The Linnofil Super NAS!

[Music Lover]

fyi, despite running my new PSU 24/7 during 3 weeks (playing music), the performance is still like a roller-coaster. It was very good yesterday! But not so this morning...
Burn in is something really frustrating!

[jiddu_k]

Hi all,

LS-NAS is up and running - all fans are still unconnected, hdd and power leds are connected, standard sata cables are used without checking direction. KDS/1 is running Davaar 4.75, which was the best in my system last time I checked.

I did a first comparison yesterday and I'd like to share my impressions.

At first I compared the two (now) internal SSD (24/192 recordings from k_numigl's LP12) - Intel SSD is once again a lot better than Samsung SSD (OS drive) and it is so in every aspect.

When comparing the ReadyNAS NV+ (on a Timetable) to the LS-NAS/Intel SSD (on/off Timetable - different/same lan cable and switch ports) the verdict is not that simple.
I will try and describe the differences before I comment on TuneDem. Tunes were:
Hank Jones Trio - LP Compassion - Song "Yours Is My Heart Alone"
Joe Henderson Trio - LP A state of tenor - Song "Soulville"

The LS has a fuller sound than the NV+, the leading voice is more prominent and the soundstage is bigger. It is really great fun to listen to - pause - but still I was missing something from the NV+. With the NV+ the interplay between the musicians is a bit more effortless and meaningful and the soundstage is more homogenous. The rhythm section has better groove and more "drive" to it and it's musical statements have more of their own right.

In TuneDem one can think that the leading voice is the most important and whatever device makes it easier to follow this sole voice is performing better. This could work quite well with pop or rock music, where the leading voice is indeed very prominent and a lot of people tend it listen to it primarily. In classical or jazz music, where it is essential to hear multiple voices simultaneously to get the point, the ability to convey the whole music in a balanced and homogenious way becomes more crucial.
So right now - for me - at my place - the ReadyNAS NV+ is still performing better in my understanding of TuneDem.

As the LS is so new I decided to let it play for a few days to burn it in (psu) and then make another comparison using CD rips as well and checking on sata cable direction.

I sincerely hope my comment is welcome and no one is taking offence - as I understand we are here to share and help each other in making our music systems even better, right?
As it is very difficult to communicate on such delicate differences via internet, I decided to give a "normal/hifi" description of the differences as well as my take on TuneDem. It is not supposed to start a new discussion on TuneDem!
Since the LS NAS is so new and the most musical performance can be spoiled by even one bad cable or wrong direction I sincerely hope the LS NAS will outperform my NV+ in the very near future giving me the best of both worlds.

[Music Lover]

Before reading your thread, I did not think/believe HDDs would make much of a difference, so I only recently discovered that they make a difference in recording as well. In any case, already the playback via the 320 in my system is great. And the improvement is not small.

Glad to hear this Klaus, thanks for the report!
Great that more and more understand the impact.
Nothing beats own testing experience.

Lessons learned, trust the knowledgeable guys on the forum (Linnofil, Lejonklou etc) that spend time, money AND evaluate using Tune dem ;-)
Linnofil informed me many moons ago but due to work it took me weeks until I ordered the stuff. Since then my system has taken a huge leap in performance.

[Music Lover]

Since the LS NAS is so new and the most musical performance can be spoiled by even one bad cable or wrong direction I sincerely hope the LS NAS will outperform my NV+ in the very near future giving me the best of both worlds.

It will trust me!
Give it some weeks burn in. Please check ALL cables.
It's not only the PSU that need time to settle down, due to my experience.

[jiddu_k]

fyi, despite running my new PSU 24/7 during 3 weeks (playing music), the performance is still like a roller-coaster. It was very good yesterday! But not so this morning...
Burn in is something really frustrating!

Hi ML,

that´s quite interesting - will watch out for roller-coaster performance fluctuation.
Maybe my LS NAS just had a bad start yesterday.

