Starting with a new Mac Mini - setup questions

I suppose the first question is, you detest iTunes and all your music is flac, Why get a Mac mini ?

Isn't the Mac mini able to deal with flag files using other software?

It can but i was just curious as to why you want to use a MM for this application ?

I think the OP's question is reasonable. I also use a Mac Mini, and all of my CDs are ripped to the flac format, I also detest iTunes. So I use Audirvana plus to play local music and stream Tidal to the Naim DAC.

Mac Mini enables use of the excellent Audirvana rendering software, which in turn allows you to use a dedicated USB bus output, completely bypassing the computer's soundcard. Run in optimised mode the computer does nothing else, while it is easy to set up amd run 'headless' without a screen, keyboard or mouse (easy control by remote VNC from any other computer), and if desired it can simply be turned on and off by its mains switch just like any piece of hifi kit.

In common with any computer MM is not a 'clean' electrical environment, and unless your DAC has galvanic isolation and effective RF filtering some sort of isolator must be used or sound quality will be degraded. With my Chord Hugo I use a Gustard U12 in between. Same device apparently works well as a converter to DACs that don't have usb input, such as nDAC. DOn't use the MM's SPDIF outputs, either optical or electrical as not as good as usb with Audirvana, though if you don't have good electrical/RF isolation (e.g. direct into Inadequately isolated DAC input without using something like the Gustard) then optical is better than electrical). Isolator not needed with a DAC with well isolated Usb input like HugoTT.

MM is also virtually silent - it has a low speed fan, but inaudible more than 2-3 feet away in a quiet room. This highlights another use, as an effectively silent NAS, with any suitable UPnP player software (serviio works well and is free. Also others like Plex). I used mine that way first, before adding Audirvana and playing direct to DAC, so,eliminating another replay variable, passing music files in real time across a network.

Best MM is widely regarded as being the Late 2012 model, which can readily have hard disks and RAM upgraded (I have two 1TB ssds in mine, and 8MB RAM, which I upgraded myself - iFixit has excellent guide).

personally, I found MM/Audirvana/Gustard/Hugo gives better SQ than ND5XS/Hugo, which was better than ND5XS/XP5XS. And a recent, albeit very brief, comparison of MM/Audirvana/Chord Dave was not significantly different from Melco N1A/Chord DavePlenty of others' experiences. on these forums. 

Audirvana can read all the normal range of file formats, and dsd. It allows you to use iTunes if you're so addicted that you can't manage without, but best quality is without. AV's own library manager and remote app are still developing, and the designer is amenable to suggestions.

Innocent Bystander posted:

Mac Mini enables use of the excellent Audirvana rendering software, which in turn allows you to use a dedicated USB bus output, completely bypassing the computer's soundcard. Run in optimised mode the computer does nothing else, while it is easy to set up amd run 'headless' without a screen, keyboard or mouse (easy control by remote VNC from any other computer), and if desired it can simply be turned on and off by its mains switch just like any piece of hifi kit.

In common with any computer MM is not a 'clean' electrical environment, and unless your DAC has galvanic isolation and effective RF filtering some sort of isolator must be used or sound quality will be degraded. With my Chord Hugo I use a Gustard U12 in between. Same device apparently works well as a converter to DACs that don't have usb input, such as nDAC. DOn't use the MM's SPDIF outputs, either optical or electrical as not as good as usb with Audirvana, though if you don't have good electrical/RF isolation (e.g. direct into Inadequately isolated DAC input without using something like the Gustard) then optical is better than electrical). Isolator not needed with a DAC with well isolated Usb input like HugoTT.

MM is also virtually silent - it has a low speed fan, but inaudible more than 2-3 feet away in a quiet room. This highlights another use, as an effectively silent NAS, with any suitable UPnP player software (serviio works well and is free. Also others like Plex). I used mine that way first, before adding Audirvana and playing direct to DAC, so,eliminating another replay variable, passing music files in real time across a network.

Best MM is widely regarded as being the Late 2012 model, which can readily have hard disks and RAM upgraded (I have two 1TB ssds in mine, and 8MB RAM, which I upgraded myself - iFixit has excellent guide).

personally, I found MM/Audirvana/Gustard/Hugo gives better SQ than ND5XS/Hugo, which was better than ND5XS/XP5XS. And a recent, albeit very brief, comparison of MM/Audirvana/Chord Dave was not significantly different from Melco N1A/Chord DavePlenty of others' experiences. on these forums. 

