Melco Range OverviewDaniel Raggett - Melco Europe General Manager The Melco product range has grown and evolved over the past seven years, so I thought it would be useful to provide an overview of the products we have today, and how we got there. Melco first emerged with two products: the N1A/H40 (43cm wide) and the N1Z/H40 (35cm wide). These were both HDD-based UPnP servers with 4 TB hard drives (2 x 2 TB HDD) and both featured a key unique feature, two Ethernet ports: one for the signal from the router to the music library and another from the music library to the renderer/streamer (to make a direct signal from the music library to the renderer). Melco then added the N1Z/S10 (35 cm wide) flagship and the only SSD model in the range (2x 0.5 TB SSD). All the models were made up of 2 x equivalent HDD or SSD drives and involved a Raid system and controller. They all had multiple USB ports to attach a backup drive, expansion drive, optical drive and/or USB DAC; this was the MkI journey for Melco.
Today, Melco still has the same models in production, but in MkII guise; these have been available for about three-and-a-half years. The MkII models have different-sized HDD and SSD drives, a dedicated USB output for a USB DAC, improved power supplies, improved capacitors and more mechanical and electrical isolation engineered into them. About three years ago, Melco added two accessory products to the range in half-width chassis configurations, the D100 (high-performance optical drive) and the E100 (3 TB HDD expansion drive). Both are built in the same quality aluminium material as the music libraries.
With the introduction of these half-width accessories, two years ago, Melco launched two half-width music libraries: the N100 (the new entry-level 2 TB HDD, 21.5 cm-wide) and the impressive N10 (3 TB, separate linear power supply, 21.5cm wide) music library. This brought a great new option to customers who were either downsizing their systems or were space-limited. The last product to join the line-up was the S100 audiophile switch. Again, built in the same solid aluminium casework of the N100, D100 and E100, the S100 has brought a greater amount of detail, musicality and reduced noise to many customers’ systems since launch. Melco works fantastically well and perfectly complements many top brands, including Linn, Naim, Chord Electronics, T+A and many more, but the 100 switch has proved even more universal. Today’s Melco range N100-H20 – Entry-level 2 TB HDD music library. Three USB ports, two Ethernet ports, supplied with a 12 V DC off-board power supply.  N100-H20 – Entry-level 2 TB HDD music library N1A/2EX-H60 – Full-sized, 6 TB 3.5-inch HDD, five USB Ports including a dedicated Neutrik DAC port, 2 Ethernet ports, single high-quality military grade AC power supply (internal), single high-quality capacitor bank.  N1A/2EX-H60 N1Z/2EX-H60 – 35 cm-wide (Linn-sized), 6 TB 2.5-inch HDD, four USB ports including a dedicated Neutrik DAC port, two Ethernet ports, dual high-quality military grade AC power supply (internal), dual high-quality capacitor bank, high-quality mechanical and electrical isolation.  N1Z/H40 (35cm wide) N10-H30 – half-width 21.5 cm two-box unit. A ‘head’ unit with and OLED and separate linear power supply. Connected with specialist Neutrik three-pin connectors, 3 TB 2.5-inch HDD, three USB ports, 2 Ethernet ports.
N10-H30 half-width 21.5cm two-box unit N1Z/2EX-S40 – 35 cm-wide (Linn-sized), 4 TB 2.5-inch SSD, four USB Ports including a dedicated Neutrik DAC port, two Ethernet ports, dual high-quality military grade AC power supply (internal), dual high-quality capacitor bank, high-quality mechanical and electrical isolation.
All products are available in silver and black brushed aluminium finish.
4 Comments
A Customer perspective - Melco EX Series upgradeCraig Burrows  If you have a Melco system, I am guessing that, like me, you probably have a decent-sized library and whether you have it well organised or not, the EX upgrade will save you the frustration of hunting for the needle in the haystack. On top of that, the professionalism of Alan and his staff when they discovered a fault on my machine, needs to be applauded. They kindly fixed the fault at the same time as the upgrade, for no extra cost.