Since the LS NAS is so new and the most musical performance can be spoiled by even one bad cable or wrong direction I sincerely hope the LS NAS will outperform my NV+ in the very near future giving me the best of both worlds.

It will trust me!
Give it some weeks burn in. Please check ALL cables.
It's not only the PSU that need time to settle down, due to my experience.

I truely hope so. The Intel SSD has been such a step forward in the SilverStone NAS.
Thanks for pointing out ALL cables - it made me realise that I have used the provided mains cable so far. Will test with Linn stock cables and Lejonklou Power one.
Looking forward to testing Deltaco sata cables.
Are the SSDs to be suspended in any way? In the FD Node 304 the 2.5" drives are to be screwd directly on the metal mounting brackets while 3.5" drives are suspended by rubber.

[ThomasOK]

I've been doing a little looking around online here in the US and have found that the Asus E45M1-I Deluxe Mini-itx motherboard appears to have been discontinued. The link on newegg shows it out of stock and discontinued so I did a search for other sellers. Amazon also shows it as discontinued and it doesn't even come up on the list when you do a search. CDW states that it was discontinued October 9th 2012. I did a shopping search on google and only four vendors come up. Of those three will take an order but are out of stock so they are unlikely to be able to fulfill the order. The fourth claims to have them in stock, and at a really good price, but when I click "Add to Cart" it just takes me to another window that says my cart is empty. I tried with two different browsers and had the same result. Since they appear to be a company selling a lot of discontinued clothing they may not be the best bet to buy it.

So it seems like we really need a different motherboard long term. Since the Pro version seems readily available I wonder if anyone has actually done a comparison of it and the Deluxe version? I understand Linnofil is using the Pro so obviously it must be good sounding. Is there any more experience with the Pro motherboard and any additional recommendations for cases?

A couple of additional questions. If I manage to pick up a Deluxe, will the case for the Pro Linnofil uses work with it as well? I'd like the flexibility to use a mini or a standard board in case this needs to change. ALso will the recommended PSU work with the Pro board and the Sugo case?

[Linnofil]

Before reading your thread, I did not think/believe HDDs would make much of a difference, so I only recently discovered that they make a difference in recording as well. In any case, already the playback via the 320 in my system is great. And the improvement is not small. I installed the 7 mm SSD version, and was exited enough about the performance to order two more 300 GB disks

The chock that one experiences when hearing the Intel drive for the first time is pretty special! :-) That's why I have recommended staying away from HDD's entierly (for music storage) and buy more 320 drives than first planned, because that's the way the system will end up anyway...

My next step is to build the full PC/Nas, most parts are ordered by now (including the A-Data Ram).

Great news Klaus, It will be fun to follow your progress.

My systems differs as it has another case: LianLi Q08. (I want to have a CD/DVD drive.) It is also not used as a NAS, but as a stand alone network free PC exclusively for music. (I do not own a DS.) The experience with the SSD corroborates my expectation, that while the final Ethernet/Firewire communication may play a role, the main parts of the PC determine the musicality in a similar fashion, so I think/hope that my results fit into this thread as well.

This is a totally different usage of the LS NAS, but I personally think that it will be interesting to see if playback/server functionality is correlated to the recording performance. So if it's OK with the moderators, your comments are very welcome in this thread.

I don't know if it is really necessary to express also in words, that the reporting and patience especially of Linnofil is appreciated very highly

Thanks Klaus, it's very appreciated!

[Linnofil]

LS-NAS is up and running - all fans are still unconnected, hdd and power leds are connected, standard sata cables are used without checking direction. KDS/1 is running Davaar 4.75, which was the best in my system last time I checked.

SATA cables, power leads, fan etc. all make a difference. So don't be to quick to judge. I don't know what Davaar is considered the best right now. I'm still on 4.5.3, as I want to stay the same during NAS development. Others may comment if this is the best for KDS/1. Is the KDS/1 unmodified, has the network been optimized? I guess so, since you have the NV+ on a separete hifi furniture.