Audirvana can read all the normal range of file formats, and dsd. It allows you to use iTunes if you're so addicted that you can't manage without, but best quality is without. AV's own library manager and remote app are still developing, and the designer is amenable to suggestions.

Thanks so much.mi bought a new MM today. I am already regretting not getting a better spec model. I will try to return it for an 8gb RAM 1TB HDD model. Anybody know how pcworld are for returns such as this? It was an in store purchase, but unfortunately I have opened it now and have it hooked up ( loving it already) but would prefer the better ram and disk space. 

prolle posted:

Thanks so much.mi bought a new MM today. I am already regretting not getting a better spec model. I will try to return it for an 8gb RAM 1TB HDD model. Anybody know how pcworld are for returns such as this? It was an in store purchase, but unfortunately I have opened it now and have it hooked up ( loving it already) but would prefer the better ram and disk space. 

Take close look at price differentials before you do: RAM and HD upgrades aren't difficult, and may prove less expensive.

Peter Dinh posted:

I think the OP's question is reasonable. I also use a Mac Mini, and all of my CDs are ripped to the flac format, I also detest iTunes. So I use Audirvana plus to play local music and stream Tidal to the Naim DAC.

I didn't say it was unreasonable. Just curious as to why. Anyway it looks like the OP had already bought one ...

prolle posted:

Thanks so much.mi bought a new MM today. I am already regretting not getting a better spec model. I will try to return it for an 8gb RAM 1TB HDD model. Anybody know how pcworld are for returns such as this? It was an in store purchase, but unfortunately I have opened it now and have it hooked up ( loving it already) but would prefer the better ram and disk space. 

As you're running it in a second system - i wouldn't get too hung up on a top spec MM. What spec did you get ?

Re upgrading, my understanding is that Mac started soldering in RAM, making it a factory only upgrade (or part exchange). But look at iFixit website, they scrutinise each new version and give guidance on what can, and can't be done.

james n posted:

prolle posted:

Thanks so much.mi bought a new MM today. I am already regretting not getting a better spec model. I will try to return it for an 8gb RAM 1TB HDD model. Anybody know how pcworld are for returns such as this? It was an in store purchase, but unfortunately I have opened it now and have it hooked up ( loving it already) but would prefer the better ram and disk space. 

As you're running it in a second system - i wouldn't get too hung up on a top spec MM. What spec did you get ?

4gb RAM, 500Gb HDD. 

Just checked ifixit. Not possible to upgrade RAM on this model. As for the HDD space, at least I can add external USB drives. 

Audirvana min spec is 2GB ram. 4 is probably enough. Advice when I was looking into it was the more the better, as Audiv loads entire song before play,, but except with say a whole album in hi def appearing as a single 'song' I guess 4 is likely to normally be adequate.

prolle - before assuming your macmini is under resourced,  use the Activity monitor to see how much ram and CPU is actually being used. Unless you are doing fancy DSP, or are doing other complex tasks, I would suspect your machine is barely conscious, so there's no reason to  spend more money, you'll just have more unused memory.  I have the same basic macmini as you (and also an absolute top-spec iMac Retina). They both consume negligible resources playing music. The benefits the SSD give you are noticeable on booting, switching applications, running intensive processes, etc.. but on the simple task of playing music both machines are absurdly over-powered.

Yep - 4Gb is fine. Never had any issues running that amount of RAM when i ran a MM. 

Innocent Bystander makes some very good points in his long post - well worth following and you won't go far wrong. Enjoy 

4GB should be perfectly adequate for Audirvana.

I have use my MM in multiple configurations now.

Optical direct to nDAC

Optical direct to Hugo

USB direct to Hugo

USB to Gustard U12 to Optical/nDAC

USB to Gustard U12 to Optical/Hugo

USB to Gustard U12 to Digital Coax/nDAC

USB to Gustard U12 to Digital Coax/Hugo

In reality all gave a very good sound - there were some characteristics that optical had that were different to cabled.

The very best for me is the latter option - but it is closer than you might think. The Gustard U12 seems to help with timing and musicality.