Moving to a Mac

Dear Graham,

What I like about the Mini is that it is bomb-proof reliable. If it was merely competent as a music [digital] source for the V1, well I'd still be content, but it better than merely competent. 

I am not going to say it compares with the big Naim solutions such as NDX or NDS, but then it is a fraction of the cost. I have not auditioned these Naim solutions. I like the iTunes operator interface very much. It could have been designed with me in mind. I have disabled the artwork, and use it as a sort of electronic card index, heavily cross-referenced with improved tagging, so that the search engine become a very sharp tool indeed for digging out the nuggets from about 600 CDs assembled over the last thirty years ...

In the old days I had a CDS 2 player, and naturally enough was delighted by it. It is long enough ago for me to avoid a pseudo comparison of this with the Mini and V1 combo. Let me just say that the more modern and much less expensive solution is a daily delight for me as was the CDS 2 in its time!

Who can ask for more than a daily delight in music at home?

ATB from Geoirge

Thanks for that input George. How do you control the Mini, it not having a keyboard/screen? Presumably a separate monitor of some sort?

Not everyone would do this, but I have a 21 inch HP Monitor [not nearly so nice as the much more expensive MAC one of course ...

And a bluetooth MAC keyboard and Mouse. The flat kind you use your fingers to move things and zoom etc. This pair live on a sort of tray that I put down when not driving the computer. 

I know some do run a headless [i.e. no monitor] Mini, and control with an iPad or similar. But this is still a screen, and much more expensive way to go. I also hate touch screens. 

My Mini does everything I would ask of a TV, Radio, DVD player, CD player [ripped in iTunes of course] and is good on the internet and even makes a good stab at optimising the quality found sometimes in youtube!

These days I hardly trouble a computer for word documents, but I find the MAC Mouse totally easy unlike the Windows Mouse implementation, and the zoom thing is pure genius for me with my sight.

For that alone I could never go back to a Windows type machine.

ATB from George

Very far from a cool kid but I've somehow ended up with a house full of Apple things. iPad, iPhone, iPod, wife's iMac, Mac Mini for music.

I like all of them, except OSX which drives me nuts. After five years casual use I still don't find the iMac intuitive at all. Try to do anything more than web or email and I want to find a blunt instrument and smash it. But then I mostly use my Windows 7 machine, so maybe it's just what I'm accustomed to. Would never buy a Mac for myself though.

An interesting parallel with Naim products. Apple kit ain't cheap, but one gets what one pays for. I bought my 24" iMac over five years ago and it runs as efficiently, reliably, fast, and quietly as it did on day one. The only modification I've made to it in all that time is to increase the RAM from 2GB to 4GB.

It is still a thing of elegant beauty (new iMacs being even more sexy) with no PC 'lump' to accommodate or noisy fans to tolerate.

I have a MacBook and iPad too. Lovely stuff which is always a (logical) joy to use.

John.

I'm conscious of the fact that I'm detracting from Richard's topic and promise not to ask anymore unrelated questions. However I have a 3rd Gen. i-Touch and was wondering if there is an app. which would allow it to drive the Mini.

Dear Bazz,

I don't know anything about the operating system on my Mini except that it prompts me to update it - "gratis" - now and again, just like the Windows 98 and XP that I used to use did.

I think intuition comes from familiarity as much as the designer being on the same wavelength of the operator.

At first I was completely stuck with the MAC. But gradually I find it second nature after roughly two years, and I am genuinely hopeless at computers. When I got stuck on Windows, I'd end up spoiling something serious. I never come close to that with the MAC OS. 

And I have a friendly official MAC dealer only ten minutes walk from my front door, and bless them for their help in the early days! I am sure they thought I was thick as two short planks, but they were always polite, and soon put me on the right path again. 

I'd like one their big retina screens, but that is a treat for the long distant future!

ATB from George

Dear Graham,

I am sure that you can drive a Mini with an iTouch. Well I have seen a MACbook Pro being so controlled. I hope that someone can explain how for you. Something to do with a home network, but "I know na'thin' !"

My name might as well be Manuel, or something!

ATB from George

FWIW, I bought a 17" Dell PC in February 2007, and it still runs (running XP - lol), it's been on numerous trips (even Ukraine, but thankfully not recently) and is quite visibly worn, but still works great.  It is a third-string machine for me, but it is in the other room and running as I type this.

And it has literally been on most of those 7+ years, I reboot for upgrades and turn it off when leaving for extended days.

I know this is blasphemy in the Apple world, but it is my experience.  I do believe AAPL builds extremely high quality products, I just don't like their approach to taking over your digital life and trying to force you into their world forever.

I was recently forced at work to switch from using XP to W7 on my PC and I have to say this is the most unstable PC I have ever used and some hardware just doesn't work at all (e.g some USB2 devices). On the other hand my macbook pro running windows 8 using VM ware is fast and completely faultless even when adding new hardware to windows and runs any windows software I have found. If you only use MS software such as Office occasionally, the MS 365 subscription version of Office seems to work well.

Hi Graham,

For control of track selection, start, stop and so on, I use the free Apple Remote app on iPads, and iPhones (the equivalent of Naim's N-Serve and N-Stream).  This app controls music in the Mac Mini's iTunes library.

