Using a mac mini as a server into ndac.

Use the audio output port - it's a combined audio / mini Toslink (optical digital) socket.  Use a mini Toslink to Toslink cable to connect the Mini to the Naim DAC.

I think you'll find that the mac Mimi has better sound quality...

Phil

The Mac Mini has a superb optical out disguised as a headphone jack ... you connect it to the Naim with a Wireworld Supernova 6 glass fiber optic standard TOSlink to mini-TOSlink (3.5mm mini connector) cable (the only other cable I've tried and liked as much is the Mark Grant, but that needs an adaptor) ... it just works. I'm not sure if this qualifies it as a streamer or simply a digital transport, but it is superb whatever ... it won't do 24/192 in that guise - for that you need a hiFace interconnect from M2Tech, but 24/96 is no problem and, of course, ripped CDs. 

iTunes + BP is a great player and you can use Apple Remote on an iPad for music with VNC to do other things or a hdmi screen and wireless keyboard if you prefer. 

You can add a huge thunderbolt drive if you have got 1000s of albums or just use its internal fusion drive (new model only) if you have less than 1,000.  

To improve on Mac Mini/DAC/555PS .. you at looking at very expensive systems. Even without the PSU, it is great source. 

There is only one of those in existence and you have to pay a huge premium for it ... however, I doubt it will ever come on the market. 

If you look carefully at the tech spec it does refer to the audio in and out being (digital/analogue).

Phil

Ahh! Mimi. The in-jokes are back, at this rate we'll have to resurrect "sistem" [sic] 

Although I believe Adam had a purge while I was too busy enjoying music to visit the forum very often.

Describes it thusly...

"Audio line out/headphone minijack (digital/analog)"

Yes, not very descriptive.

+1. I have a Mac Mini optical out using WW Supernova 6 feeding nDAC (bare) and I can tell you the sound is superb & most importantly quite analogue sounding. A very happy user here thanks to Guido's recommendation.

If you shine a torch light into the jack hole you should see the optical transmitter head reflect light back at you, that's how I confirmed that there was an optical out from a MacBook.

Also itunes will not recognize any pre-ripped collection stored in wav and flac.

> Excuse my ignorance but wouldn't you need a monitor connected to Mac Mini to control everything?

No you can control it from any VNC client (iPad, MacBook Amiga and a PC) _... however you can connect the Mac Mini to a screen using HDMI and use a wireless keyboard ... I'm thinking of getting a small touch screen

You can rip using an external CD drive ... or another computer ... avoid WAV files as they do not handle tags ... best formats to use are AIFF or ALAC. 

Yes you could use the Ethernet and Playback, but I wouldn't .... as it requires messing about with UPnP and if that is what you want you'd be better off with a Vortexbox (which does this with aplomb) ... I doubt the difference in sound is great, but I haven't got a SuperUniti to try ... with the Naim DAC is has to be S/PDIF or USB sticks. The Naim DAC is the best Naim digital device I have heard until the NDS and even then I'm not 100% convinced. [I use my UQ with a Vortexbox]. 

If you have a pre-ripped collection in FLAC that is no issue as you can use XLD to convert to AIFF or ALAC and install them into iTunes ... 

With WAV I don't know, WAV would probably forget all its tag data ... but I avoid it as it tends to be a PC format ... though iTunes will play it - it won't play FLAC, but Decibel will. 

You will require UPNP server software running on the Mac to use ethernet.