Which Mac Mini for Media Server

Some more info which might be useful…. the hard drive capacity difference is largely irrelevant as I store all my media files on my NAS, which is partitioned into one 3.5 GB media drive, and one 4.5 GB back up drive which backs up both the media files and the computer.

I'm primarily interested in knowing if the faster processor speed / RAM of the intermediate model has any practical benefit given the narrow range of applications this machine will be used for.

I'd go for the higher spec processor and lots of RAM. Whilst it may only be used for a limited range of things now it's useful to have a better spec in case you do need it for other things. I did that with my 2007 vintage mini which is still very usable (and still in use) today. 

Surely the Mac Mini will be the NAS? Why do you need both?

You may not need both. The OP has an NDX, so for local storage a NAS would be better, and the 2 devices between them have iRadio, and potentially, web streaming functionality.  

Although it depends how the OP manages his library. iTunes created libraries don't always play well with NAS media servers. 

I can't think of anything more repellent than using iTunes. 

Ask a simple question :-)

I will be using a upnp server on mac (Servio… but the choice of Upnp is relatively irrelevant). The files reside on the NAS because I have over 2GB of music, and in general, I just don't like to clutter a computer hard drive with large media files.

The mac will be connected via hdmi out to a 55 inch flat screen… so I may do some netflix / pbs etc streaming to the tv. Digital out on mac mini into NDX for audio support when doing so.

Digital out on mac mini would also permit outputting hi res audio files via Amarra into a Chord 2Qute and then into my 282 at some point down the road if I want to investigate this. Options.

Audio files (Music) will be streamed via Naim app to the NDX. 

Hopefully this addresses the various and sundry inquiries.

both mac mini and ndx will be hard wired to router also…no over air streaming

In the context of what you want a mac mini for the nas is the server and the mini is a streaming device. How will the mini be used for light web use, will you connect it to a screen, because its a right royal pain to use in that context connected to a TV.

I like to keep things as simple as possible, and I'm still not sure the Mac Mini is necessary to make all this work.....

As Mike says, a switch is the way forward.

Sorry Chris I seemed to have zapped my post, so we are a bit back to front (again) 

I don't understand what a mini will do that a regular network doesn't

NAS to NDX via a switch & a branch off the the ISP router is far & away the best network solution.

What NAS make/model do you have ?? & what UPnP is installed.

Also I would guess you have 2TB of music,  2GB is one 24bit high res album

As a media server my comment - max out on processor and memory still stands and given what you want to do the Mini and NAS make sense. I do the same but my mini is just for library and ripping duties - all music resides on the NAS. 

Agree with the gist of the posts so far - it's important to be clear on how everything will fit together so you don't create redundancy.

An Apple TV box will stream very happily to your TV and costs relatively little. A NAS will stream to your NDX obviously. No need for a Mac in that set up.

A Mac will help you as a server into the 2Qute of course, if that's what you want to do (eg to get Tidal). You could then use the Mac Mini as a Nas into the NDX too, and then you don't need a separate Nas - you can run Asset on the Mac. A Nas is just a Linux-based computer at the end of the day.

Anyway, you'll almost certainly be fine with the smaller Mac Mini. After all, Apple TV boxes and Nas' don't have much memory or power, and they're fine streaming HD tv and music. However, I'd still get the bigger one - you never know what you'll need in future, and more is always better when it comes to computers.

I have a Mac Mini that is my music server (NAS if you like). Only has a 60 Gb SSD that handles OSX while an external HDD is where all the music is stored. Easy to increase the size of the HDD then. 

Always go for the better spec, just takes some issues out of the equation.

extra memory always helps you don't want anything possible to slow down the Mac 

Actually I could not disagree more, I have a base model 2009 mac mini, by todays standards antique, it will do anything needed for 1080p 7.1 audio surround streaming let alone a bit of music. The base line model of mac mini for a streamer is massively over specced.

Put another way you can pick up an amazon Fire TV, quad core, 2 gigs ram, 64 quid. Thats massively over specced for a music streamer.

Get a grip people.

Hardware is cheap, get as high a spec as you can afford and it will last for years. Job done, other opinions are available  

Quite. It'll cost more in the long run otherwise. 

Spot on Gary. if all you want to do is stream music, even the most basic Mini is more than up to the task. Sure, you can fork out for higher spec. but it'll be totally wasted.

The Amazon Fire TV's  sensational bit of kit.

I usually buy over-specced computer hardware to give it some future-proofing, but in this instance I'm inclined to agree - serving music files should be well within the capability of a basic Mac Mini (or a Raspberry PI?!) I suspect many of the issues for which inadequate hardware is often blamed are actually software conflicts or network issues.

Right, I've said it, now I'm off to the air-raid shelter!  

I think many people on this forum (myself included) are quite obsessive.  Needlessly over-specifying things goes with the territory.  If we didn't do it we'd wake up at four in the morning feeling anxious.

BTW, In an attempt to cure myself I'm using a 99p (postage included) eBay optical cable to hook up my nDAC.  Sounds great, but I'm still getting the odd pang of 4a.m. anxiety.

There is a particularly male trait which has insured that all these hobbies are well served with lots of expensive goodies. I am not cynical about this, I enjoy hobbies.

I have a lot of computers in the house, business grade server dishing it all out and macs and pcs every where. 

I use a beast for work because I totally do need the grunt, a macpro trash can sees to that, everything else has been built up as cheaply as possible, i.e. a dell 690 pc with a second hand graphics card and second hand ram is running Dying Light sweetly and the cost of that lot was a couple of hundred quid.

Computers got really good from 2009 onwards, all thats changing with the latterly is power consumption, so bargains are to be had.

I have an amazon fire tv coming today, cannot wait to play!

We've now got three Amazon Fire TVs, two here & one in our second home. I use PLEX on my iMac and Macbook Pro to stream ripped movies to the Fires (it'll also do the same for music if I want). I like everything about it - Bluetooth remote, faultless operation, even the voice recognition thingy, which I'd regarded as a gimmick, is great. There are lots of easy hacks to do if you so wish - I followed instructions to put XBMC (Kodi) on there. Don't use it but I just might at some stage.

In the course of fiddling I got a Raspberry Pi. It was a real faff, for computer geeks only. I did manage to set it up as a PLEX server, but that's all it'll do, so for another few quid you can get an Amazon Fire that is hugely better.

I like Amazon Fire TVs...

Interesting. Must take a look at one of these Fire TV boxes. Can you disable the voice recognition ?

You don't need to James. It doesn't listen in to your conversations, just a means to locate stuff very quickly. It's on the remote & you hold a button in, talk & it comes up with what you want. Magic!

I like Amazon Fire TVs...