Naim System based On Mac Mini

if you want to use your macbook to control mac mini then use apple share screen, no need for vnc.

to control itunes remotely use apple remote app on your iphone or ipad.

hope this helps.

Innocent Bystander posted: Yes, I'm sure you can.

thanks a many )

Halloween Man posted:

to control itunes remotely use apple remote app on your iphone or ipad.

i need to handle jriver, vlc and audirvana non-ituned; how do i go about it?

Sharik,

If, as Halloween Man says, if you are using a MacBook Pro to control the headless MacMini then, using Home Share, you can control everything on the MacMini from the MBP. To use Audirvana without iTunes is a breeze. You can use their Music Library system or, as I do, you can just drag files into the playlist window, double click the tune you want to start with and off you go.

Good luck

Steve

if you want to control from ipad or windows then vnc, if other apple computer then share screen as above. dont discount itunes, i like it! i could understand if it was not bit perfet but it is - dont believe the hype about hearing differences between bit perfect software.

Steve J posted:

just drag files into the playlist window, double click the tune you want to start with and off you go

thanks steve, and besides, clicking on the play button rather then double click a track seems to me producing better sound.

Halloween Man posted:

dont discount itunes, i like it! i could understand if it was not bit perfet but it is

thanks hm, it isn't that i'm into everything bit perfect, simply hearing audiorvana sounds better when itunes mode switched off.

Some tips:

For Screen Sharing, turn Display Sleep to 'never' on the MM.

Turn off Bluetooth and IR on the MM.  I have wifi off,too, and connect via Ethernet for remote control and Internet radio (via iTunes until it is not free).

The Audio Circles site or a Google search on 'Mac mini optimisation for audio', or a similar phrase will bring up loads of stuff, too.

However, if using Audirvarna, most of the optimisation is done for you.

Also worth knowing that in Audirvana, it is possible to use Core Audio instead of iZotope to do the sample rate conversion. Core Audio is the Mac OS' bundled audio engine as used by iTunes.

Enjoy 

Jude

Halloween Man posted:

if you want to control from ipad or windows then vnc, if other apple computer then share screen as above. dont discount itunes, i like it! i could understand if it was not bit perfet but it is - dont believe the hype about hearing differences between bit perfect software.

I tend to use iTunes, it sounds excellent. Using either Audirvana's or Amarra's playlists does sound a wee bit better but not enough to make me want to sacrifice the convenience of the iTunes Remote.

I use Audirvana and iTunes along with their respective remote apps.

The difference in SQ is not huge (as Halloweenman and TonyM point out). It is about preference.

Jude2012 posted:

Turn off Bluetooth and IR on the MM.  I have wifi off,too, and connect via Ethernet for remote control

no way to do remote desktop via bluetooth ?

sharik posted:

Jude2012 posted:

Turn off Bluetooth and IR on the MM.  I have wifi off,too, and connect via Ethernet for remote control

no way to do remote desktop via bluetooth ?

Because you can do Remote Desktop via network, including mm wired and the remote controlling device wifi, Bluetooth isn't needed. The idea is to minimise what the MM is running, and in particular minimise sources of RF interference. I haven't tried Bluetooth on with my USB/SPDIF isolator/convertor in operation, which should negate the RF aspect, but before I added it Bluetooth did make the sound worse (I originally connected while still having keyboard linked to MM by Bluetooth). However, you simply don't need Bluetooth to run headless and control by another device.

Just being clear for Sharik:

For housekeeping the MM (such as installing software updates, adding tracks, and changing settings), you can use: Apple Remote Desktop, Apple Screen Sharing, or VNC software programs.  These options also allow control of music playback. Most people use screen sharing rather than Apple Remote Desktop as it is very easy to set up and use.  Apple Remote Desktop is useful if you want to control the MM over the internet rather than just via your home network (so when you are outside the home).

The Apple Remote and Audirvana (and J River) apps work on iPhones and iPads for controlling music playback only (play, stop, select tracks and so on).

Now remote internet control opens all sorts of possibilities I hadn't thought of before, from randomly playing music when out, so potential burglars think someone is in, to startling other occupants when you're out, to pre-warming everything while still on the return journey from a trip away...: 

Innocent Bystander posted:mote desktop via bluetooth ?

do Remote Desktop via network, including mm wired and the remote controlling device wifi, Bluetooth isn't needed.

however what if want to stay clear of any network connection then bluetooth is a must for connecting two macs?

sharik posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:mote desktop via bluetooth ?

do Remote Desktop via network, including mm wired and the remote controlling device wifi, Bluetooth isn't needed.

however what if want to stay clear of any network connection then bluetooth is a must for connecting two macs?

You can send and receive files between Mac and iOS devices. However, you cannot control another Mac with Bluetooth

Innocent Bystander posted:

Now remote internet control opens all sorts of possibilities I hadn't thought of before, from randomly playing music when out, so potential burglars think someone is in, to startling other occupants when you're out, to pre-warming everything while still on the return journey from a trip away...: 

Jude2012 posted:

 you cannot control another Mac with Bluetooth

if so, is there any sure way to control and fully operate one mac by an other, or keyboard & mouse is yet required?

