.
Indeed.
For physical CDs, I shelf them by date of composition of the piece on the CD. This works well but for CDs of, e.g., a string quintet playing both Beethoven and Shostakovitch.
Ideally so much metadata would be captured that one could search on just about every imaginable parameter.
How far out is the Stellar Server?
Will it have the same galvanic isolated outputs? Will it have HD as well or just streaming?
You may find it helpful to review the thread. There has been a good deal of discussion of what the server may or may not contain.