Pre-Purchase questions from an audiophile looking for a simple (affordable) NAS-like setup

WD External Drives My Passport Wireless
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I am starting to consider RIPing my collection of about 1000 CD to FLAC.

I want to set up a central repository for these music files.  Before I start this process I have a few fundamental questions about MPW.  Most basic question, is there really a difference between a NAS and the MPW device? If so,

is it more of a technical distinction without a practical difference?

I assume that I connect the MPW to my GigiBit router.  This router is directly connected to my general purpose work Desktop (not my music server) and I will do all the set up on this computer.

Questions:

  • Now my music server is a laptop and is connected via WiFi (can be hardwired if necessary).  When I get to the music server I will be able to see the MPW drives, right?

  • If I use my desktop to RIP the CDs can I direct the RIP to the MPW drive?

  • On to my Andriod and iOS devices, can I also see the MPW drives on those devices? Is there a WD Passport app for both?

Now, a question on the physical location of these music files and what software can play what.
-On the music server I am using JRiver. Will JRiver see the MPW drive? If this music server is connected via wifi, is the music file actually being sent via wifi at the time it plays OR is the album / song loaded onto the music server (JRiver library)  before it actually plays.

-When I am looking at the JRiver library are the files actually on the music server or are they a “view” to the MPW?

-On my Andriod device (Kindle HDx)  I use JetAudio.  Will Jet Audio see the MPW and also physically load the file before playing?

-Can I add another 2TB MPW to my repository if the need arises in the future?

Bottom line, I am old school - love wires when it comes to music.  I want to make sure that if I go
with this Passport Wireless setup that  I can still get the highest quality music from my system. To my thinking
the more hard connections the better, but I still want the convenience where possible.

Thank you for your replies.

Jay.

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Welcome to the Community.

With regards to behavior and sharing, I would not consider it a NAS at its core although with very specific technicalities involved with regards to behavior. Considering the device is portable and also allows for a direct USB connection then it is a much more practical device than a standard NAS. However, it does not allow file sharing in the same way as a standard NAS. The device can not be normally connected to a router because it doesn’t feature an Ethernet port and instead broadcasts its own wireless signal for the connection.

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Thank you for the reply and shedding some light on the differences. So no Ethernet file sharing, just slower Wifi?

Just to be certain, the files can be shared via Wifi, right? And I can “see” the files from one device to another via

the WiFi connection?

I would like to presnt a different senerio. Will this work?

Desktop PC has the MPW connected to it via USB. A Music Server is connected to a home network (via Ethernet) and can see the Desktop and therefore the MPW attached to it? Is that a correct assumption? If true, can I share the files from desktop to music server using Gigabit xfer rates (not wifi)?

Lastly, you didn’t reply to my question regarding additional MPW.  Can they somehow be grouped or only be looked at as independent external USB drives?

Thank you,

Jay

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Not only over WiFi; The My Passport Wireless can also be used as a regular external hard drive by using its USB port. Yes, the files can be shared over WiFi once a device is connected to the MPW

When working as a USB drive, the hard drive will follow local access rules. This means that the hard drive will need to be manually configured and granted network share permissions managed by the desktop computer when connected by USB. Full Gigabit transfers require a hard-wired connection from point A to point B. The moment the connection goes wireless at any point the bandwidth automatically becomes limited, but if both the Desktop and Music Server are directly y connected to the same Gigabit router/switch then this should not be an issue as long as proper sharing permissions are applied.

The devices are seen independently. They do not feature a joint-capacity data link or RAID feature. The My Passport Pro does though.

1 Like
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@ HiRez_Lover 

I consider myself an audiophile as well.  I have excellent playback equipment, and a large collection of music; over 2000 CDs, over 2000 LPs, and hundreds of digital downloads from a service called eMusic.  I also have a lot of my music collection in digital format and accessable to many devices on my home network as well as from cloud servers via the internet.  I can listen to my digital music through the stereo, on a bluetooth speaker, as well as on iPhones, iPads and Kindles.  The music can be served up from various hard drives on my network, including the new WD MPW or another wireless drive I have from Seagate.  I love new gadgets as much as I love music!

I have had the MPW for a few months, [Deleted].  I love it.  It is currently on my network which makes it more convenient to use at home, and it can easily be removed and used as a portable wireless drive if and when I want to do so.  When I travel, I take the other wireless drive with me – it costs less, so If I lose it on my travels it is less of a a “hit” to me and my wallet.  This brings me to say now, I do not think the MPW or any wireless drive is suitable for what you want to do.  I think the right capacity stationary hard drive is best suited for the task.  Preferable a NAS device like the My Cloud family of storage units.  Perhaps Trancer can suggest something “better” than the My Could family, but with a 1000 CDs you really won’t have that much data stored (even as FLAC files) so a NAS connected to an excellent home network (by having a gigabit router to run the show) could do the job. 

As far as I know, FLAC is the best digital file for storing CDs to, but for me, I have no desire to digitize my entire collection when I have the CDs I can listen to.  I have opted to digitize lots of my favorite music as hi-quality mp3 files (192 VBR files) that play on any of today’s devices, because digital music to me is all about convenience and portability – not to duplicate CD quality to the n’th degree.  That said, I have digitized many CDs (using iTunes program) and A-B 'ed them with the CD (and LP) using speakers and headphones, and I cannot tell the difference.  Really, I tried hard.  iTunes has some tweeks in the program to get the best out of digitizing – the bit rate is just one of them.  But, I am not saying don’t make FLAC fijes; no way, if that is what you have your heart set on.

If you don’t have a gigabit router and a dual-band model for wireless, look into setting one up.  My entire home network is wired when possible, since fortunately the home came prewired for that.  You may want more on your storage devices than music that you can stream; (like hi-def video and photos).  A network like I describe can do this. There are ways to convert DVDs and Blu-rays you own to a format that can stream to your TV and mobile devices.  Just this week I watched movies from my DVD collection on my iPad while on an airplane by using my portable wireless drive to serve up the movie.  How cool is that!

So, to sum it up: As cool as the MPW is, I do not consider it a primary storage device of mine; it duplicates media I have stored on drives elsewhere.  It is first and foremost a portable device; i.e. a hard drive for your mobile life and gadgets.

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Thanks a million Mike,

Your information was very on point.

I will look into the My Cloud in more detail.

Jay.