But why upgrade to EX when you already have a working system? Personally, it was not that it would become Roon Ready - although that is an avenue I look forward to exploring. For me, it was for the ease of cataloguing the almost 2 TB of Bach recordings I have carefully collated over the years. Also when you purchase an album, frequently you will find a couple of composers on the same recording and you are left with the choice of tediously organising folders and splitting up recordings just for ease of finding the one piece of music you are looking for. If you have the time, and precision to organise your library, that is not a serious problem until you start downloading straight to your Melco when albums get automatically assigned to the ‘Downloads’ folder. You could, of course, back up everything, reformat the drives, reorganise your library and upload again, but the time and effort it takes to get this right can be frustrating and tedious. Having purchased and used several programs which claimed to organise classical libraries with ease, I can testify that it is a gamble and I once had my whole library scrambled by software purchased, just because websites claimed that it was excellent at tagging classical recordings. Lesson learnt: always keep a backup. I look forward to never having to manually split recordings again! It keeps composers and works well organised. Another positive is when I search for the pinnacle of Bach’s Canon, his Mass in B-Minor (of which I own over 100 recordings), they are all available with a simple search and the information tagged with them has enabled me to discover new data. With the Melco Intelligent Music Library and SongKong music tagger, searching for, let us say, BWV 99, I can just look for the BWV field and find all recordings of that particular work available on my system. I even discovered that my organisational skills were not as good as they should have been and SongKong found pieces I had tagged incorrectly. Arrogant as I was, I first thought SongKong had it wrong, only to be pleasantly surprised that this was not the case. So, whether I have downloaded directly, or organised incorrectly, MinimServer 2, with SongKong can discover, tag and organise with the ease I have been longing for and if I want to change the way it is tagged, that is also possible. I can even use SongKong on my iPad to make changes directly to Melco thanks to Minimserver. Lutz recording, good as it is, has BPM that would have caused Shaw to faint! Is that important? To me, yes it is, sometimes I do not want to listen to Suzuki or Herrewege again, but I know I want a recording with a similar speed, or mood, and to being able to define my search with BPM is a blessing I did not know I wanted until the upgrade. Yet after all that, it is the listening experience that is important and Melco does not compromise where music quality is concerned. The beauty is that I no longer waste time searching for the right recording - all that is taken care of with the neat precision that you would expect from Melco and at the end of the day, we have not purchased music to fritter away time looking for that one recording, but for the joy of listening to it. Thank you, Alan and Melco. You have simplified my life and given me more time to enjoy stress-free listening. So yes, the upgrade fee is well worth it. The only question now is when I start exploring the wonders of Roon. Melco Customer Perspective – |
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There’s some great news for Melco owners this month as we proudly announce that our EX Series of libraries will be Roon Ready from 14th September. We know from our mailbox that many of you already use Roon, so we’re delighted to be formally adding Roon Ready convenience to the Melco platform, to supplement our audiophile-grade Melco Intelligent Music Library (MIML) software package.
All models in our five-strong EX Series will gain Roon Ready convenience following a new firmware rollout (4.04). The new firmware is downloadable from our Global website www.melcoaudio.com (USB download) from 14th September for immediate customer installation from the front panel, plus a further over-the-air update (4.10) is expected later in the year which will partly automate the process. Details of how to manually upgrade your EX Series library in just a few simple steps, can be found in your user manual; these are also downloadable from our website, here.
We’re also pleased to announce that owners of legacy Melco units (i.e. non-EX Series libraries) are also very much included and can also receive the benefits of Roon when upgrading to the latest EX specification. Melco dealers will be able to advise on the best way to achieve the upgrade on an individual basis. Suffice to say, if you have an older Melco library, there has never been a better time to upgrade to the EX Series’ specification.
Firmware-updated Melco libraries will allow Roon to operate (as an alternative to UPnP) when the library is configured with a USB DAC. Being Roon Ready means that Melco devices now integrate a customised version of Roon’s RAAT streaming technology directly into the device, providing the user with an incredible user interface, simple setup, rock-solid daily reliability and the highest levels of audio performance in the industry.
Melco General Manager Dan Raggett said, “I'm delighted to announce our partnership with Roon who has quickly made big strides in the audio market. Many Melco customers enjoy using Roon already, so combining the superb sound quality Melco is internationally known for plus Roon on the Melco platform, now brings a better-than-ever range of libraries to music lovers. Huge thanks should also go to the team in Japan (and the UK and US) for the hard work that has gone into bringing Roon to Melco.”
Following the firmware update, all global EX Series Melco libraries will become Roon Ready, however, Japan will follow at slightly a later date.
If you have any questions about Melco and Roon, or how to use Roon if you’ve not already tried it, our Melco dealer network is ready to take your query and offer a helping hand. Find your nearest Melco dealer here.
All models in our five-strong EX Series will gain Roon Ready convenience following a new firmware rollout (4.04). The new firmware is downloadable from our Global website www.melcoaudio.com (USB download) from 14th September for immediate customer installation from the front panel, plus a further over-the-air update (4.10) is expected later in the year which will partly automate the process. Details of how to manually upgrade your EX Series library in just a few simple steps, can be found in your user manual; these are also downloadable from our website, here.
We’re also pleased to announce that owners of legacy Melco units (i.e. non-EX Series libraries) are also very much included and can also receive the benefits of Roon when upgrading to the latest EX specification. Melco dealers will be able to advise on the best way to achieve the upgrade on an individual basis. Suffice to say, if you have an older Melco library, there has never been a better time to upgrade to the EX Series’ specification.
Firmware-updated Melco libraries will allow Roon to operate (as an alternative to UPnP) when the library is configured with a USB DAC. Being Roon Ready means that Melco devices now integrate a customised version of Roon’s RAAT streaming technology directly into the device, providing the user with an incredible user interface, simple setup, rock-solid daily reliability and the highest levels of audio performance in the industry.
Melco General Manager Dan Raggett said, “I'm delighted to announce our partnership with Roon who has quickly made big strides in the audio market. Many Melco customers enjoy using Roon already, so combining the superb sound quality Melco is internationally known for plus Roon on the Melco platform, now brings a better-than-ever range of libraries to music lovers. Huge thanks should also go to the team in Japan (and the UK and US) for the hard work that has gone into bringing Roon to Melco.”
Following the firmware update, all global EX Series Melco libraries will become Roon Ready, however, Japan will follow at slightly a later date.
If you have any questions about Melco and Roon, or how to use Roon if you’ve not already tried it, our Melco dealer network is ready to take your query and offer a helping hand. Find your nearest Melco dealer here.
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What is Roon?
It's a music player for music lovers. Forget everything you know about music players. Music is an experience, and Roon reconnects you with it. |
The problem
In the transition from physical to digital media, something has been lost. We have more convenience than ever, but no feeling of excitement or engagement. |
The Solution
Roon looks at your music and finds photos, bios, reviews, lyrics, and concert dates, and makes connections between artists, composers, performers, conductors, and producers. What you get is a searchable, surfable magazine about your music. |
What is Hi-Res audio?
Dan George - PR Manager at Melco Audio
Hi-Res audio is no longer the preserve of audiophiles. Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of Hi-Res streaming services such as Tidal and Qobuz, and with giants like Amazon now offering CD-quality+ streams, it has never been easier for mum and dad to access a world of Hi-Res music. This can only be good news for music lovers after a lost decade (or more) of MP3 acceptability.
Hi-Res audio, is in fact, becoming something of a buzzword and it’s not difficult for newcomers to find handy online guides, explaining what it is, what all those file formats mean and how to get it. It’s when Hi-Res audio is discussed in audiophile circles, however, that the buzz becomes blurred.
So, let’s start with a definition: put simply, high-resolution audio (or Hi-Res audio) is an umbrella term for better-than-CD quality. So is CD still good enough? The question has ignited plenty of online debate in recent times, fuelled by internationally respected digital audio designers chipping in to suggest that done well, CD is all any music lover could ever need. The suggestion comes just at the time when most of us (97% of UK households) have the access to high-speed broadband that makes Hi-Res streaming finally possible.
