mac mini dac V1 audirvana help please!

In my and others' experience Mac Mini with Audirvana is better as a front end than Naim ND5XS, either on its own or as front end into Hugo, and others have said same re NDX. I can't comment on Hugo compared to DACV1 as I have no experience, but there have been other threads discussing.

But it does depend how set up. With Hugo (as opposed to Hugo TT) the MM needs a USB/SPDIF isolator to remove electrical (RF) noise ( I don't know about DACV1, but unless galvanically isolated it will be likely to suffer the effect of RF noise) There are a number available - I use the inexpensive Gustard U12 to great effect. And Audirvana is best not in legacy iTunes mode, and best set up to maximise SQ as per the manual, bypassing the MM's audio circuitry, and dedicating it to Audirvana when playing - all very clear how to do  in the manual in latest versions, indeed IIRC mostly set by default. If yours is an older version I'd recommend latest - updates are free, though perhaps that depends how old your version is. MM can be used and may be best 'headless' without a monitor or anything radio connected like keyboard except when needed for setup - or use VNC software for that purpose (I use one called VNC viewer which is free and easily installed on both the MM and control computer, tablet or phone)

if you're used to iTunes I don't know how you'd find the Audiv library approach (i wasn't used to iTunes) - clearly something to get used to. Remote app is an extra cost, but not expensive and works well. An alternative is  VNC software to give remote desktop access to the MM, 

i hope this helps

In other words, at virtually no cost update Audirvana and optimise it, and an isolator for ~£120, and you have the potential for top class source,, subject to consideration as to whether. Hugo may be better than the DACV1 - and if the DACV1 is good enough it should make a significant difference even without changing DAC

All of the above, plus it is very easy to set up and use.  I would recommend using it in stand alone mode, it sounds better than using it in iTunes mode, and I would use the Audirvana remote which is excellent and whcih improves at every update.  Not only is the sound quality superb but the quality of service is excellent too with Damien constantly improving things and very approachable when you need him.  For £40 I'd also put a jitterbug on the Mac, well worth doing.

Maybe jitterbug need depends on the DAC: not sure it'll have any effect with Hugo, isolated, but maybe with DACV1? (N.B. No personal experience of Jitterbug)

Also worth noting, if you search around you'll find some people replace MM power supply, but unnecessary if you have isolator, or DAC is galvanically isolated.  (and anyway the main power supply isn't only souce of RF noise).

I have a USBregen and a jitterbug on my Hugo/mini and both gave a noticeable improvement, don't think you'd need the regen on a dac v1 though 

Hi SJW,

Not sure what ou mean by upgrading the V1.  If you mean upgrading the firmware, then bitperfect tests are a good idea and are part of the firmware upgrade process. If you mean changing to another DAC, then Audirvana should work.

Either way, you have the option to upgrade to newer versions of Audirvana.  

The latest version of Audirvana (and previous versions for sometime - can't remember exactly whch version) allow you to sync your iTunes librar - meaning you can access your Apple Lossless files within Audrvana's desktop and its Remote iOS app. 

For instructions, the definitive places are the V1 page on the Naim site  (for firmware upgrade instructions and download) ; and the Audirvana site for the excellent user manual and download of the latest version (if you decide not upgrade from within Audirvana itself)- I am assuming that you haven't checked out these sources out already.

I haven't bothered with a 'USB noise removal' device between my MM and V1.  The V1's design at several levels mimises the issue that these 'devices' do.  IME, optimising the MM for audio (Audirvana does some of this) gave marginal improvements.  The USB cable choice did however, influence the  sound much more (after experimenting, I settled with a cable that gave the presentation I liked).  Some folks have had good results with using devices such as Melco or Aurender.

HTH

Jude

SJW,

Go step by step.

Forget about iTunes. Just connect the V1 to the Mac using an USB A to B cable. Run audirvana, go to Preferences/Audio System and select V1.

Drag and drop a track to Play Queue and play it. When you have this up nd running then we can move forward.

Reards. Erich

super gentlemen 

thank you!

Did it work?

not home til later today! have read a few positive reviews in the meantime though...

well audirvarna is on the mac now .. sounds good but obviously need lots of listening to evaluate

some albums show duplicate tracks - they aren't duplicated in the music folder on the external hard drive..

I have put the remote on the iPad which i'm finding a bit mystifying 

I can select an album and play it but i thought i would be able to drag albums into a queue?

thanks Stephen

Re duplicates :  check the Preferences/Library tab in Audirvana to see whether there is only a reference to one folder for music tracks n albums and that there is nothing in the 'iTunes library synchronisation' option. Make any changes and click sync for the folder again.

Re Remote app and playlists.  AFAIK a track or album cannot be dragged into the queue. I create a queue by pressing on the three blue rings to the right of a track or album.  Once  tracks are in the play queue, you can drag to change the order of tracks in queue, and so on.

I think what Erich is referring to is the ability create playlists on the Audirvana desktop app (these playlist  will appear in the Remote).

HTH

Jude

thanks 

will tinker more