At first I compared the two (now) internal SSD (24/192 recordings from k_numigl's LP12) - Intel SSD is once again a lot better than Samsung SSD (OS drive) and it is so in every aspect.

That's good so far, as expected. I actually have a Samsung 840 (not Pro) 500 GB on the way home that I will try and test soon. (It's a loaner from a friend on the Melodik forum.) I have mostly used FLAC files for my comparisons. A danger with LP12 recorded files may be that you try and listen for the "LP12" sound, instead of the music. Try and use some FLAC files that you usually don't listen to. They may be better now, when played from the LS NAS/320.

When comparing the ReadyNAS NV+ (on a Timetable) to the LS-NAS/Intel SSD (on/off Timetable - different/same lan cable and switch ports) the verdict is not that simple.
...
The LS has a fuller sound than the NV+, the leading voice is more prominent and the soundstage is bigger. It is really great fun to listen to - pause - but still I was missing something from the NV+. With the NV+ the interplay between the musicians is a bit more effortless and meaningful and the soundstage is more homogenous. The rhythm section has better groove and more "drive" to it and it's musical statements have more of their own right.

I have to say that I find this very surprising. I have now idea what's wrong with your NAS, it may only be burn in. But I think it is more than that. When I first tried my NAS I was amazed, it was so good. I had at that time the stock fan connected as a CPU fan and a very well run in (and good) PSU from an old Dell, but all other thing where very far from optimized. Still it was very good with a HDD. I soon got to work on it and got a lot more from it. It should be better than this and I'm sure we can fix it.

In TuneDem one can think that the leading voice is the most important and whatever device makes it easier to follow this sole voice is performing better. This could work quite well with pop or rock music, where the leading voice is indeed very prominent and a lot of people tend it listen to it primarily. In classical or jazz music, where it is essential to hear multiple voices simultaneously to get the point, the ability to convey the whole music in a balanced and homogenious way becomes more crucial.
So right now - for me - at my place - the ReadyNAS NV+ is still performing better in my understanding of TuneDem.

I don't think any part in the music is more important in tunedem. I think it's more a way to judge how well the musicians brain is communicating with your brain. How well that communication channel is working is what tunedem is very good at judging. Try and not listen to any individual thing. "the ability to convey the whole music " as you say, is better judged by listening to the whole, not individual things. That's my take on it.

As the LS is so new I decided to let it play for a few days to burn it in (psu) and then make another comparison using CD rips as well and checking on sata cable direction.

That's a good idea. But you may already today connect a fan to the CPU fan pin header.A Linn cable to the PSU is also very good, this can make a big difference, since PC cables are not at all optimized for music.

I sincerely hope my comment is welcome and no one is taking offence - as I understand we are here to share and help each other in making our music systems even better, right?

Yes, they are welcome. We know there is something wrong and we/I will try and help you fix it.

Since the LS NAS is so new and the most musical performance can be spoiled by even one bad cable or wrong direction I sincerely hope the LS NAS will outperform my NV+ in the very near future giving me the best of both worlds.

I find it unbelievable that anyone will prefer a NV+ to a Linnofil Super NAS! So there got to be something wrong, but also remember that it's not finished yet. I'm confident we can fix it, with the combined knowledge of the forum. All Swedish builders have been overwhelmed by the performance of the LS NAS and so shall you be (in the end).

[Linnofil]

Lessons learned, trust the knowledgeable guys on the forum (Linnofil, Lejonklou etc) that spend time, money AND evaluate using Tune dem ;-)
Linnofil informed me many moons ago but due to work it took me weeks until I ordered the stuff. Since then my system has taken a huge leap in performance.

Thanks for support and confirmation. As you and others are so happy with the LS NAS, I'm pretty surprised with jiddu_k's findings.

[Linnofil]

Give it some weeks burn in. Please check ALL cables.
It's not only the PSU that need time to settle down, due to my experience.