From a technical perspective, it’s hard to argue with the science. A high-res file at 24-bit/192kHz resolution is going to offer more information than CD’s standard 16-bit/44.1kHz resolution. With replay equipment capable of delivering the bandwidth, it should be possible to distinguish between the two under blind conditions. However, many published studies have shown that for the general public, it’s not as obvious as you might think. Thankfully, audiophiles have finely honed listening skills and can identify better quality sound in the way that the general public can more easily spot, say, a HD TV image over an SD one – think newsreader wrinkles.
But, ‘better’ is in the eye of the beholder and here we circle back to the earlier observation that for audiophiles, Hi-Res can be a little blurred. Subjectivity has enabled the choice of hi-fi brands we take for granted today. We know how much technology (think valves), brands and system set up can divide opinion and Hi-Res audio, including DSD, is no different.
Hi-Res is just as much about personal preference than pure numbers. Most Melco fans brave enough to have read this far will likely have a mix of both CD and Hi-Res music files and, perhaps, the good fortune to own multiple versions of the same track or album, in anything from a digitised vinyl rip upwards, enabling critical comparison in the comfort of their own homes with known systems and rooms.
So long as we have the vital replay hardware to be able to highlight the differences, we’ll be in the privileged position to judge Hi-Res for ourselves and make our own choices. Of one thing I’m certain: having the most advanced digital music library in the world from Melco, backed by a modern USB DAC, means there is no better way on earth to enjoy music, compare recordings and join the debate.
Hi-Res audio, is in fact, becoming something of a buzzword and it’s not difficult for newcomers to find handy online guides, explaining what it is, what all those file formats mean and how to get it. It’s when Hi-Res audio is discussed in audiophile circles, however, that the buzz becomes blurred.
So, let’s start with a definition: put simply, high-resolution audio (or Hi-Res audio) is an umbrella term for better-than-CD quality. So is CD still good enough? The question has ignited plenty of online debate in recent times, fuelled by internationally respected digital audio designers chipping in to suggest that done well, CD is all any music lover could ever need. The suggestion comes just at the time when most of us (97% of UK households) have the access to high-speed broadband that makes Hi-Res streaming finally possible.
From a technical perspective, it’s hard to argue with the science. A high-res file at 24-bit/192kHz resolution is going to offer more information than CD’s standard 16-bit/44.1kHz resolution. With replay equipment capable of delivering the bandwidth, it should be possible to distinguish between the two under blind conditions. However, many published studies have shown that for the general public, it’s not as obvious as you might think. Thankfully, audiophiles have finely honed listening skills and can identify better quality sound in the way that the general public can more easily spot, say, a HD TV image over an SD one – think newsreader wrinkles.
But, ‘better’ is in the eye of the beholder and here we circle back to the earlier observation that for audiophiles, Hi-Res can be a little blurred. Subjectivity has enabled the choice of hi-fi brands we take for granted today. We know how much technology (think valves), brands and system set up can divide opinion and Hi-Res audio, including DSD, is no different.
Hi-Res is just as much about personal preference than pure numbers. Most Melco fans brave enough to have read this far will likely have a mix of both CD and Hi-Res music files and, perhaps, the good fortune to own multiple versions of the same track or album, in anything from a digitised vinyl rip upwards, enabling critical comparison in the comfort of their own homes with known systems and rooms.
So long as we have the vital replay hardware to be able to highlight the differences, we’ll be in the privileged position to judge Hi-Res for ourselves and make our own choices. Of one thing I’m certain: having the most advanced digital music library in the world from Melco, backed by a modern USB DAC, means there is no better way on earth to enjoy music, compare recordings and join the debate.
Build a digital music library or stream music?
Daniel Raggett - Melco Europe General Manager
To stream or not to stream?
Streaming and building a digital music library both have their place, as Daniel Raggett explains.
Finding what you like
Streaming services like Spotify are great for exploring music and finding more artists you like, based on your playlist history. Listen to an album, or search more songs from the same genre you usually favour and if you enjoy them, download them in hi-res and add to your music libraries.
Ease of search
With a digital library, everything is stored in a chronological order, so your music is easy to find and play. How you want to search for it i.e. by artist, album, song, works, genre etc. is then completely up to you.