There are a number of third partyApp's available too.  I am more than happy with this free App from Apple as it has the features I need, functions well, is regularly updated, and allows me to control my Apple TV.

For adding music tracks (I rip and download music onto an iMac and then transfer the files via the network to the Mac Mini) and general maintenance to my headless Mac Mini, I use Mac OS's Screen Sharing feature from my Mac Book Pro, and either of my iMacs.  This is a very elegant solution IMO (it is also free as it is built into Mac OS).  

It is also possible to control a headless Mac Mini via a TV screen connected via the Mac Mini's HDMI out and either Apple touchpad 'n' on screen keyboard or via a mouse 'n' keyboard.  This is effective, but bit cumbersome IME.

A third way is to control a headless Mac mini is an iTouch device (in my case via iPads) is via the Mocha VNC app (there are other VNC apps available).  This is adequate but the interface is not brilliant as you will be controlling the Mac Mini's screen using the iPad's touch interface (i..e the Mac OS interface is designed for a mouse)

So, I use the first and third method of controlling the my headless Mac Mini which is there solely for music serving.

HTH

Jude

Hi Graham,

Yes I'm going to use the MacMini as a standalone computer attached to a WD RAID for music only. I haven't received the MM as yet but Jude has explained everything beautifully. The only thing to add is that you really only need a monitor of some sort, even a TV with HDMI, connected to the MacMini for the initial set up but after that it can be controlled as described above. I personally think it would be quite cumbersome only having an i-Touch to control it though. It would be quite difficult organising the files with such a small screen, even a full sized iPad would be pushing it for me. 

I have a Zeppelin Air arriving next week, I was offered an upgrade over my old Zeppelin by B&W for £199 and took it. That, along with some info from Stu and wat has led me down the slippery slope back to digital music. Initially I was looking for an Airplay solution for music in various rooms but when I realised the potential size of my digital library I felt it would be best to store it on a RAID with automatic backup and use a MacMini. Once this decision was made it made sense to connect this to my main system. I will explore various options including NDS, which my dealer has offered to let me have a home demo, and a DAC solution. I will be having the new PS Audio DAC on demo for a week or so at the end of June. I'll make my decision then. From the reviews I've read from the US this DSD converting DAC may be the solution but I won't make my decision until I've heard all the options in my system. 

ATB

Steve

Yep, another Mac or at-least a screen (TV or monitor) is much more preferable for the heavy weight interactions.  

It is also worth considering the Target Disk Mode feature of Mac OS X for initial set up if you have another Mac laptop or desktop with either FireWire or Thunderbolt ports.

Jude 

Hi Jude,

I have a MacBook Pro with FireWire but not Thunderbolt. I just need to transfer my iTunes library to the MacMini and then onto the RAID. The WD RAID does have Thunderbolt connectivity. 

ATB

Steve

Understood Steve,

i was was just pointing out that the Target Disk Mode is another option for initial set up only.

J 

I've been using Macs since 1987 at home. No probs. Different story with the PCs I have to use at work. Even Odin can't make them work.

When things go wrong (very occasionally) the Apple after sales service in store and on line and over phone is superb. Our Apple gear gets an absolute hammering, and still goes strong. Wired mice have been our only real casualties. On board sound is pretty good to start with.

Richard, check this Dell XPS 15 Touch (9530) out.

I am a Mac person, but I also need a good Windows laptop for work purposes because Office for Mac, Mac Mail are really awful. I have been using it for a month and it impresses me mightily.

Best friend for 14 years wedded to Windows machines that cause years of headache refused to go Mac has finally given in.  I gave him a mini I wasn't using and my old iPad which he had used before to force the issue.  Sunday breakfasts are now full of " can't figure this or that out, lost these files, it's great for video!!!

Asked if he got Apple Care or took it to the Bar, "no those are a waste of money and time" (he's never had good customer service on any of his devices so keeps that as his standard mental picture)

I looked at him and said "Idiot, it's well worth it and call them as much as you want"  

He also needs a new camera and a phone but balks at buying a 5C, why?  "because I don't need that much, and I'd have to learn all new stuff, and it's expensive"  

I replied "BUT, it all works together, problem solved!"

He drives me crazy at times.

I've had a number of Macs over the years - I've never been tempted to get a Windows machine. They are generally very reliable, but don't last for ever...a MacBook Pro I'd had for about 5-6 years died on me a couple of months ago (motherboard). It was about time I got a new computer anyway, so I got the 15" Retina display MacBook Pro - wonderful screen, especially if you do a lot of photography.

I remember years ago Fanta was so good it was fun to be thirsty. 

I'm agnostic towards machines and operating systems but never cease to be amazed how many times "it just works" comes up in mac threads. 

Zooropa To quote Bono the bard. 

SJB

Yes, it's a clever advertising slogan.

I don't understand how it fits with applecare though.

Right on!!!

I had a pc for years before I changed to a Mac Pro. Yes the phrase "it just works" comes up a lot and I understand why, as I found myself using it without hearing it from anyone else. With Windows, there seemed to be endless interruptions with updates, etc and changing from one software to another took forever. The clever way the Mac's os shares it's ram, makes for very efficient use. Also, the trackpad on the Macbook is a joy to use.