As I have mentioned earlier in this thread I have noticed that the SATA cables have some burn in time. That's why I recommend using them for a week before trying to figure out the direction, if you feel unsure.

I also think that the reason I was noting this more than other things may be because I was testing SATA cables after optimizing a lot of other things in the NAS. Due to the high level of performance, this was easier to hear and notice than other things.

[Linnofil]

Maybe my LS NAS just had a bad start yesterday.

Initial burnin is the worse of all. Give it a few days running 24/7. While that's going on you can fix the other things mentioned here.

Since the LS NAS is so new and the most musical performance can be spoiled by even one bad cable or wrong direction I sincerely hope the LS NAS will outperform my NV+ in the very near future giving me the best of both worlds.

It will trust me!
Give it some weeks burn in. Please check ALL cables.
It's not only the PSU that need time to settle down, due to my experience.

I truely hope so. The Intel SSD has been such a step forward in the SilverStone NAS.

This will be fixed. Have faith in the forum! :-) I actually think that the step gained from the 320 drive is much less than the LS NAS as a complete unit, even without SSD's.

Running the LS NAS with a Seagate ES.2 will be a lot better than having a 320 SSD in a normal (such as the NV+) NAS. One Swedish builder actually used a Intel 330 drive on his first try and the LS NAS was definetly better than his NV+ with a Intel X-25 G2 (or was it ES.2's?) Since the Intel 330 is absolutely crap for music, much worse than a HDD, that says a lot about the quality of the LS NAS.

Thanks for pointing out ALL cables - it made me realise that I have used the provided mains cable so far. Will test with Linn stock cables and Lejonklou Power one.

OK, good. Do try these cables and report what you think. A Linn cable have been preferred by the Swedish NAS builders.

Looking forward to testing Deltaco sata cables.

I will ship them to Germany and the UK (David Neel) tomorrow!

Are the SSDs to be suspended in any way? In the FD Node 304 the 2.5" drives are to be screwd directly on the metal mounting brackets while 3.5" drives are suspended by rubber.

I have not tested this. But as somewhat relevant information I can mention that my best performing 600 GB 320 drive is the one that's not mounted properly. It hangs in a 5¼ drive bay with only two screws on one side. This may however be the reason why it's better... (I think it's the drive or the SATA port, this is still untested.)

[Linnofil]

I've been doing a little looking around online here in the US and have found that the Asus E45M1-I Deluxe Mini-itx motherboard appears to have been discontinued.
...
So it seems like we really need a different motherboard long term. Since the Pro version seems readily available I wonder if anyone has actually done a comparison of it and the Deluxe version?

Yes, I have tested them. But as I mentioned earlier the test was not done properly since they had different Windows versions on them. I did used the same drives (for music) and the same PSU. I preferred the Mini-ITX with Win. 7 Home Premium to my NAS with mATX and Win. 7 Pro. But as I think (only a guess) the main difference was due to the Windows version, I think the mATX Pro MB is perfectly fine to use.

I understand Linnofil is using the Pro so obviously it must be good sounding. Is there any more experience with the Pro motherboard and any additional recommendations for cases?

Yes, as you know I have the mATX Pro and I'm very happy with it. I still think the safe bet is to go with the Mini-ITX MB, but if that is unavailable, the mATX MB is not a "bad" choice. I chose the case based on price and the fact that the MB is laying flat on the bottom of the case. I was not comfortable with a MB that hangs vertically. This is usually a bad thing for music, in my experience. One of the main reasons was flexibility, more choices for MB's if the E45 Fusion wasn't any good and also price. I got the Sugo case for $78, the cheapest case that fulfilled my requirements and it was also in stock at my local supplier.

As I have mentioned earlier I would probably go for the Streacom FC9 if I was building a new one today. (That was not available when I started this NAS project.) It looks very solid. Like the "Klimax of PC's".

