Best Way To Organize Hi Res Library?

[BClarkeVA]

I'm about to start buying some hi-res music to add to the thousands of standard (mainly ALAC) files I've brought in and stored using iTunes as ripper. My files now are stored on a NAS in iTunes directory and organization.

For the hi-res files, including MQA, is there a "best" organization to store them in? I mainly use Roon and Sonos to access music and play on various systems throughout my house.

Thanks for any guidance you can provide.

Bob C

[wkhanna]

I'm about to start buying some hi-res music to add to the thousands of standard (mainly ALAC) files I've brought in and stored using iTunes as ripper. My files now are stored on a NAS in iTunes directory and organization.

For the hi-res files, including MQA, is there a "best" organization to store them in? I mainly use Roon and Sonos to access music and play on various systems throughout my house.

Thanks for any guidance you can provide.

Bob C

Hi Bob.
welcome to the forum.

as far as specific instruction for file organization, it seems to be as much a personal solution as it may be a technical one.
whatever works best for you and the app or apps your using.
sometimes it is just trial and error.

other here may hopefully of me assistance?

[JonMarsh]

One question, do you expect to have duplicates of your "standard resolution" files eventually in high resolution? If so, you might want to have two top level directories. OTOH, what I do is to have two artist directories when I have High Res files and standard- so standard CD resolution stuff goes under each "normal" artist directory, and for artists for which I have high res file, the directory name is something like "Artist" + "Hi-Res"

But Bill is fundamentally right- whatever works for you so that you find the music you want and can differentiate when needed. You might have background playlists that just use standard res versions, for example.

[theSven]

I have started using Lidarr for managing all my music. It organizes all the music into the folder structure I desire. I then have the folder structure that Lidarr organizes added to Roon. This has worked very well. When I buy new CD's and rip them to add to the structure Lidarr will re-organize to the folder structure I have configured. Same goes for buying Albums from hdtracks.com. I'm running Roon and Lidarr on containers in an Unraid NAS build.

[JonMarsh]

Looks like it might be interesting and useful software if you're using Bit Torrent and Usenet feeds. Of course, being the resident curmudgeon in training (Evil Twin is the REAL curmudgeon) I don't use streaming, and have large local libraries organized by artist of CD and HiRes ripped from CD or SACD disk or purchased online from places like HD Tracks or Reference Recordings.

Old school, you'd say... so for example, if I feel like listening to Yes today, if it's my preference I want to be sure I have the Steve Wilson remixes, not the original versions...

In point of fact, I've been running into a number of new HTG people who ONLY do streaming... shocking to someone like me!

[theSven]

Looks like it might be interesting and useful software if you're using Bit Torrent and Usenet feeds. Of course, being the resident curmudgeon in training (Evil Twin is the REAL curmudgeon) I don't use streaming, and have large local libraries organized by artist of CD and HiRes ripped from CD or SACD disk or purchased online from places like HD Tracks or Reference Recordings.

Old school, you'd say... so for example, if I feel like listening to Yes today, if it's my preference I want to be sure I have the Steve Wilson remixes, not the original versions...

In point of fact, I've been running into a number of new HTG people who ONLY do streaming... shocking to someone like me!

Roon is the only part I stream. I ended up in with Lidarr as a bridge between HDTracks, 900 GB of CD's I have archived digitally, and 10 years of iTunes purchases. I needed something that had a folder structure solution to keep it organized when blending all of these different places together. Once my parents finally surrender their vinyl I can start looking into analog, and until then I'm gonna master the digital as best I can...

[technodanvan]

I have yet to get into HDTracks, they never seem to have the hi-res versions of new music I want. At this time I'm also unwilling to purchase a copy of albums I already own on CD.

[theSven]

I have yet to get into HDTracks, they never seem to have the hi-res versions of new music I want. At this time I'm also unwilling to purchase a copy of albums I already own on CD.

Funny it was the same for me, but then I wanted some orchestral music and they had the best quality I could find. Also bought the Jurassic park soundtrack from them. Blur was another for Song 2! It's hit or miss. I also still order CD's which is pretty crazy!

[technodanvan]

I really need to take advantage of their sales sometime. I wanted the David Bowie boxsets but getting physical copies is now cost prohibitive. Just bugs me they cost as much as the physical boxsets did when they were available.

Edit: I suppose to keep this topical, I still use Mediamonkey for ripping CDs and tagging and organizing all my music, regardless of source. There is plenty of stuff it misses that I really should fix someday, but that requires time I could be building stuff. As with many, I use Roon for streaming all my music. I do have a small record collection I've picked up over the years but I really ought to just try and sell or donate it...I don't see myself getting into analog.