A music collection that a customer has lovingly worked hard for many years to create, can be stored with ease on a music server and accessed via a phone, tablet or computer to control, without having to sift through the CD rack to choose.
With streaming, you have to choose what you are going to listen to at that moment, whereas with a music library you can scroll effortlessly through for collection and see what jumps out at you.
Control out of your hands
If a streaming service is no longer available, there goes your music collection! Whereas with a music library, you can keep adding to it and build a bigger collection, whether that’s via CD rips, imported music or downloads.
Supporting artists
It is well known that artists are not supported well financially from streamed music, so buying that physical CD or purchasing that download means artists can still produce new music, play live gigs/ concerts and keep making the music that you love to listen to.
Music quality
The quality of music and reproduction is much better when stored on a music library than being streamed. CD quality is 16bit/44.1 kHz (generally), whereas streamed music (from, for example, Spotify) is 320kbps (compressed) at highest audio quality.
There are other services such as Tidal and Qobuz (both supported via Melco music libraries and the Melco Music HD app) that offer higher quality bit-rate music, but playback quality can still be affected due to the music being stored on large commercial servers and other users acquiring that same file at the same time.
There are also high-resolution download services like highresaudio.com and NativeDSD (both friends of Melco) which can provide higher quality stored music at affordable prices. As these files are downloaded directly, the files are not being used by other people . Learn more about DSD music in our previous blog post here.
Back-up
Remember: always keep a back-up of your music library, whether it be on a computer or dedicated music library server like a Melco.
So, we would say stream for discovery, library for playback.
How about you? Are you a streaming fan or a fan of downloads/ buying CDs? Let us know in the comments.
Streaming and building a digital music library both have their place, as Daniel Raggett explains.
Finding what you like
Streaming services like Spotify are great for exploring music and finding more artists you like, based on your playlist history. Listen to an album, or search more songs from the same genre you usually favour and if you enjoy them, download them in hi-res and add to your music libraries.
Ease of search
With a digital library, everything is stored in a chronological order, so your music is easy to find and play. How you want to search for it i.e. by artist, album, song, works, genre etc. is then completely up to you.
A music collection that a customer has lovingly worked hard for many years to create, can be stored with ease on a music server and accessed via a phone, tablet or computer to control, without having to sift through the CD rack to choose.
With streaming, you have to choose what you are going to listen to at that moment, whereas with a music library you can scroll effortlessly through for collection and see what jumps out at you.
Control out of your hands
If a streaming service is no longer available, there goes your music collection! Whereas with a music library, you can keep adding to it and build a bigger collection, whether that’s via CD rips, imported music or downloads.
Supporting artists
It is well known that artists are not supported well financially from streamed music, so buying that physical CD or purchasing that download means artists can still produce new music, play live gigs/ concerts and keep making the music that you love to listen to.
Music quality
The quality of music and reproduction is much better when stored on a music library than being streamed. CD quality is 16bit/44.1 kHz (generally), whereas streamed music (from, for example, Spotify) is 320kbps (compressed) at highest audio quality.
There are other services such as Tidal and Qobuz (both supported via Melco music libraries and the Melco Music HD app) that offer higher quality bit-rate music, but playback quality can still be affected due to the music being stored on large commercial servers and other users acquiring that same file at the same time.
There are also high-resolution download services like highresaudio.com and NativeDSD (both friends of Melco) which can provide higher quality stored music at affordable prices. As these files are downloaded directly, the files are not being used by other people . Learn more about DSD music in our previous blog post here.
Back-up
Remember: always keep a back-up of your music library, whether it be on a computer or dedicated music library server like a Melco.
So, we would say stream for discovery, library for playback.
How about you? Are you a streaming fan or a fan of downloads/ buying CDs? Let us know in the comments.
Melco N1A - an instrumental part of my review hardware
With thanks to Ed Selley, freelance journalist for avforums.com, Hi-Fi Choice and Home Cinema Choice
When I was sent the Melco N1A for review back in 2015, I will freely admit to a degree of scepticism about the notion of ‘audiophile storage’. Even by that time, I had been using network audio players for a number of years and the storage arrangements I had up until that point, had seemed perfectly adequate for the task. After a week or so, my attitude had changed to the point where I purchased the N1A and it has remained with me ever since!