A couple of additional questions. If I manage to pick up a Deluxe, will the case for the Pro Linnofil uses work with it as well?

Yes, it will work perfectly. It's the other way around that's a bit more tricky... (A big mATX in a small Mini-ITX case requires A LOT of work and a high tolerance for ugly DIY solutions! ;-) )

I'd like the flexibility to use a mini or a standard board in case this needs to change.

Good thinking, it may pay of! But cases are not that expensive, so going Mini-ITX (If you can get a MB) is not that bad. It's the SSD's that will hit the wallet hard...

Also will the recommended PSU work with the Pro board and the Sugo case?

Yes, it fits perfectly. The good thing about this case is that you are not paying for a PSU that will not be used.

[k_numigl]

@tom
I had my original order of the Deluxe cancelled today, as it is presently not available via the seller I ordered it. He told me that there is a high demand for this mainboard and it appears drop after drop. No mention of being obsolete. It is not available at most retailers in Germany to date, and many sellers mark it as 'not available any more'. This expression is ill posed. Next production seems to be scheduled for mid February. Amazon Germany has obviously got a delivery message and offer it for purchase to be delivered after 1.Feb.. I placed an order there.

My LianLi Q08 case came in today. I'm much impressed by it. It is very variable and every part of the (alu) case is a bit bent in order not to rattle when mounted. All HDDs are mounted on rubber pieces, and the main fan is residing on rubber feet as well. A lot of custom designed screws come with it - a very thoughtful design throughout.

A first recording on the I320 SSD was done a few moments ago. It seems immediately fine, but I'm goin to listen carefully tomorrow.

BR, Klaus

[Nicolav]

Well, maybe it's time to give my contribution to this topic.
I, like others here, I started to assemble my own LS NAS.
Unfortunately, due to lack of funds, I only bought the motherboard Asus E45M1-I Deluxe. All other components (ram, psu, case) I had already, so I said: let's try to build the LS NASwith the new card and the one I already have!
Also thought: surely the result will not be as good as the original LS NAS, but maybe something good will come out with new motherboard.
The other components used were as follows:
Ram: 2 x Kingston KtH9600B/4G
PSU: Corsair 450W 5 years old
Case: Antec Fusion
HDD for flacs: Seagate ES.2 1TB (ST31000340NS)
HDD for OS: Samsung 500GB (HD501LJ)
OS: Windows 7 home premium 64 bit
Media Server: Asset upnp 4.1
I copied a few albums on ES.2 and I started listening to ...
Well, I do not know how to say but from the beginning the result was so good it was like a shock! So much that not even felt the need to make a comparison with the Readynas NV + so the result was obvious.
And it's incredible that so many untapped potential had left the DS!
I hate to think what might come out of putting a Intel 320 instead of ES.2.
For now, this is my experience. In the future I plan to buy the Seasonic and an Intel 320 to further improve my LS NAS.
Thank you again to Linnofil for sharing with us his findings!

[vicdiaz]

Have you tried Samsung's 840 Pro SSDs'?

[jiddu_k]

@Linnophil

Wow - thank you very much for your concern and advice. I´m sure there is something wrong with my LS NAS at the moment and with this kind of support I´m very confident it will be found.

I have mostly used FLAC files for my comparisons. A danger with LP12 recorded files may be that you try and listen for the "LP12" sound, instead of the music....
....Try and not listen to any individual thing. "the ability to convey the whole music " as you say, is better judged by listening to the whole, not individual things. That's my take on it.

Just to avoid further misunderstandings: I´m not looking for any special sound - not even a "LP12 sound" - I´m listening to the music. I play drums myself - even studied at a conservatory once - and I go to a lot of small jazz club concerts so I can asure you that I know how music sounds like in real life. This is what I´m looking for when listening to my stereo.

I have to say that I find this very surprising. I have now idea what's wrong with your NAS...It should be better than this and I'm sure we can fix it.

I´m sure it´ll be alright in the end - I´ll try some of the things later today.

