Can I use a Mac mini instead of a UnitiServe?

YES! This is exactly what I do and it works very well. I have an older Mini with a DVD drive that rips and the music is stored on an external G-Drive Mini (500Gb). I then stream to the SuperUniti. The Mac Mini is also connected via USB (HiFace) to a digital input on the SuperUniti so that I can play Spotify and other things via the Mini. The Mini is not connected to a screen (headless) as I don't normally need to see what is going on (put in the CD, it rips it and then spits it out). If I do need to see what is going on then I can see on my iMac via Screen Sharing.

It might be worth getting an older version of a Mini to have the drive already. I removed my 320 Gb hard drive and replaced it with a 60 Gb SSD as I was only using the drive for the Mac software (speeds things up a little and the disc is not spinning all the time).

Also look at VortexBox which gets very good reviews (cue Guido Fawkes...).

Why a Mac Mini?

Regards

Neil

Thanks for the reply. I have limited space and thought the Mini's small footprint would

be nice. OK, now I know what headless mean.

Google VortexBox for a cheaper solution that is highly recommended unless you already have Apple stuff and that is the way you want to go.

Neil

Thanks, I just did, economical and impressive.

Better off with a Vortexbox - mine operates in an all Mac household and streams to iTunes as well (flac to wav). Unfortunately you can use a headless Mac Mini as a Fedora/Vortexbox server - but a custom server will not cost any more.

Tog

The new Mac Mini is excellent - equipped with 256 GB SDD and 750 GB HD, it is a fantastic music player - just connect its new low jitter digital out to one of the many Naim DACs and it plays with aplomb. You don't need a V-Link, hiFace, INT 202 or any async USB any longer - I doubt any of these will improve on the latest built-in optical interface [my V-Link with specially chosen cables is now redundant when put up against this]. I'm stunned at the improvement Apple has made.

However, if streaming is your bag then you can't beat a Vortexbox. Mainly because it works and you just buy the spec that suits you from so many options. What I really like is that you can try it out on an old PC before you take the plunge. 

So if I wanted a music server with a direct S/PDIF connection then I opt for a Mac Mini

If I wanted to stream around the house using Sonos, Apple, Naim or SB or a mixture of these then I'd get me a Vortexbox. I currently use a Vortexbox, but acquired a new Mac Mini or temporary loan.

Which is best: neither, they are both as good as I've heard.

For me, given you can deliver the bits to the DAC, then the quality of DAC and what comes next in the chain is far more important. A Vortexbox + Naim DAC or new Mac Mini + Naim DAC are both excellent. If you want to upgrade then 555PS for the DAC, then Power-LIne then Hi-Line. Of course, the US, NDX and HDX are very good, but I'd spend my money on the DAC, Amp and Speakers along with the power supplies and cables first. 

All the best, Guy 

Does the new mac mini have digital out ? (dc01 cable into mac mini)

The new Mac Mini has a mini Toslink optical out. I think this is the best thing for a computer audio source as it isolates the computer hardware from the audio chain. The Toslink interface is reasonable quality: I'm using a Chord Optichord and am duly impressed: more so than I have been when using this cable previously. A higher quality optical cable may improve things even further. I'm using Decibel as the player because my files were in FLAC. 

All the best, Guy 

Shame though the current Mac Minis no longer come with a CD slot, so you need to rip your CDs elsewhere?

Interesting news about the new low jitter digital out! It will be interesting to see whether the new MBPs will get one too when out next year....

> Shame though the current Mac Minis no longer come with a CD slot, so you need to rip your CDs elsewhere?

That's why you still need a UnitiServe - to rip the CDS with a magic ripper 

Also I'm sure somebody will point out not having CD will improve the sound 

So how does the SQ from the new MacMini compare to your modded W4S ZP90?

The W4S has a slightly warmer feel to the sound (its up-sampling?).  However, the SQ is very close.   Both devices are on a par with the UQ streaming in to the DAC. n terms of playing over my wireless network from the VB then the W4S Sonos works better with absolutely no drop outs. However, the Mac Mini can play with no network at all because of its disc. The UQ is the weakest here, but I think it offers so much more than wireless streaming. 

Where the Mac Mini (and UQ) scores over the W4S is on America's first album which I have in both CD quality and hi-res and the Sonos can only play the CD quality. The hi-res sounds very much like the original vinyl. This to me is the advantage, but as most of my digital files are CD rips .... i

To me, the Naim streamers, W4S Sonos and Mac Mini are all highly viable options to feed a Naim DAC. They don't all sound the same, but they all sound really good. I wouldn't rush out and change from one to the other. The Mac Mini could not live in this company before, but now it seems in can. 

Best way to say it is that if I listen to my old MacBook in to the DAC then I think this is OK, but not great. It seems a bit imprecise and it can be hard to pick out the words. (The V-Link solves most of this). The W4S ZP90 is much more precise and has that sing along quality. The Mac Mini has me listening the words, but slightly less inclined to sing over the top. 

Not sure I've explained very well. I think I slightly prefer the Mac Mini, but I'm not 100% sure. 

All the best, Guy

Interesting feedback Guy. I have been listening to my ZP90 a bit more over the past few days and those AIFF rips sound rather good. I could easily live with the current sound coming from the rest of my system, if I didn't already have a CDP. Even optical out from my MBP with a cheap optical cable sounds quite alright. It'll be interesting to see what my initial reaction will be once the CDX2.2 is back and I listen to it for the first time again after having only listened the ZP90 and MBP/optical out for a good few weeks.

Best

tp

Excellent discussion with thorough contributions from the usual heros. 

Based on my brief experimentation, I'm leaning towards the mac mini, next to and connected by toslink or ethernet to my UnitiQute. Even if I could afford a Naim music storage device (and I cannot) I just want to get away from n-Stream. The Remote app seems to be vastly superior, and at this point, I would give up something small in sound quality to have the much better interface. 

If my impression that I can have a mini wired to my UQ and use Remote is incorrect, please tell me!

Actually, I am just now realizing that I could get a Sonos bridge and connect and use that wireless system to control the UQ- the Sonos interface is excellent. Then the current iMac would continue to be the music storage device. 

Cheers all, 

iPod Classic does it for me via RA interconnect from bottom port: cheap, capacious and clear and relatively musical. Rip CDs into ITunes on MacBookPro.

A couple of questions, once again, for the thick-headed beginners (like me)

Am I correct in understanding that If I have my iTunes library on a mac mini and that I connect it to my UQ with a Toslink or ethernet cable, that I will be able to use the Remote app to control the music? My sense is that with no wireless connection to a music storage that I will not need a UPnP application as there is no wireless streaming.

I know that others have suggested that this is an expensive way to go, but it it very inexpensive compared to a Naim music server, and it would allow me to use the iTunes organization and features that I am already familiar with.

The second question is, if I were to use a Sonos Bridge and Connect, and their iPhone/ pod/ touch application, I believe that the streaming is 16/96 vs 24/96 that the UQ can work with. The sonos site also lists AIFF as a 'not recommended' file format.

Apologies if this question has been asked elsewhere. I did search before posting.

Thanks all.

First question is yes (via the TOSLink) as this is what I used to do with the Qute as it did not stream ALAC. Just select the input that the Mini is connected to (you can change what remote input controls what input and rename them if you want - 'Mac Music') and then use Remote to control the musical content.

Not a clue on Q2.

Neil

Hi Damon, second question is correct. Sonos is limited to 16B/44khz, but what is the problem; that still can sound excellent.

Damon,

To your first question: the only way you can use Remote App by Apple with MacMini and UQ is Toslink connection. To control music with this application over ethernet, there must be an Airport Express or a system which support Airplay protocol on the other end. UPnP protocol is both for ethernet and wireless. To use UPnP, you need to install a UPnP server in your MacMini (the choices for Mac are not many) and use some other control application on your iPad (if not n-Stream, then Kinsky or something like that). If you insist on iTunes and Remote interfaces, then toslink remains as the only possible connection for you.

Friends,

All excellent and helpful replies. Thanks very much. I appreciate the help with my beginner- level questions.

Now, if I could only get the volume control on the UQ hand-held remote to actually change the volume....

If you do not have an iPhone/iPad/Touch then there is a little program called QuteControl that can control the volume from a Mac (maybe a Windooooze version).

Neil

You just need the add-on CD drive. 80 bucks plus tax.