killdozzer
Major Contributor
It's been an ordeal (lasted much longer than my last couple of questions in the other thread)!
IMPORTANT: Don't update the NAS!!!
- this is where I'd like to start because it all comes to this later on. Version 7.2 changed and different steps may be required IF it can be done at all. It's possible you could still do it, but I can't vouch.
Now the good news:
Yes, your old Synology NAS can work as a streamer directly connected to any old amp!
What you need (I use Synology NAS DS220j - Firmware version 6.2):
- USB-DAC (I bought the cheapest thing in the ads for test purposes and got it to work)
- 3,5mm jack to 2xRCA out adapter (I'll switch this to a single 3,5mm-male-jack-to-2xRCA-male-connections cable just for the sake of neatness)
- a regular interconnecting cable RCA to RCA (which will become unnecessary if I do what I say in the brackets above)
In Package Center of your NAS, Install Audio Station (it's free):
After you've installed it, two things you need to set up.
1. Go to Audio Station / Settings / Advance:
Check the 'Enable high quality output for USB speakers' option and click OK.
2. Look to the bottom of your Audio station to find the red circled icon:
This toggles between My Computer and USB speakers and in fact sends signal this way or that way. (I was actually looking for this last step for an hour. They kept mentioning My computer icon and I didn't have a first clue where to look for that.)
I didn't use DoP, not for any audio-quality related reason, but because guide had this to say (it's an option right beneath the USB option in the first step):
Stats say that even my rather weak NAS machine doesn't sweat much to do this:
Mind you, RAM is always close to 50%, even when idle.
And that's it! You'll hear your FLACs from your NAS directly over your main speakers system. I assume this means you could send the digital signal to a MiniDSp as well and EQ it.
I'll put few more info in following comments and of course, ask if I skipped over something.
IMPORTANT: Don't update the NAS!!!
- this is where I'd like to start because it all comes to this later on. Version 7.2 changed and different steps may be required IF it can be done at all. It's possible you could still do it, but I can't vouch.
Now the good news:
Yes, your old Synology NAS can work as a streamer directly connected to any old amp!
What you need (I use Synology NAS DS220j - Firmware version 6.2):
- USB-DAC (I bought the cheapest thing in the ads for test purposes and got it to work)
- 3,5mm jack to 2xRCA out adapter (I'll switch this to a single 3,5mm-male-jack-to-2xRCA-male-connections cable just for the sake of neatness)
- a regular interconnecting cable RCA to RCA (which will become unnecessary if I do what I say in the brackets above)
In Package Center of your NAS, Install Audio Station (it's free):
After you've installed it, two things you need to set up.
1. Go to Audio Station / Settings / Advance:
Check the 'Enable high quality output for USB speakers' option and click OK.
2. Look to the bottom of your Audio station to find the red circled icon:
This toggles between My Computer and USB speakers and in fact sends signal this way or that way. (I was actually looking for this last step for an hour. They kept mentioning My computer icon and I didn't have a first clue where to look for that.)
I didn't use DoP, not for any audio-quality related reason, but because guide had this to say (it's an option right beneath the USB option in the first step):
Note:
- Only 2-channel DSD64 and DSD128 files are supported if you enable DSD over PCM (DoP) output for USB speakers.
- Once you enable DSD over PCM (DoP) output for USB speakers, both DSD64 and DSD128 files will be played via DoP. For example, a DAC that only supports DSD64 cannot play DSD128 files.
Stats say that even my rather weak NAS machine doesn't sweat much to do this:
Mind you, RAM is always close to 50%, even when idle.
And that's it! You'll hear your FLACs from your NAS directly over your main speakers system. I assume this means you could send the digital signal to a MiniDSp as well and EQ it.
I'll put few more info in following comments and of course, ask if I skipped over something.
Last edited: