R_volution NAS Storage ULTRA

R_volution Ultra Storage NAS: the 8-bay media server

Centralizing thousands of films, concerts, and albums on a single device and streaming them throughout the house in native quality: that is the promise of the Ultra Storage NAS. This enhanced version of R_volution’s Storage NAS adds a 2.5 GbE network link, a fourth simultaneous UHD streaming zone, and a redesigned cooling system—three improvements that directly address the limitations of the previous model.

Eight bays for an uncompressed library

The chassis holds eight 3.5” SATA hard drives, all mounted on hot-swappable trays. With eight 16 TB drives, raw capacity reaches 128 TB—enough to store around 2,000 4K UHD films, 3,200 HD films, or 192,000 music files, all without compression or quality loss. Hard drives are not included: you are free to choose the capacity and brand.

The system is expandable. When space starts to run out, simply add drives to the available bays. Multiple Ultra Storage NAS units can also be grouped into a single logical system for the largest collections.

Data protection: hardware RAID 5 and hot spare drive

RAID management is handled by a hardware controller, not by a software layer. The Ultra Storage NAS supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and JBOD modes, with a clear recommendation for RAID 5: in the event of a drive failure, data is automatically rebuilt onto the hot spare drive, with no interruption to playback and no server shutdown. The failed drive can be replaced hot, tray by tray, one at a time.

This continuous 24/7 operation makes sense in a high-end home environment where the server feeds multiple rooms at all times. The trade-off of RAID 5 is well known: part of the total capacity is dedicated to parity (about one drive out of the total), and write performance is lower than with RAID 0.

Multiroom streaming: four simultaneous UHD streams

The Ultra Storage NAS streams up to four independent UHD video streams over the local network, compared with three for the standard version. Each room equipped with an R_volution player can play different content (a film in the living room, a series in the bedroom, a concert in the office) without the streams interfering with each other.

On the network side, the 2.5 GbE interface (2,500 Mbit/s) offers throughput 2.5 times higher than standard Gigabit Ethernet. This is a welcome gain for simultaneous streaming of large files, in 4K UHD or 8K, across several zones at once. Detection on the local network is automatic: simply connect the NAS to the network and to power.

For video playback, each TV or projector requires a dedicated R_volution media player. The NAS does not connect directly to a screen.

Video: 4K, 8K, HDR, and Dolby Vision

The Ultra Storage NAS supports 4K UHD and 8K UHD resolutions, the HEVC (H.265) codec, and the BT.2020 color space. For HDR, all three standards coexist: HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. Films are played from the first frame, with no disc menus, warnings, or advertisements.

The R_video software, built into the NAS, automatically identifies stored films and retrieves posters, synopses, technical sheets, and metadata from a database of more than 1.2 million titles. The R_video interface is displayed at 60 frames per second on the R_volution player connected to the TV, with sorting by genre, rating, date, or duration.

Audio: from FLAC to Dolby Atmos

The audio side covers two distinct worlds. For home theater, the NAS handles Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X, DTS-HD Master Audio, AC-4, and multichannel PCM. For music listening, all high-resolution formats are supported: FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, and DSD in both stereo and multichannel.

The Roon server is built in. With an active Roon subscription, the NAS music library becomes accessible from a computer, tablet, or smartphone via the Roon interface, with gapless playback between tracks. Audio streaming also works with third-party network speakers and systems (Sonos, Bluesound, and other compatible devices), extending listening to rooms not equipped with an R_volution player.

A compact format for an 8-bay server

At 316 × 285 × 208 mm and weighing about 9 to 10 kg (without drives), the Ultra Storage NAS remains compact for a server of this capacity. The 650 W power supply may seem generous, but actual power consumption is around 62 W, a reasonable level for continuous operation.

The servo-assisted ventilation, redesigned compared with the standard model, keeps noise levels low. R_volution claims operation that is 50% quieter than the non-Ultra version, a point that matters when the NAS is installed in the same room as the screen or audio system.

What the Ultra version changes compared with the standard model

The standard Storage NAS remains a functional product, but the Ultra version addresses several pain points. The move from 1 GbE to 2.5 GbE reduces the risk of network saturation during simultaneous streaming across multiple zones. The fourth UHD zone opens the door to more extensive multiroom installations. And the 50% increase in processing power improves stability under load when multiple players are using the NAS at the same time.

The improved ventilation logically accompanies this increase in power, to prevent the performance gain from being paid for in noise or heat.

Technical Specifications

Network Connectivity

• Ethernet Interface: 2.5 GbE (2.5 Gigabit)
• Simultaneous streaming up to 4 UHD zones
• Independent multi-user access per room
• Automatic detection on local network
• Access from PC / Mac via network sharing

Storage

• 8 × 3.5” SATA HDD bays
• Hot-swap replacement
• Supported RAID modes
  • RAID 0
  • RAID 1
  • RAID 5 (recommended)
  • JBOD
• Hot spare supported
• Automatic RAID 5 rebuild
• Protection against drive failure
• Continuous operation even with a failed drive

Theoretical Capacity

• Up to 192,000 music files
• Up to 19,200 SD videos
• Up to 3,200 HD movies
• Up to 2,000 4K UHD movies

Streaming and Multiroom Use

• Video multiroom up to 4 UHD zones
• Audio multiroom throughout the home
• Simultaneous playback of different content per room
• One R_volution player required per TV
• Independent streaming per room

Supported Video Formats

• Resolutions: 4K UHD, 8K UHD
• HDR: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
• Codec: HEVC (H.265)
• Color space: BT.2020

Supported Audio Formats

• High-fidelity audio: Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X, DTS-HD MA, AC-4, multichannel PCM
• Hi-Res audio: FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF
• Stereo and multichannel DSD

Built-in Software and Services

• R_video (Media Center)
  • Automatic movie detection
  • Automatic retrieval of posters, synopses, cast, and metadata
  • Sorting by genre, rating, date, duration
  • Database of 1.2 million movies
• Integrated Roon Server
  • Audiophile audio management
  • Multi-device interface (PC, tablet, smartphone)
  • Gapless playback

Installation and Use

• Plug & Play, no complex network configuration required
• Management possible via R_volution remote control

Cooling and Acoustics

• Servo-assisted ventilation
• Very low noise level, optimized for home theater
• Continuous 24/7 operation

Physical and Electrical Specifications

• 8 hot-swap bays
• Power supply: 650 W
• Power consumption: approximately 62 W
• Weight: approximately 9 to 10 kg
• Dimensions: 316 × 285 × 208 mm

Key Differences Between Ultra and Standard Version

• 2.5 GbE network interface (faster)
• 4 UHD zones instead of 3
• 50% higher processing power
• Improved ventilation
• Increased stability under load

General Information

The R_volution NAS Storage Ultra is a high-end 8-bay network-attached storage server designed for lossless movie and music storage, 4K UHD multiroom streaming, advanced home theater use (HDR, Dolby Vision, Atmos), and centralized multimedia library management.