Hello, I now have a separate issue regarding Naim rips (nothing at all to do with iTunes now), all within Naim ecosystem. I am trying to figure out how to edit Naim HDX rips that now reside on my NAS, specifically a compilation album (eg KFOG Live from the Archive 14). I use the N-serve app, the server is a Naim HDX. On the N-serve app the Artist shows as Various Artists (which is correct- it appears Naim don’t use Album Artist at all), but the Performer field does not show for any of tracks. There are other Various Artist albums on the NAS in which Performers, and Composers do show- but I can’t figure out how to make them show for this particular Various Artist album. The SK report correctly gives the Artist and the Album Artist etc.! see screen shot Screen Shot 2022-12-16 at 4.25.37 PM|569x500 I suspect what SK labels ‘Album Artist’, Naim calls simply ‘Artist’; and what SK calls ‘Artist’, Naim calls ‘Performer’. Is there a way to deal with this? Thank you
Naim rips on a NAS
The purpose of the SongKong naim option is to put the metadata held in the separate naim files into the file themselves so the metadata can be read by non naim servers. But if you are you are stlill using them with naim server what SongKong does is going to make no difference to what information the naim server serves to the naim app because it will be using its separate metadata files.
Or have I misunderstood the problem?
I understand the purpose of the Naim option. What I wish to do is take a Naim rip, incorporate the Naim metadata into the WAV (Naim option), then have SongKong change the metadata in the new file. Then I’d replace the original rip with the SK newly modified file back. I just don’t know what setting to make in SK. Is this possible?
Do you mean you want SongKong to modify the data in the naim metadata files so you have better metadata then Naim originally gave you when playing files using Naim server, sorry this is not currently possible, you are the first to ask for such a thing.
I suppose this could be a useful feature, it would allow naim users a way to get better metadata for their files.
But a few problems for me, firstly I don’t have tech specifications for naim, so I’m not 100% sure how the metadata is shown to end users, the later naim models actually have metafata from multiple sources on their files.
I have no presence in the naim community, and indeed not possible to join the naim forums. So if I added such a feature not hopeful it would get the required attention to be worth the effort.
No, I don’t want SongKong to modify the naim metadata files. I’m asking whether it is possible for SongKong to write the correct metadata directly to the WAV files, in a way that the naim server reads it correctly- the naim sidecar files can then be discarded as they would unused (and they are incomplete). So far I have been unable to configure SK in a way that a compilation album reflects the correct album artist and individual track artists. I do know that then Naim server is able to provide this info, as I have other Naim compilation rips that show correctly the album artist (Various Artists) and track artists (Performers), along with other metadata.
Naim server doesn’t read the metadata from wav files, that’s why it has its own metadata files !
So it doesn’t matter what we write to the wav files it won’t make any difference to your naim server.
Ah- the penny dropped! Thanks for stating what was obvious to you but unknown to me (i.e that Naim servers can read only their own proprietary sidecar files). At some point in the future when my old Naim HDX dies, I might purchase a non-Naim server to play all the Naim wav rips currently residing on my NAS. Am I correct thinking that if I have used SongKong to embed the Naim sidecar metadata in the wav files, that most/many servers could read that metadata? I ask because I find it strange that Apple Music app can’t see that embedded metadata, and I wonder how common that is. Thanks for the terrific support! Much appreciated.
Originally Wav only supported very basic metadata, but the ID3 format (as used by mp3s) has been widely accepted as a way to store more metadata for many years. Unfortunately when Apple Music/iTunes first loads wav files into library it assumes has no metadata and only updates it from manual editing with iTunes itself. However if you have SongKong configured to Save to iTunes on the Basic tab when it adds/updates the wav file to library it copies the metadata direct into iTunes lib.
Most modern applications can read the embedded metadata from wav files.
Excellent- thanks for the explanation, Paul. I’m all set for now.