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Need help moving from CDP to Mac Mini music server

I've decided to move try a music server solution because my listening habits have changed (maybe the ipod lifestyle has ruined me). So the time has come to sell my beloved Sony SCD-1 and I need some help figuring out how to implement a sonically comparable (or better) music server solution. My system is an Aesthetix Janus with a BAT VK-250 feeding a pair of Totem Forests. I'm currently thinking of getting a Mac Mini with a 500 GB HD and streaming ALAC to my airport express, then using the toslink out to feed a D/A (likley a Benchmark DAC-1) which would run balanced to my Aesthetix. I'd then use my powerbook to control the mac mini through bonjour (although I can also use my plasma as a display).

My first question is, can anyone familiar with using the mac mini server solution comment on the sound quality, especially in comparison to a quality CDP such as the Sony. I want the convenience of having my whole library be accessible, but I want to definitely don't want to sacrifice the sound quality to do it.

Secondly, I've read that the digital out on the mac mini has higher jitter and that using the usb to output digitial is better. Is it also preferable to utilize the usb method instead of using the Airport Express's optical out?

Thirdly, does anyone recommend a specific external hard drive to use with the mac mini? There seem to be a bunch out there.

Lastly, how do people feel about the Benchmark DAC-1 in this setup? I want to keep the whole budget under 3000 w/computer, external drive, DAC and wires, so any suggestions on DAC would be welcome (heard Stello makes one with a digital input).

Thank you so much in advance for your help,

Matt
mimberman
hbarrel's avatar
hbarrel
342 posts
 
Interesting article from 6 moons... in the end it's not a review rather more along the lines of a technical explanation of usb...
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/wavelength2/brick.html
agaffer
256 posts
 
You would be much better off using a USB DAC rather than a DAC that is fed through a Toslink connection. Using the toslink and the Benchmark there is always the issue of unwanted variations in the frequency of the incoming word-clock signal, which the converter is always trying to track. But with a USB controller generating its own word-clock signal, the frequency remains steady.
edesilva
768 posts
 
"But with a USB controller generating its own word-clock signal, the frequency remains steady." Well, only as steady as the clock in the USB interface. It is not a panacea, because some USB chips are pretty bad jitter-wise.
sfar's avatar
sfar
1,756 posts
 
I didn't choose the Benchmark because of any knowledge that it was better, or worse, than a USB DAC. I picked it because it looked like a pretty attractive combination of several things I wanted.

Because of the option for multiple inputs, I assumed it would work well in experimenting with a hard-drive based system while retaining the ability to use a conventional transport and I couldn't be happier with how that works. Even though I have all my music on the hard drive, I still find myself playing CDs pretty often.

I wanted to do that experiment without adding a lot of complexity to the system and the Benchmark's small size lets me perch it on the same shelf as the transport and just flip a switch on the front of the Benchmark to toggle between the inputs from the hard drive and the transport.

I was pretty sure the Benchmark was a good DAC because the reviews of it have been uniformly very positive but I didn't really care if it was absolutely the best solution from an electromechanical perspective. I'm sure there may be better options from any one of several perspectives and I wouldn't even claim I made the best possible choice but, for now, I'm really happy with it.
melomaniac's avatar
melomaniac
19 posts
 
I have a headroom total bithead right now, which goes out of the USB of any computer and to some ultimate ears or powered monitors. it's more than okay and a huge improvement over the minijack out for the cans. however, I am looking into the apogee mini-dac, and the wavelength brick, for a more permanent setup with a computer that I might leave in my main system. another thing I tried is the new outlaw rr2150 receiver, which is a strong integrated amp that has a USB input. sounds pretty great for the money, but I wonder whether the apogee or wavelength way isn't going to be much better...
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