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First, let me state that I am not making any negative claims about ANY product or seller. I am sincerely hoping that my difficulty with getting my Mach2 (really just a Mac-Mini) functioning properly as a Music Server is due to my own inexperience/ignorance of it's operation.
First, I decided Not to try and copy my hundreds of Windows WAVE music files from my Western Digital PC hard drive to my Apple formated 1 TB fire wire external drive. I will attempt to re-copy eac cd one at a time as AIFF files (they wil then have cover art etc.). But, I have thirty HDTracks FLAC music files , both red book and high resolution on the WD drive. I decided to use the Pure Music 1.7 upgrade which allows Pure Music to play FLAC files on my Mach2.
Here is is problem. There are no (at least not obvious to me) directions for how to use the Mac-Mini as a music server. What specific order (1, 2, 3,4, 5 etc...) and how should I properly proceed when bringing the contents of my Oyen external hard drives' FLAC files into the Apple Mac-Mini? I am pleading with someone to please,please offer me a by the numbers steps of proceedures to properly get my music files onto my Mac-Mini, and how to get them to play consistantly.
So far. I have been using he "bibray Import" function to at least get my Flac music files from the Oyen drive to "A" window within the Mac-Mini.
I am then able to see the list of all album folders that I have brought over. Next I choose one of the music title foldrs and open it up to to individual music files (songs). I then double click on a song to play it.
Here is when One of three events take place. The chosen/selected song appears to play but there is NO sound (this happens about 10% of the time). Next. I choose and select a song (double click) and the screen goes blank! Needles to say,no music. This happens 80% of the time.
Last. Apperently doing nothing that I have recognized differently, I again choose/select a song and BAM! the bottom third of the computer monitor (a rectangular box) is filled with lists of my FLAC music songs from numerous albums. Directly above this box is a smaller rectagular box. A song (not one of my choosing) is already playing through my audio system. I am able to select a song from the list in the lower box by clicking on it. this song then appears in the upper box where I can select and actually play it through my system. This, at least seemingly fuctional process only happens about 10% of the time.
As an aside. One of my FLAC 24/96 HDTracks has really gone screwy. Half of the music files are now 16/96 instead of 24/96. So, I tried to drag this entire album to the trash been and tried to drag and drop this album once again from the WD hard drive to the Oyen. This feature no longer fuctions. Whats up with that?
FIRST and far more important. I am asking for the obviously experiencedand successful users of the Mac-Mini as a Music Server to PLEASE write an easily followed Mac-Mini (Mach2 should not make a difference)set of instructions so that the IGNORANT, such as myself can do this correctly without all of the frustrations and constant failures.
Thanks for your patience.
Lance A.
Follow Ups:
First, let me say how very grateful I am to each of you who reached out to try and assist me on this forum. I will return the favor if ever my help is needed.
However, this pertains to all who are new to trying to develope a Mac-Mini music server system. Of course this remarkable level of unsefish assistance will work for any Apple computer used to play music but paticularly affects my Mach2 version of the Mac-Mini.
Rob Robinson of Channel D (Pure Music) not only answered my desperate request for help, but he picked up the phone and called me. Within minutes he had us connected through "Team Viewer" and thoroughly investigated the music server portion of my new Mach2 Mac Mini, of course fitted with Pure Music.
Rob took me from completely and hopelessly ignorant about the very complicated World of Apple cofiguration and actually personally encoded every one of my HDTracks FLAC music files to compatibility with Apple and Pure Music. He did not simply perform the functions, he made certain that I was learning and completely understood the totally foreign processes needed to get the job done and pay it forward when necessary.
So, my suggestion if you want an Apple based Music Server, then I strongly recommend considering "Pure Music" as the player. It is admitadly stripped down visually and functionally right now when compared with one of it's PC counter parts, J River 15 (that I purchased three weeks ago). But while on the phone watching Ron completely configure my Mac-Mini to perform it's best as a music server, he told me of his endless planned upgrade paths for Pure Music, starting with it's very recent capability to play all resolution of FLAC files.
Thank you Rob. You are a very rare breed among Audio professionals. So far you and Lowther America's Jon Ver Halen have proven that unselfish humanity means more to you both than making more money from me. I'm sure that others have similar stories. At least I hope so. If so then spread the word so that I/we can support these rare individuals in the future.
Thanks again to all on this forum who answered my call.
Lance A.
Hey Chopper,
Glad you got it figured out.
I can't wait to hear your review.
And thanks for proving what I thought I knew: Mac is no more intuitive than anything else. It it truly were would they even offer classes??
No one here remembers the bending of our minds
dawnrazor,
So far I think that it sounds wonderful. That being said, a word of warning to potential purchasers. Mach2 spells out in their policy that thy are not intending to offer technical support for this unintuitive product that they sell. If it wasn't for Rob of Channel D (Pure Music), who only required thirty minutes to get the Mach2 functioning then I would have returned the unit and purchased a basic Mac-Mini from an Apple store where they offer excellent customer sevice and support.
I just bought a new Mac Mini from MacMall. They installed a 120GB SSD, 8GB Ram, and I received it the next day. I also had some trouble moving files over from my older mini, so I called them and one of the technicians helped me out.
Shakey,
This is as it should be. Comgats on making the correct purchasing decision. Customer support is the lifes blood of any sucrssfull business.
I have learned through this experience to do a better job myself.
Lance A.
...you may try and get in contact w/ Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio. He posts here and seems to really know his way around using the Mac-mini as a music server. Hope you get it resolved before you go on a killing spree!
Lance,
I played around with Pure Music's FLAC import the other day. When you downloaded Pure Music 1.7, it should have included a Users Guide that walks you through the process. Nevertheless, perhaps I can give you a quick start.
What you do is to open Pure Music and select "Add FLAC/Convert Sample Rate..." from the "Pure Music" menu. This opens the necessary conversion window. For what you want, check the box at the top to "Access FLAC files from iTunes library to play in Pure Music". Then, at the bottom of the box, click the "twisty" for the Sample Rate Converter" and make sure that the "Sample Rate Converter" box is unchecked. You can then click the twister again to close that section of the window. Finally, drag a FLAC file from your hard drive into the "Add FLAC..." window. When you drag the file over the window, but before you release the mouse button, the window should darken slightly and its border should change to blue. While it is processing the files, the number of "Active I/O threads" and "Remaining" should jump to something above 0, depending on how many files you dragged in. Once it is done processing, you should find the files in the iTunes music window, ready to be played.
[Please note that I was using that window a little differently. I was trying to have it change an AIFF file to Apple Lossless (which it does without converting 24 bit to 16 bit, as does iTunes) to a lower sample rate (192> 96). However, you are supposed to use the same window for both tasks, so the process should be the same. My experience was mixed. Although it brought the file in and converted it to Apple Lossless with the desired sample rate conversion, the tag information got scrambled. It appeared to pick up artist and album information from the file structure the track was in, or from a recently played album. Also, it left the genre field blank. I hope your experience is better. I presume that PM paid more attention to the play-FLAC-in-iTunes functionality.]
When I download hi-rez FLAC files, I use the application, Max, to convert them to AIFF files. This preserves the tag information and album art on the FLAC. Also, you can have Max move the output files to iTunes, saving you the step of having to drag them into the iTunes music window after conversion. In case you are interested, I have included the link to Max below. It is open-source freeware.
Mach 2 is supposed to provide, as an option, scripts for properly setting up Pure Music. If you ordered those and have run them, I am assuming that should take care of your PM set-up.
If you did not order the PM scripts or want to check the set-up: Go to the Applications/Utilities folder on your Mac and open Audio MIDI Set-up utility. Click on "Built-in Output" on the list on the left and configure it so that it is routed to your internal speakers or some destination other than your main DAC or audio processor. This allows you to set Pure Music to HOG mode. Then go to Pure Music and open the preferences. Under Music Server Settings/Basic, I recommend that you check "Gapless Playback of Tagged Music" and "Preallocate" (since this is a dedicated music server). Then click the "Advanced Audio Setup" button at the bottom of the preferences panel. Under "output device", select the DAC or audio interface that you use for music listening and then check the box to enable exclusive access ("Hog" mode). Then click the button at the bottom to apply the changes selected, which will relaunch Pure Music. These are the key settings for optimal sound quality.
If Pure Music becomes unresponsive, you can reset the handshaking with iTunes by clicking the reset button near the bottom of the PM window.
I look forward to the results of your comparison with your Windows set-up.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Bill
Bill,
I have printed out your advice and am on my way to my music room and the Devil, sorry, I mean the Mach2.
Lance A.
Read this for flac file playback in Pure Music.
Mercman,
Channel D sent me this yesterday. I followed these instructions to a "T". Actually several times to make certain that I had not overlooked anything.
The problem continues. I turn on Itunes. Go into "File" select Import Library. Double click my Oyen Apple formatted fire wire drive. This brings my entire Library of FLAC titles into a window. I then turn on "Pure Music". I am asumming that I need to do this to be able to play different resolution files automatically (and now FLAC files). I then choose/double click on a specific song from a music title. This is when the screen goes BLANK! Lately while the screen goes blank a message also pops up telling me that my file format "FLAC" cannot be played!
I again went through the steps to make sure that everything was done correctly with the 1.7 upgrade to "Pure Music", which affords the opportunity to play FLAC files with Pure Music.
Hell, I can't get Pure Music to work AT ALL.
I am only occasionally able to get my Flac files to play through some bizzare set of circumstances. And the top left of the screen reads "PLAY" not Itunes or Pure music. This is the double rectangular boxes described earlier. Funny thing is, this "what ever setup it is" will play my Flac files, but it does not automatically choose and set the appropriate resolution s for the music. It follows what ever was set within Itunes.
Listen, I am really, really trying here. The sellers have even offered me a return and full refund. I just cannot accept that there are sooo many Mac-Mini Music server users and yet "I" can't make the damned thing work.
I am not sure that Pure Music is (or ever has) working at all with my music. How can I tell if it is? What does a Pure Music properly configured widow with my music files look (supposed to) like?
I was able to get XXHighend software (a notorious bugger) to work flawlessly, with effort on my PC. I had J River purchased, downloaded and fuctioning flawlessly within fifteen mimutes.
Yet, here I am totally stumped by a computer who's claim to being a functionally better and better sounding music server is based on it's simplicity. It is turning out to be FAR from simple!
I cannot even attest that it was configured properly from the guys at "Mach2". I AM "NOT" SAYING THAT IT WAS NOT. I am however asking anyone willing to offer my requested step by step instructions of how I get music from my Oyen external drive (all FLAC files of red book and high resolution mixed music)into the Mach2. Then into Itunes. Then into Pure Music. And finally how to get the music files to play WITHOUT THE SCREEN GOING BLANK OR ALSO TELLING ME THAT MY FLAC FILES CANNOT BE PLAYED.
If someone is willing to walk me through each step done correctly, then I will be able to determine if my own ignorance has been causing me such troublr or is the Mach2 incorrectly configured or do I have a defective Mac-Mini or some bad software.
Lance A
Lance,
If the top left of the screen reads, "Play", that would suggest that you are using the application "Play", which comes pre-installed on the mach2, rather than Pure Music. To open Pure Music, go to the application folder and double click the icon for Pure Music.
Cheers,
Bill
First setup iTunes and select the destination of your library drive in Preferences. Close iTunes and start Pure Music. Follow the instructions I gave you earlier.
Edits: 01/03/11
Mercman,
I am guessing that this is the name given my Oyen hard drive "Mach2"?
Correct me if I am wrong here. I am starting to get punchy at this point.
Lance A.
Mach2 sounds like the name of the internal drive on the Mini. When you plug in your Oyen HD, you will see 2 drives on the desktop. That should anser your question. Just look at the contents. Naturally, without seeing all of this, I can only guess.
Sounds like you are not familiar with Mac. Unfortunately, Mac second-guesses you on everything and does things you dont ask it to do. This makes it easy for dummies, supposedly...
I'm not that handy with Mac either. I just drag-and drop my files into the iTunes window because I use only .wav files and I dont care about album art. If you import or download, then it usually maintains art and tags.
I believe all you need to do is to point iTunes at your new drive location and it will import all of the tracks into iTunes. This is what I did when I changed to an external Firewire RAID.
If it is changing your tracks on playback, then it may be Audio Midi setting at fault. If you are using iTunes by itself, then you MUST go to Utilities-Audio Midi and change the sample-rate to match the file you are trying to play.
IF you are using Pure Music, Amarra or AyreWave, then these changes are made automatically. If you are on Mac, you should be using on of these three anyway.
Steve N.
I don't want to start a Mac vs Windows war but your first sentence seems just crazy to me. "Sounds like you are not familiar with Mac. Unfortunately, Mac second-guesses you on everything and does things you don't ask it to do. This makes it easy for dummies, supposedly..."
I don't think I've ever had a problem with a Mac trying to second guess me on anything or do something I don't want it to do. That is until I try to use Word. ;)
If the original poster is still having trouble, I would suggest maybe making a craigslist post asking for technical assistance. Maybe you can get some teenager to come over and fix it.
One thing you can do is download XLD. It's a very nice free program that converts audio files. It will be able to convert them from WAV to Apple Lossless or whatever you want and it keeps the art as well.
The other problems I really have no idea.
Using a Mac does seem kind of daunting if you try to do things the way you did with a Windows PC, but give it sometime and things will become clearer.
Chad
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