The initial testing I carried out on the N1A was enough to demonstrate that Melco has not only built a range of products that improved the performance of a network audio set-up I had previously thought was performing optimally, but had done so at the same time as producing a product that actually felt more robust and rugged than the equipment I had previously selected for that purpose.
In some ways, the sonic benefits are the ‘expected’ bit of the equation. Thanks to the use of audiophile components in critical areas of the design, the N1A ensures that content is delivered in the most accurate fashion to your network audio player. Thanks to the use of a dedicated output from the Melco drive to your player, the connection between the two units is not being called upon to do anything else and the benefits of this arrangement are considerable. Crucially, across dozens of different test subjects, although the level of improvement has varied a little, the Melco has always improved the performance of the device connected to its output over using it in a normal network arrangement.
There are other hi-fi considerations, too. Firstly, it is completely silent, not ‘silent from my listening position’ or ‘silent until you’re near it’ but silent. The idea of my old NAS drive sitting in the same rack space would have been crazy (and by the standards of most ‘bay’-type NAS drives, it was pretty quiet) but the N1A has done so since day one without a second’s thought. Perhaps less importantly, (but still something I like) is that it looks good while it does so.
For me though, the ruggedness and reliability of the N1A have been just as important to it becoming an instrumental part of my review hardware. It has been in constant use since it arrived and on occasions, has travelled offsite with me to be used to test other systems and it hasn’t missed a beat. It still boots from a standing start in 18 seconds and appears on my network with the reliability of a bullet train.
It is also worth noting that despite being an original Melco product and one superseded by the improved Melco N1A/2, I still receive software updates and functionality roll-outs for it. Melco has supported their products with a diligence that any high-end brand would be proud of and ensured that my N1A is better now than when it originally won me over when it first arrived. I don’t regard hi-fi equipment as an ‘investment’ but if any piece of equipment I’ve bought could justify the term, it would most likely be this one.
The initial testing I carried out on the N1A was enough to demonstrate that Melco has not only built a range of products that improved the performance of a network audio set-up I had previously thought was performing optimally, but had done so at the same time as producing a product that actually felt more robust and rugged than the equipment I had previously selected for that purpose.
In some ways, the sonic benefits are the ‘expected’ bit of the equation. Thanks to the use of audiophile components in critical areas of the design, the N1A ensures that content is delivered in the most accurate fashion to your network audio player. Thanks to the use of a dedicated output from the Melco drive to your player, the connection between the two units is not being called upon to do anything else and the benefits of this arrangement are considerable. Crucially, across dozens of different test subjects, although the level of improvement has varied a little, the Melco has always improved the performance of the device connected to its output over using it in a normal network arrangement.
There are other hi-fi considerations, too. Firstly, it is completely silent, not ‘silent from my listening position’ or ‘silent until you’re near it’ but silent. The idea of my old NAS drive sitting in the same rack space would have been crazy (and by the standards of most ‘bay’-type NAS drives, it was pretty quiet) but the N1A has done so since day one without a second’s thought. Perhaps less importantly, (but still something I like) is that it looks good while it does so.
For me though, the ruggedness and reliability of the N1A have been just as important to it becoming an instrumental part of my review hardware. It has been in constant use since it arrived and on occasions, has travelled offsite with me to be used to test other systems and it hasn’t missed a beat. It still boots from a standing start in 18 seconds and appears on my network with the reliability of a bullet train.
It is also worth noting that despite being an original Melco product and one superseded by the improved Melco N1A/2, I still receive software updates and functionality roll-outs for it. Melco has supported their products with a diligence that any high-end brand would be proud of and ensured that my N1A is better now than when it originally won me over when it first arrived. I don’t regard hi-fi equipment as an ‘investment’ but if any piece of equipment I’ve bought could justify the term, it would most likely be this one.
