Sound Matters - Edition 9
Welcome
Welcome to Sound Matters, Melco Audio’s newsletter designed to keep you updated on Melco news and industry insights.
We hope you are keeping safe and well, and managing to enjoy your music. For those of you who are new to Melco, we offer the world's first audiophile-grade source components to access, store, deliver and play Hi-Res digital music without the use of computer hardware and peripherals. Our digital music libraries are the talk of industry awards and are regularly used by leading audio manufacturers to showcase their devices. If you have any ideas for future content you’d like to see in our newsletter, or would like to write for Sound Matters, please message us at: hello@melco-audio-masters.com Happy reading and enjoy the music! Daniel Raggett, Melco Europe General Manager Managing and sorting large music collections
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Alan Ainslie, Managing Director
Audiophile Digital Music Masters (UK Melco distributor) |
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In case you haven’t been keeping up with SongKong (and, of course, SongKong for Melco),
there has been a steady stream (!) of updates in recent months.
Highlights are many, but of note include:
there has been a steady stream (!) of updates in recent months.
Highlights are many, but of note include:
- Melco easy import of Naim libraries. including the latest versions of Naim Uniti Core metadata
- Easy delete of complete folders from remote UI
- Detailed report for Delete Duplicates – safety check for reasoning for a duplicate
- Classical library features support for V4.10 Melco firmware – most importantly being WORKS instead of ALBUM
- Filename Masks – the subject of this Blog
- Do remember that when trying SongKong actions, you can always use the UNDO FIXES
to restore the original situation.
to restore the original situation.
SongKong also lets you save your settings with a profile name and to clone and rename as profiles are modified.
Filename masks
When browsing and searching to play music, the information usually comes from metadata
associated with the music files.
SongKong is a powerful tool for ensuring that the metadata is accurate, complete and is consistent within a library.
However, metadata is not used by Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder – these file and folder finder computer interfaces use filenames to identify the music files and folders, rather than the metadata.
So, sorting music on a PC will give different results compared to using metadata on a digital player such
as a Melco or your car.
SongKong offers a handy and very powerful function if you like to organise music on a PC: you can set SongKong to make new filenames based on the metadata. This will move the position of albums within a Windows or Finder view as the folder and file names will change to match the metadata, of course. So, be prepared for what will happen if you use this function.
You can rename files based on metadata whether matched or not – it’s safer to select ‘if matched to a release’.
When browsing and searching to play music, the information usually comes from metadata
associated with the music files.
SongKong is a powerful tool for ensuring that the metadata is accurate, complete and is consistent within a library.
However, metadata is not used by Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder – these file and folder finder computer interfaces use filenames to identify the music files and folders, rather than the metadata.
So, sorting music on a PC will give different results compared to using metadata on a digital player such
as a Melco or your car.
SongKong offers a handy and very powerful function if you like to organise music on a PC: you can set SongKong to make new filenames based on the metadata. This will move the position of albums within a Windows or Finder view as the folder and file names will change to match the metadata, of course. So, be prepared for what will happen if you use this function.
You can rename files based on metadata whether matched or not – it’s safer to select ‘if matched to a release’.
- This function on is located in the BASIC menu tab
Default is set to ‘NO’ so that normally whatever happens to metadata, the file stays in Explorer
or Finder in the same place with the same file name.
or Finder in the same place with the same file name.
Renaming files
So let’s go back a step: why are we wanting to rename files when the player does not use file names anyway?
The main reason is housekeeping: the tidying up of libraries when viewed on a computer and to allow sorting (and possibly division) of a library to categorise classical, or HD, for example. Or create small, specialist libraries of all HD classical, perhaps.
For this situation, there is an even more powerful function within SongKong: the Rename Mask function
on the FILE NAMING tab.
So let’s go back a step: why are we wanting to rename files when the player does not use file names anyway?
The main reason is housekeeping: the tidying up of libraries when viewed on a computer and to allow sorting (and possibly division) of a library to categorise classical, or HD, for example. Or create small, specialist libraries of all HD classical, perhaps.
For this situation, there is an even more powerful function within SongKong: the Rename Mask function
on the FILE NAMING tab.
You can create a rename mask for your purposes, but there are many already created by SongKong
The selection below will create a new file name prefixed with HD, providing that the album is indeed Hi-Res.
Similarly, the IsClassical/ HD etc. mask will identify HD which is also classical.
- We can see how this works with this small library:
After running the rename masks
- We get this revised view within Windows for the same library:
- And within the newly created HD folder, we see the HD artist folders and albums:
If we run a different Rename Mask IsClassical:
Then, new folders are created CLASSICAL and ROCK/POP; anything not definitively sorted remains for manual sorting.
- So within classical we now have:
- And similarly within pop:
So the rename mask is a very powerful tool for renaming the album file and folder names to allow for easy maintenance when using PC or a Mac.
Status reports are provided at all stages as either HTML or a spreadsheet.
Status reports are provided at all stages as either HTML or a spreadsheet.
The metadata itself is not alerted beyond the initial processing that SongKong performs to optimise the metadata.
SongKong: more than a re-tagger
As always, the SongKong website is a valuable resource for discovering the power of indispensable music library management tool which is so much more than a simple re-tagger.
So aside from the power of SongKong in creating accurate, complete and consistent metadata for libraries, SongKong is also a great tool to assist managing libraries using file and folder names.
SongKong is within the Melco on V4.10 machines, but the same full license will also apply to SongKong on a networked computer that can also access the Melco Music library and might be a more convenient way to apply SongKong for large libraries.
If you have any questions on how SongKong for Melco can work for you, please speak to your local Melco dealer or comment below.
As always, the SongKong website is a valuable resource for discovering the power of indispensable music library management tool which is so much more than a simple re-tagger.
So aside from the power of SongKong in creating accurate, complete and consistent metadata for libraries, SongKong is also a great tool to assist managing libraries using file and folder names.
SongKong is within the Melco on V4.10 machines, but the same full license will also apply to SongKong on a networked computer that can also access the Melco Music library and might be a more convenient way to apply SongKong for large libraries.
If you have any questions on how SongKong for Melco can work for you, please speak to your local Melco dealer or comment below.
Meet the Melco Master Dealer
In each edition of Sound Matters, we’ll be focussing on one of our Melco Master Dealers. Melco has a unique training program dedicated to creating a network of skilled ‘Master Dealers’ who have been assessed in respect to Melco features, installation and support, as well as advanced Hi-Res Audio techniques and network infrastructure for hi-fi devices.
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In this edition, we’re delighted to introduce you to our Melco Master Dealer, Mike Manning Audio in Yeovil, Somerset.
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Which brands do you sell?
Over the years, we have become more and more audibly critical of the products that we stock. We have never been a 'product of the moment' dealer, preferring to offer a highly selected range, based simply on absolute musicality, with a reliability to match.
Check out our website for our complete product range, but be warned, as we’re not manufacturer collectors, we just offer the ones we feel offer the best performance in their respective price ranges.
Over the years, we have become more and more audibly critical of the products that we stock. We have never been a 'product of the moment' dealer, preferring to offer a highly selected range, based simply on absolute musicality, with a reliability to match.
Check out our website for our complete product range, but be warned, as we’re not manufacturer collectors, we just offer the ones we feel offer the best performance in their respective price ranges.
Why do you do what you do?
It has sadly become overly clichéd, but we want offer our customers the very best musical experience that we can, in their own homes and within their own budgets! With our experience of over 45 years in this industry, we make no apologies for saying that we are in a good position to do this successfully for our customers.
It has sadly become overly clichéd, but we want offer our customers the very best musical experience that we can, in their own homes and within their own budgets! With our experience of over 45 years in this industry, we make no apologies for saying that we are in a good position to do this successfully for our customers.
What do you enjoy about Melco?
Quite simply, its ability to allow so much enjoyment from stored music libraries. The sensations of speed, timing and dynamics are absolutely stunning and very non-digital! Noise levels are the absolute lowest that we have ever experienced and that’s from a huge range of streaming-type components that we have auditioned over the last few years. Build quality is typically Japanese, i.e. superb, but quite understated.
Just get a listen to a Melco N100 EX connected to Accuphase's cheapest amplifier with a built-in DAC-50 board through any decent speaker and say that you are not absolutely bowled over by the massive musical insight into your music.
Quite simply, its ability to allow so much enjoyment from stored music libraries. The sensations of speed, timing and dynamics are absolutely stunning and very non-digital! Noise levels are the absolute lowest that we have ever experienced and that’s from a huge range of streaming-type components that we have auditioned over the last few years. Build quality is typically Japanese, i.e. superb, but quite understated.
Just get a listen to a Melco N100 EX connected to Accuphase's cheapest amplifier with a built-in DAC-50 board through any decent speaker and say that you are not absolutely bowled over by the massive musical insight into your music.
New Melco Firmware v4.10
On February the 25th, we released a new over-the-air firmware update (v4.10) which brings Roon Ready integration to our five-strong EX Series of libraries, allowing Melco EX users old and new, to enjoy the full potential of Roon 1.8.
The update has already been automatically sent to owners of Melco’s current EX Series (or EX Series-updated) digital music libraries and can be simply installed from the front panel, by following the on-screen prompts.
Additional FW update features include markerless DSD compatibility for a greater number of devices, Twonky server stability improvements, plus web page stability improvements.
Further features include a screen saver dimmer mode, the ability to turn the dedicated PLAYER port off also on the N1A and N1Z models (for sound quality), plus improved language tables for French and German users.
You can read the full release notes here: https://www.melco-audio.com/downloads/
Please contact your Melco dealer with any queries on the update.
The update has already been automatically sent to owners of Melco’s current EX Series (or EX Series-updated) digital music libraries and can be simply installed from the front panel, by following the on-screen prompts.
Additional FW update features include markerless DSD compatibility for a greater number of devices, Twonky server stability improvements, plus web page stability improvements.
Further features include a screen saver dimmer mode, the ability to turn the dedicated PLAYER port off also on the N1A and N1Z models (for sound quality), plus improved language tables for French and German users.
You can read the full release notes here: https://www.melco-audio.com/downloads/
Please contact your Melco dealer with any queries on the update.
In the press
Industry-wide appreciation for Melco products:
Stereoplus - (Norway) named the N100 music library a ‘Product of the Year’ and awarded a five-star review
Hi-Fi Choice - UK: The Melco N100 featured in the 'Hi-Fi of the Year 2020' issue as the digital music library Group Test Winner
What Hi-Fi? - Best music streamers 2021 features Melco’s entry-level N100 music library
HiFi And Music Source - features an interview with Melco Europe GM, Dan Raggett and takes a look at our N100 music library
Stereoplus - (Norway) named the N100 music library a ‘Product of the Year’ and awarded a five-star review
Hi-Fi Choice - UK: The Melco N100 featured in the 'Hi-Fi of the Year 2020' issue as the digital music library Group Test Winner
What Hi-Fi? - Best music streamers 2021 features Melco’s entry-level N100 music library
HiFi And Music Source - features an interview with Melco Europe GM, Dan Raggett and takes a look at our N100 music library
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