Synology/Open Source iTunes Server vs iTunes Sharing
I've been comparing the iTunes Server software on my Synology DS411slim NAS with using iTunes as a server running on my Mac mini.
I've been using the iTunes/Mac option for years and it works well, but I got to thinking I might be able to power down the mini and have the iTunes server running on the NAS, which runs all the time anyway.
There seem to be no differences sonically - why should there be? But who knows until you try. And the NAS option now seems to be sharing cover art, which it didn't do when I first got the NAS.
One problem. I should say that the entire network has been wireless since we moved. Got it yet?
When connecting to the share from the NAS server, it can take several attempts before the library loads - mine is about 50,000 tracks, I think. No such problems with sharing from iTunes on the Mac.
Once connected and playing, the streams from either source are stable nearly all the time, but I think I've experienced more dropouts from the NAS than the Mac, but as I've had so few, it's difficult to say.