Libraries – not just where you'll find books
With thanks to Andrew Everard – Editor, Hi-Fi Critic and contributor to Gramophone, Hi-Fi News and more.
Once, in my dim and distant past, I worked in public libraries: small local branch libraries, where the staff were on hand to answer enquiries, and freezing mobile libraries, where one was dumped for an afternoon in a windswept outpost of the borough, with not even a phone to summon help when required.
Many of those places where I served time have now gone, and when I asked why, the answer was simple: ‘It’s the Internet.’ As an example of how things of changed, I know of teenagers who don’t even own a book – in fact, when I presented one with a carefully selected volume as a birthday present, I was asked ‘What do I want that for? I can just Google it.
To listen to some commentators on matters audio, you’d think music is going the same way: forget ‘physical media’, even music downloaded or ripped, and stored on a home computer or server, is now considered in some quarters as old hat. Why bother with all that, the argument goes, when a world of music is available instantaneously from a streaming service? I even know of those who have junked their entire music collection, usually sold off for a pittance, and now depend solely on streaming.
Well, there are plenty of reasons to bother, not least of which is that, for a truly comprehensive online music selection, you’d need to subscribe to several services, and juggle between them to find what you want, especially if your tastes stray beyond the mainstream. Then there’s the ease with which you can search, given the variability of metadata tagging of files on online services – not to mention the uncertainty about what exactly you’re getting in terms of file quality and history.
All of which overlooks the service dangers of committing all your listening to an intangible source. Not all of us are lucky enough to have an Internet service fast or reliable enough to deliver the music we want when we want it, not to mention the problems when a houseful of connected devices are fighting for the available bandwidth. And what happens if the service to which you subscribe changes its file formats, falls out with the label for which your favourite artists record, or just decides to shut up shop?
After all, most online services are mainly aimed at the common denominator, meaning the mass-market user probably listening on a phone or tablet, not the audio enthusiast.
For all of the above reasons, I’ll be sticking to storing my music at my fingertips, along with a sensible back-up routine in case of disaster. My music collection is where I know I can find it, with the help of carefully curated tagging and search technology such as Melco’s Intelligent Music Library. Now pre-loaded with the new EX Series and offered as a firmware upgrade for existing Melco users, it has already showed its potential, and opened up some intriguing connections between the music in my library. Not to mention making music easier to find.
In fact, a bit like having a knowledgeable librarian to hand to answer your questions and point you in the right direction – which, I think, is where we came in…
Many of those places where I served time have now gone, and when I asked why, the answer was simple: ‘It’s the Internet.’ As an example of how things of changed, I know of teenagers who don’t even own a book – in fact, when I presented one with a carefully selected volume as a birthday present, I was asked ‘What do I want that for? I can just Google it.
To listen to some commentators on matters audio, you’d think music is going the same way: forget ‘physical media’, even music downloaded or ripped, and stored on a home computer or server, is now considered in some quarters as old hat. Why bother with all that, the argument goes, when a world of music is available instantaneously from a streaming service? I even know of those who have junked their entire music collection, usually sold off for a pittance, and now depend solely on streaming.
Well, there are plenty of reasons to bother, not least of which is that, for a truly comprehensive online music selection, you’d need to subscribe to several services, and juggle between them to find what you want, especially if your tastes stray beyond the mainstream. Then there’s the ease with which you can search, given the variability of metadata tagging of files on online services – not to mention the uncertainty about what exactly you’re getting in terms of file quality and history.
All of which overlooks the service dangers of committing all your listening to an intangible source. Not all of us are lucky enough to have an Internet service fast or reliable enough to deliver the music we want when we want it, not to mention the problems when a houseful of connected devices are fighting for the available bandwidth. And what happens if the service to which you subscribe changes its file formats, falls out with the label for which your favourite artists record, or just decides to shut up shop?
After all, most online services are mainly aimed at the common denominator, meaning the mass-market user probably listening on a phone or tablet, not the audio enthusiast.
For all of the above reasons, I’ll be sticking to storing my music at my fingertips, along with a sensible back-up routine in case of disaster. My music collection is where I know I can find it, with the help of carefully curated tagging and search technology such as Melco’s Intelligent Music Library. Now pre-loaded with the new EX Series and offered as a firmware upgrade for existing Melco users, it has already showed its potential, and opened up some intriguing connections between the music in my library. Not to mention making music easier to find.