Looking forward to testing Deltaco sata cables.

I will ship them to Germany and the UK (David Neel) tomorrow!

Great - thanks.

[k_numigl]

and the fact that the MB is laying flat on the bottom of the case. I was not comfortable with a MB that hangs vertically. This is usually a bad thing for music

I can tell if this is the case here when finished with the PC. In my Q08 the board is intended to stay vertical and I can turn the case by 90 degrees to check the effect.

Yet another question: Did you test SSDs with a Phison controller? If not, I'm tempted to use a Crucial V4 for my OS, so I can test it for music, too. If you did, I'd use something else providing more speed.

KR, Klaus

[minge]

and the fact that the MB is laying flat on the bottom of the case. I was not comfortable with a MB that hangs vertically. This is usually a bad thing for music

I can tell if this is the case here when finished with the PC. In my Q08 the board is intended to stay vertical and I can turn the case by 90 degrees to check the effect.

Yet another question: Did you test SSDs with a Phison controller? If not, I'm tempted to use a Crucial V4 for my OS, so I can test it for music, too. If you did, I'd use something else providing more speed.

KR, Klaus

Thinking of changing all of my ata cables in my system any suggestions of what sounds good?

Mike

[Linnofil]

Have you tried Samsung's 840 Pro SSDs'?

6: Optional OS/SW drive, Samsung 840 Pro. 
(Faster, but space not needed for OS/SW can, only in case of emergency, be used as FLAC storage! Still better than most SSD for FLAC storage.) 

I have a Samsung 830 system drive. (As good as the outer edges of a ES.2 HDD, 840 Pro is good to.)

I have tested a lots of stuff. More than I remember. SSD's I have tested most out there and they sound alike when they are based on the same controller. I think that the newer designs (all but 320) that is based on compressing data before writing to the NAND is not good for a FLAC server. But that is speculation. I just haven't found them any good. The only reasonable SSD except Intel X-25 G2 and 320 is the Samsung line, 830 and 840 Pro, 840 (not Pro) have not been tested. The Samsungs are like a ES.2 HDD on the outer edges. But that is very far from the Intel 320. Not worth buing a Samsung if you a have ES.2. But since a modern Samsung SSD is a cracking drive for OS/SW and still "OK" for music, that's my choice (for OS!). The others are just terrible for music, even if they are good OS drives! 

As I will compare the 120GB Intel 320 series SSD to a 120GB Samsung 840 SSD first (in a small one-bay Nas and then probably in my NV+) there is still time to order a platinium one before I start.

Interesting, I can't imagine anything but a Intel victory. But the 840 (not pro) is new technology (triple level cell) so it could surprise. Please report back as soon as you know more. Since the Samsung can be used as a OS drive there is nothing to lose.

The Intel SSD 120GB arrived yesterday and I had time to compare it to a Samsung 840 SSD 120GB  in two simple SilverStone one-bay NAS. The Samsung SSD had been better than a Kingston V200 SSD 256GB when compared in the same one-bay NAS, but had not been as good as my ReadyNas NV+ (Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB) placed on a special rack. 
Listening to seven tracks (five CD rips and two 24/192 LP12 rips) it was very clear that the Intel SSD is the musically superior harddisc. The difference between the two drives was even bigger than I remember the difference between the Samsung and Kingston drive.

At first I compared the two (now) internal SSD (24/192 recordings from k_numigl's LP12) - Intel SSD is once again a lot better than Samsung SSD (OS drive) and it is so in every aspect.

I actually have a Samsung 840 (not Pro) 500 GB on the way home that I will try and test soon. (It's a loaner from a friend on the Melodik forum.)

So, if you feel you need any more information on the Samsung drives, I will soon try the 500 GB 840. I will report my results in this thread. The less I post here, the more time I have for testing stuff in the NAS.

[Linnofil]

Thinking of changing all of my ata cables in my system any suggestions of what sounds good?

