Cocktail Audio X14 vs Brennan B2

[RockyP]

Hi,

Anyone do a comparison? Is the Cocktail Audio X14 better because it has a better processor? Other specs to consider? DAC better?

[Mark Fishman]

I have an X12 (the model that was replaced by the X14), in addition to my B2. One major difference, which adds some flexibility for classical music in particular, is that the Cocktail Audio devices make extensive use of metadata tags; the Brennan devices don't use tags at all. Another difference is that the Cocktail Audio devices can record from Internet radio streams, and the Brennan ones can't.

I find the B2's web interface to be much nicer than the X12's, though: easier to use, as well as displaying more info.

Whether that's "better" depends on what you need, of course.

[Mark Fishman]

Also, the B2 can act as a NAS (network drive), and the X12 can't; but the X12 is a more flexible DLNA server because of its use of tags.

You get more frequent software updates from Brennan, with new features, than you get from Cocktail Audio.

[Mark Fishman]

I received a private reply from RockyP; here's the exchange:

On Tue, Jul 13, 2021 at 6:56 PM RockyP <...> wrote:

Can you please explain what a NAS is?

     Network Attached Storage. It's a way of making a disk, or a device with a disk, look like it's just another accessible disk drive that happens to be out on the network somewhere, instead of attached directly to your computer (not even via USB). MS-Windows folder sharing is kind of a similar thing.

Also what is a DLNA server?

     Here's an article that explains it probably better than I can:

https://www.minitool.com/news/dlna-server.html

and then I received:

On Tue, Jul 13, 2021 at 8:47 PM Rakesh P <...> wrote:

Still don't understand NAS and DLNA server. Can you please explain what each is used for especially with regards to these 2 devices? Why have it? What can I do with it? etc.

If anyone else wants to try to explain, please jump in. Thanks -- m. 

[Daniel Taylor]

Rocky,

NAS (Network Attached Storage) is just what it says it is.  Rather than being physically connected by USB cable or internally connected, it is out on your network.  But you can treat it the same as if it was connected more conventionally.  There are music playing programs that take advantage of NAS.

DLNA is a way of connecting different pieces of music playing hardware on a network, line a network drive with music on it and a device that powers speakers.  Various companies use different methods to accomplish that.  One way is DLNA.  There are others.

If you'd like more assistance with questions you have, please post in the forum rather than contacting people privately.

[Daniel Taylor]

"line a network drive" should be "like a network drive"

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Rocky,

NAS is a function built in to the B2.  NAS is also provided in PCs, Macs, Chromebooks etc.  With NAS enabled, the B2's internal hard disk drive 'Music' folder will show up on your PC's Windows Explorer (or Mac Finder) as just another folder.  So, from your PC/ Mac you can drag and drop music folders and files that are really on the B2.  You can edit your artist, album and track names without touching the B2.

It is a hugely useful feature if, like me, your music collection needs to be cleaned up.  It is so much quicker making the changes from a PC/Mac than trying to use the WebUI or the B2 front panel.

If you look at the attached jpg file hopefully this will help.  This is a screenshot of Windows Explorer on my laptop.  Marker 1 shows my B2 showing as 'Brennan-B2' (I have two B2s so the 'BrennanB2-1' shows just above this entry.  Marker 2 points to a list of the B2's artist folders.  So the NAS functionlets you cess the B2's 'music' folders directly, as if those folders were on the PC.

Regards,

Peter.

[Rik]

With Brennan as NAS you can also play its music from your laptop or tablet/phone with a program or app like VLC in a different part of the house. 

[RockyP]

What about streaming music on B2 on my phone at a cafe with wifi access?

[Mike W]

Rocky, to be honest if you are struggling with issues such as NAS then setting up to achieve remote access to your Brennan will be a very steep learning curve....

Mike

[RockyP]

Can you stream the content on your B2s from anywhere in the world with wifi access?

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Hi Rocky,

This has been looked at by users on this forum (with some measure of success)

see this thread link

HOWEVER, the Brennan units are designed to sit on an be "visible" with a Local Area Network (LAN) - ie within a house rather than across the internet.

The steps to make a unit visible across the internet involve doing things on your house Router and, in my humble opinion, could compromise the security your router affords your home IT setup.

In my view copying your music collection to a phone or computer  (or a BB1) you have with you when "away from home" and playing it that way is a better bet.

Fred

[JFBUK]

Hi Rocky,

In addition to Fred’s wise suggestions you might want to consider copying the music you  want available  outside of your home to some 

Cloud based storage that you can access from anywhere you have internet access. Google , Microsoft, and various others provide a limited amount of storage for free so you can try it out first.

John

[Jeff. M.]

Fred, been away for a few days, every spare moment spent on my phone, deleting, renaming, etc on music back up. So I now have my B23 music on my phone! Also found a new app called hifi cast. So now I can play to Google devices, TVs and other Dlna devices. So that's me sorted!