In fact, a bit like having a knowledgeable librarian to hand to answer your questions and point you in the right direction – which, I think, is where we came in…
New products from Melco:
EX Series and S100 data switch.
Excitingly, December sees the introduction of two new products to the Melco portfolio: the EX Series and the S100 data switch
EX Series
There are new EX Series versions of all Melco music libraries and all incorporate our new Melco Intelligent Music Library technology – MIML.
Conventional UPnP solutions are severely limited in browse and search capabilities, whereas MIML allows for browse or search by ANY tag in ANY order – which is simply not possible with UPnP. MIML installs MinimServer 2 into the Melco, along with SongKong which ensures that the most accurate, consistent and most detailed metadata is available.
Browse ‘trees’ for rock really should be different to jazz and classical: rock does not need conductor or composer, while classical does not need bpm, for example.
Selectable from the Melco front panel, it is simple to select browse trees for classical, rock and pop, jazz and as a simple default for casual listening. These profiles greatly assist finding music in your library.
Additionally, as most classical releases contain multiple works of one or more albums, Melco browses for work rather than complete albums, although at any stage a complete album can be played.
The EX Series software is available on all Melco N1, N10 and N100 supplied from December 2019. There is an upgrade program for existing N1 units, so please discuss this with your dealer.
Existing N10 and N100 models will simply update to full EX functionality with an over-the-air V4.10 firmware update, which is the next big firmware update due mid-December.
For more information about the EX Series, please visit this LINK
Conventional UPnP solutions are severely limited in browse and search capabilities, whereas MIML allows for browse or search by ANY tag in ANY order – which is simply not possible with UPnP. MIML installs MinimServer 2 into the Melco, along with SongKong which ensures that the most accurate, consistent and most detailed metadata is available.
Browse ‘trees’ for rock really should be different to jazz and classical: rock does not need conductor or composer, while classical does not need bpm, for example.
Selectable from the Melco front panel, it is simple to select browse trees for classical, rock and pop, jazz and as a simple default for casual listening. These profiles greatly assist finding music in your library.
Additionally, as most classical releases contain multiple works of one or more albums, Melco browses for work rather than complete albums, although at any stage a complete album can be played.
The EX Series software is available on all Melco N1, N10 and N100 supplied from December 2019. There is an upgrade program for existing N1 units, so please discuss this with your dealer.
Existing N10 and N100 models will simply update to full EX functionality with an over-the-air V4.10 firmware update, which is the next big firmware update due mid-December.
For more information about the EX Series, please visit this LINK
S100 audiophile data switch
It is not possible to rely on standard data switches to optimise audio sound quality: the ISP-provided switches on the router are optimised for video streaming and normal data switches do not prioritise audio packets.
The new Melco S100 is like two switches in one: there are four audio-optimised 100M ports where sound quality is better than 1G ports. There are four 1G ports as well – one of these is audio-optimised for Roon Core (Roon Core hits system sound quality hard due to heavy network traffic – the S100 minimises this problem).
There are two AFDP fibre ports, also audio-optimised and lots of details like a simple switch to kill port traffic lights and improve sound quality.
While the obvious role of the S100 is for audio systems which do not already have a Melco, it is easy to demonstrate the sound quality benefits in a Melco system as well.
For more information, please visit this LINK or talk to your dealer.
The new Melco S100 is like two switches in one: there are four audio-optimised 100M ports where sound quality is better than 1G ports. There are four 1G ports as well – one of these is audio-optimised for Roon Core (Roon Core hits system sound quality hard due to heavy network traffic – the S100 minimises this problem).
There are two AFDP fibre ports, also audio-optimised and lots of details like a simple switch to kill port traffic lights and improve sound quality.
While the obvious role of the S100 is for audio systems which do not already have a Melco, it is easy to demonstrate the sound quality benefits in a Melco system as well.
For more information, please visit this LINK or talk to your dealer.
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