And the ZENmini Mk 3 addresses all these avenues with almost equal aplomb. Some will want this to run under its own steam, some will want it to be controlled by a third-party controller like Linn’s Kazoo, some may even want it to operate as a Squeezebox server, or a Sonus server, or even a Roon server. It’s here, too, where Innuos needs to demonstrate a lot of flexibility. There are no other displays and the ZENmini’s music playback, handling, and management are all removed to either a computer, a tablet, or a smartphone. Aside from the obvious slot-loading CD drawer in the ZENmini Mk 3, they look interchangeable from the front. The half-width cases of both ZENmini Mk 3 and LPSU are almost identical, with the same gently angled front panel with a power button in the bottom right corner. As with most music servers, there ain’t much to see. It runs off an Intel N4200 Quad Core chipset with 4GB of RAM, making it on a par with an entry-level laptop in raw computing power. The ZENmini Mk 3 is a small ripping server with 1TB of WD Red hard disc as standard (you can configure it to have up to 8TB of on-board storage). As standard, the ZENmini Mk 3 comes supplied with a perfectly servicable laptop-style switch-mode power supply ‘brick’, but there is an option to upgrade that with the LPSU linear power supply unit, to bring the ZENmini Mk 3 closer to ZEN Mk 3 performance. The flexibility continues at the power end. Moreover, because of this multiplicity of potential audio system options, the ZENmini’s interface needs to reflect a wide range of users, from the tech-savvy enthusiast who dreams in TCP/IP right down to someone who considers the ZENmini Mk 3 to be their first musical venture into the 21st Century. The ZENmini Mk 3 might be used in a networked system with one user, into an older DAC with only coaxial S/PDIF connections, into a music system that only has a TOSlink optical input, or to replace a CD player in a system with an amplifier that only has line-level RCA inputs. Where the more up-scale models are designed to output purely to USB or Ethernet (because the assumption can be made that the prospective ZEN, ZENith, or Statement user has a network streamer or USB-supporting DAC), the ZENmini Mk 3 makes no such reductionist decisions. The ZENmini Mk 3 is the most flexible Innuos product to date. As befits the magazine, we’ve tended to look more to the top-end of the Innuos tree, but in many respects the humble entry ZENmini is the device that has the toughest job to do, because it will have to fill in so many different gaps in audio systems. As its name suggests, the Statement speaks to the high-ender who has a cost-no-object approach to audio, while the ZEN range covers everything from those dipping their toes in the music server world to those seeking a useful high-end solution. There are also fun things to try, hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more.Innuos’ range of ZEN music servers each have their specific niche, that perfectly suits significant parts of the audio enthusiast market. There are hundreds of in-depth reviews, open source alternatives to proprietary software from large corporations like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. The software collection forms part of our series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. Our curated compilation covers all categories of software. Read our complete collection of recommended free and open source software. Ogg Vorbis and MP3 streaming media serverĭAAP (iTunes), MPD (Music Player Daemon) and RSP (Roku) server Music Serversįlexible, powerful, server-side application for playing music For each application we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, screenshots (where relevant), together with links to relevant resources. Let’s explore the 6 music servers at hand. They are all free and open source software. However, it is important to remember that if you stream music to others on the internet, you should only use tracks that are available under a free license, or where permission has been obtained from the copyright owner. Alternatively, users can share their music with friends over the internet. For example, it provides an excellent way to listen to your music collection at home, or to listen from a remote location. Music server software can be put to a number of different uses. We have focused on software which is simple to set up and has an easy to use interface.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |