No need for a sorry. Thank you. I rather have information now then choosing the wrong thing and being stuck with it.
So the WD NAS isn't good. Because you need to put software on the NAS too? I didn't know that. I only thought it was storage that you could use without a computer. Boy it is complicated.
Ok here is a Synology
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B077DFW4SQ/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_nl_NL=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=Synology+DS218J&qid=1582045688&sr=8-3&th=1 price with 4TB 369€. So yes the price is getting bigger and bigger.
So to offset this price. What would you recommend for raspberry pi device or so? I am getting more and more obscure it seems, lol.
I'll carry on with the info then ;-) Perhaps I should write a cheapskate's guide to quality networked audio...
There are a number of things being done that you can do all in one box, or separate to different boxes connected by a network. Some of the software combines more than one of the functions in a single package.
- File storage / server
- Music/media server
- Music/media client/player - in your listening room(s)
- Control interface - mostly this is via web or phone app, but can be on the client/player too
Most of the software solutions we're talking about can cover pretty much any mix of the above. Some of them can only cover one or two parts of it. It usually makes sense to have the file storage and media server parts on the same machine, but isn't strictly necessary. Volumio and Moode will happily play from a file share on Windows or a NAS.
If you want the cheapest way to get started then you can use your Windows 10 PC as the file storage, and the media server if needed. Get a Pi and stick one of the music player versions on it. That's all the hardware you really need, and it keeps any noisy bits out of your listening area. It's a cheap way to get started and find out what improvements you may need, if any. I suggest the Pi partly because it's inexpensive, and partly because it's got a variety of player software available, each with advantages and disadvantages, so you've got a good chance of finding one that meets your needs without spending anything other than time.
You've already heard the discussion around having all functions in the listening room, how quiet is 'quiet enough', and the trade-offs with cost, silence and storage space.
If you don't want to use the Windows PC, but want to keep the file storage out of the listening room, you need another box. This could be a NAS drive, a PC running Daphile, a Pi with a USB drive running PiCorePlayer, Volumio etc, or one of the more NAS-like software bundles. In this case the PC or Pi are just doing the file storage and music serving part, and you'll need another one in the listening room to do the client part. There's nothing wrong with the WD NAS, but it rules out easily running other media servers on the NAS - whether this is a good trade-off is up to you. Sorry about my old info on which server it runs, but the general UPnP/DLNA preference question remains. If you've got an old PC or laptop that you've not got round to throwing out you could give that a second life.
If you do go down the Pi route I'd recommend the Pi 4, if only to be free of worries about crackles via the USB interface. Most of the software options now support it.