I admit I'm very confused by your quote, how does that relate to your question?

What is the system you are referring to? If you are talking about PATA, I have no idea. If you are talking about SATA this is the cable that has been discussed a lot in this thread:

5: S-ATA internal cables, Deltaco SATA-1000, 30 cm (12") black with straight connectors:
(not sold in US or UK.)
This cable is marked with "SATAIII Serial ATA 6.0Gbit/s (then a brand symbol that looks like "9U", or a mirrored R fused with a U) AWM E332199 2725 26 AWG 80°C 30V VW-1"
(Remember to buy same amount as you have drives) I don't know where this can be bought internationally. But here is a picture of it. http://www.inet.se/produkt/8906189/seri ... 6gb-s-0-3m

[minge]

Thinking of changing all of my ata cables in my system any suggestions of what sounds good?

I admit I'm very confused by your quote, how does that relate to your question?

What is the system you are referring to? If you are talking about PATA, I have no idea. If you are talking about SATA this is the cable that has been discussed a lot in this thread:

5: S-ATA internal cables, Deltaco SATA-1000, 30 cm (12") black with straight connectors:
(not sold in US or UK.)
This cable is marked with "SATAIII Serial ATA 6.0Gbit/s (then a brand symbol that looks like "9U", or a mirrored R fused with a U) AWM E332199 2725 26 AWG 80°C 30V VW-1"
(Remember to buy same amount as you have drives) I don't know where this can be bought internationally. But here is a picture of it. http://www.inet.se/produkt/8906189/seri ... 6gb-s-0-3m

Sorry i mean Sata cables in my DS-system from Switch to Nas Switch to DS osv?

Mike

[Linnofil]

I, like others here, I started to assemble my own LS NAS.
Unfortunately, due to lack of funds, I only bought the motherboard Asus E45M1-I Deluxe. All other components (ram, psu, case) I had already, so I said: let's try to build the LS NASwith the new card and the one I already have!
Also thought: surely the result will not be as good as the original LS NAS, but maybe something good will come out with new motherboard.

I like your attitude! Experimentation and judging the results with tunedem is just the thinking we need. No components are wasted as you buy the right stuff, just not all of it, right now.

The other components used were as follows:
Ram: 2 x Kingston KtH9600B/4G
PSU: Corsair 450W 5 years old
Case: Antec Fusion
HDD for flacs: Seagate ES.2 1TB (ST31000340NS)
HDD for OS: Samsung 500GB (HD501LJ)
OS: Windows 7 home premium 64 bit
Media Server: Asset upnp 4.1

Nobody knows for sure if the differing components are better or worse than the components I or the others are using before testing. I have mentioned more than once that a LS NAS is a bigger difference than the ES.2 vs.the Intel 320. So the ES.2 and your other components are a good start.

I copied a few albums on ES.2 and I started listening to ...
Well, I do not know how to say but from the beginning the result was so good it was like a shock! So much that not even felt the need to make a comparison with the Readynas NV + so the result was obvious.

Well, this is more of the reaction I was expecting! Great stuff!

And it's incredible that so many untapped potential had left the DS!

Yes, isn't it? it's such a great feeling to get more out of your material, to discover all the music that has been there all the time! It's like discovering a treasure in your own garden.

I hate to think what might come out of putting a Intel 320 instead of ES.2.

Don't hate, love it instead! ;-) The better your NAS is, the bigger the difference between a ES.2 and a 320 SSD. So you can safely expect a considerable improvement.

In the future I plan to buy the Seasonic and an Intel 320 to further improve my LS NAS.

I would go for the Intel first, they will soon be out of stock. It may also give you a bigger improvement, depending on your present PSU. But it's also more expensive, of course. I have tried a newer Corsair 650W PSU and it wasn't any good at all. Maybe it needs a 5 year burn in time?

Thank you again to Linnofil for sharing with us his findings!