If distance is short - e.g. Within a room, then a direct wired connection (Ethernet) but only between the two devices might be possible from a MacBook for example, otherwise or if a cable isn't acceptable you would need to be wireless, in which case assuming the advice is right and you can only use Bluetooth for things like liking a keyboard, and file transfer, then it would appear you're stuck with wifi. It doesn't have to be connected to the Internet.

Mac's do a remote control that can link to the MM by infrared, though that means having the IR receiver on. It can probably control play if you're using the iTunes interface, however AFAIK they don't do one with a screen so unless you have a monitor attached to the MM you wouldn't know what you're selecting. I'm into the realms of conjecture here - if you don't get a definitive response, can I suggest an Apple forum, as the remote operation of one Mac by another doesn't need any knowledge of HiFi 

Audirvana is way better than itunes. audirvana app is every bit as good as itunes remote app, although neither are perfect.

i have spent many years optimising my mac setup.  For example i use a hefty Paul Hynes SR7 Linear power supply on my macbook (SSD and max RAM).  The SR7 is Paul's best and largest power supply, think 555 in Naim terms. Take that lot off the macbook and maybe you will not hear much difference. My digital is a world away from how it sounded 2 or 3 years ago using the same computer and the same dac. In fact my fear is how long the macbook will keep plugging along as everything is set up and optimised to the nth degree now.

Hi, I use splashtop, a nice application than can remotely control my Mac mini, even over WAN (I.e. When I travel and my wife needs tech support!).

I have a headless (no monitor) Mac mini that is on that feeds into a Naim SuperUniti.

I run Roon on the Mac Mini (or Audirvana for seriously listening). Roon can be controlled by our iPads quite nicely as 'remotes'.

For managing the Mac mini from time to time, I use Splashtop - on the iPad's to connect to the Mac mini and install programs or change settings, do updates, etc.

Splashtop runs as a service on the Mac mini (I don't believe this affects SQ at all) and with an extra little subscription I can connect via web service from anywhere across the Internet, in case I'm on the road and need to fix something on teh MM for my wife - this  has become less of an issue as the various software has improved to run my little music server (fewer crashes, etc.).

Hope that is helpful.

Agree with Briz on Audirvana, it also has an integrated mode with iTunes so you can use the familiar iTunes controls (playlists, etc.) and remote app while Audirvana handles the playback 'underneath'.  I liked this because my wife was familiar with iTunes. We have now switched to Roon...which is even better UX and includes Tidal integration and some nice organization and metadata features.  I have not done a lot of comparison on SQ yet, some people like to use Roon's new integration with HQ Player but I find HQ Player quite complex and it does crash on my Mac mini fairly often so something I need to play around with a bit.  Like Briz, I have spend a few years optimizing the system and its sounds great. I also use a linear power supply and an upgrade kit from UpTone Audio that replaces the stock power supply and fan controls to reduce electronic noise, I'm also experimenting with their USB Regen, that feeds into a Audiophilleo 1 USB/SPDIF converter to the SuperUniti - all in all a nice, compact, and great sounding set up in my opinion.

Guys I am not sure I did a good thing starting this thread.    So much valuable information in it.   It may get overwhelming to read!  That said can I ask those who use a VNC to control the mini which one they are using?  OS X has so many available.   

Thanks. 

Oh just to let everyone know I am using the Audirvana remote app it works excellent with the mini!!

Hanover33 posted:

Hi, I use splashtop, a nice application than can remotely control my Mac mini, even over WAN (I.e. When I travel and my wife needs tech support!).

I have a headless (no monitor) Mac mini that is on that feeds into a Naim SuperUniti.

I run Roon on the Mac Mini (or Audirvana for seriously listening). Roon can be controlled by our iPads quite nicely as 'remotes'.

For managing the Mac mini from time to time, I use Splashtop - on the iPad's to connect to the Mac mini and install programs or change settings, do updates, etc.

Splashtop runs as a service on the Mac mini (I don't believe this affects SQ at all) and with an extra little subscription I can connect via web service from anywhere across the Internet, in case I'm on the road and need to fix something on teh MM for my wife - this  has become less of an issue as the various software has improved to run my little music server (fewer crashes, etc.).

 

Hope that is helpful.

Splashtop is an equivalent to VNC. I tried both and personally found VNC easier to use, but it's a meter of personal taste and I agree doesn't affect the music, not that I use it while playing.

people used to play around replacing MM power supplies, and I, too, was tempted when I first set up MM last year and was disappointed with the sound quality, but the cost gets very significant - then I learnt about USB isolators and realised they achieve the same by removing the RF noise that the standard switch mode supplies produce, and indeed other RF not from the power supply itself, negating the need for the PS. With the Gustard U12  I use, which is also a USB/SPDIF convertor, it jumped the SQ up better than the ND5XS-Hugo I was using before. I can't say for certain that a specialist power supply wouldn't improve mine further as I haven't tried , but to me the expense seems excessive, and with better SQ than the ND5XS renderer, with which I was already happy, I don't feel any inclination to try at the moment, while both the cost, and the apparent different experiences people report with regard to the extent of degradation by Electrical noise on individual Mac Minis means I would want to hear the difference before spending.