Thanks you Nicolav for building your version of the LS NAS and thanks for sharing your very positive experience. It may come a lot from this when it evolves and you get to try more things. I'm very happy for you!

[Linnofil]

Sorry i mean Sata cables in my DS-system from Switch to Nas Switch to DS osv?

Wrong cables and wrong thread my friend! What you are looking for is Cat5/6/7 cables and that's a whole different story than building a LS NAS. Try searching for them in other threads in this forum. I know this is the most active thread right now, but it is not the place for all questions.

FYI: The best cable used to be: Microconnect Cat6, shielded, halogen free, three meters or longer. Try DustinHome if you are shopping in Sweden.

[Nicolav]

The other components used were as follows:
Ram: 2 x Kingston KtH9600B/4G
PSU: Corsair 450W 5 years old
Case: Antec Fusion
HDD for flacs: Seagate ES.2 1TB (ST31000340NS)
HDD for OS: Samsung 500GB (HD501LJ)
OS: Windows 7 home premium 64 bit
Media Server: Asset upnp 4.1

Nobody knows for sure if the differing components are better or worse than the components I or the others are using before testing. I have mentioned more than once that a LS NAS is a bigger difference than the ES.2 vs.the Intel 320. So the ES.2 and your other components are a good start.

To be honest, I thought the same thing too, but to be sure I must have the same components used by you!

I copied a few albums on ES.2 and I started listening to ...
Well, I do not know how to say but from the beginning the result was so good it was like a shock! So much that not even felt the need to make a comparison with the Readynas NV + so the result was obvious.

Well, this is more of the reaction I was expecting! Great stuff!

Yes the reaction was unexpected for me as well. :)

And it's incredible that so many untapped potential had left the DS!

Yes, isn't it? it's such a great feeling to get more out of your material, to discover all the music that has been there all the time! It's like discovering a treasure in your own garden.

Absolutely! With the LS NAS is fun to rediscover your own music, it's like listening for the first time!

I hate to think what might come out of putting a Intel 320 instead of ES.2.

Don't hate, love it instead! ;-) The better your NAS is, the bigger the difference between a ES.2 and a 320 SSD. So you can safely expect a considerable improvement.

Sorry, hate is the wrong term (google translate is not always reliable).
I meant to say: I dare not think what might come out of putting a Intel 320 instead of ES.2. :D As already with the ES .2 the results are excellent.

In the future I plan to buy the Seasonic and an Intel 320 to further improve my LS NAS.

I would go for the Intel first, they will soon be out of stock. It may also give you a bigger improvement, depending on your present PSU. But it's also more expensive, of course. I have tried a newer Corsair 650W PSU and it wasn't any good at all. Maybe it needs a 5 year burn in time?

Ok, I will take an Intel 320 first. Second thing to try is your Deltaco sata cables, now I'm using those supplied with the Asus motherboard: maybe be good or not, who knows? I have yet to test the right direction.
5 years of burn in? I hope not, maybe it's simply good!

Thank you again to Linnofil for sharing with us his findings!

Thanks you Nicolav for building your version of the LS NAS and thanks for sharing your very positive experience. It may come a lot from this when it evolves and you get to try more things. I'm very happy for you!

Surely I will continue to give my contribution by trying new things.
As the IT market is rapidly evolving I think this is necessary i.e. what will replace the excellent Intel 320 in the next future?

[ThomasOK]

Just a note that Amazon UK has three of the E45M1-I Deluxe board in stock. They must be popular as they are selling them at a whopping 3% discount! It is from a sub-vendor but it does say they ship internationally (although not to the US - I tried). It looks like some other sub-vendors have stock as well at a bit higher prices. Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-E45M1-I-On ... 001&sr=8-1

Personally I am keeping an eye over here to see if it starts coming back in stock at some of the vendors. The only one who claimed to have it in stock, and at a reasonable price, seems to be a sham and their online order system doesn't work. When I looked for their contact information - address, phone number - I found there were none available!