Mac Mini As A Streaming Source

Gwhphoto,

I will only speak for my experience. I tried streaming using a laptop, and tried a lot of recommendations from here to improve the SQ…..ultimately I was never satisfied. Full transparency, I am adequate with computers, but by no means an expert.

 I bought and installed a Bluesound Node 130 $599, and that did yield positive improvement. I upgraded the USB cable $180, and that helped even more. I then installed an LHY linear power supply $279, and that was even better. Ultimately bought and installed a Denafrips Iris DDC $500, and output I2S to a Denafrips Pontus II DAC), and I now have what I feel is a really good set up for $1,500.

That being said I am saving up for a new streamer from the usual suspects (Aurender, Innuous, Lumin, maybe test a Eversolo DMP-A6), and will replace the current set up at some point. That however will be a $5,000 to $7,000 upgrade, unless the Eversolo somehow punched WAY above it’s weight 

That’s the thing, how much are we comfortable spending in order to gain an increase in sound quality?

I spent about $8k the Aqua Formula DAC and love it. It really sounds great. Now, people tell me I should not stream from a Mac Mini but have a dedicated streamer.

Maybe they’re right, I don’t know. I’d like to be able to trial the LinQ streamer.

What do people think about the workaround for Roon using HQPlayer which is used in the LinQ?

larrykell,

I don't think anyone is telling you what you should do, I think we are sharing our experiences, the ultimate decision is what you think sounds best. Truthfully I could probably be happy with my current Node 130 set up for a long time, however I have the means to improve my system over time.....and am always searching for better sound.

@vthokie83 Improving sound over time, is for me what this hobby is all about. It’s definitely a marathon and not a sprint. Given that we’re currently living in a digital renaissance and digital technology is changing so rapidly, we all have to adjust to change. I will say that price point seems to be all over the place. Good value is out there but in a sea of marketing where companies foremost strive to maximize their dividends. For this reason, I look for improvements that provide high end results at affordable prices given the possibility that what I buy today could become antiquated five years from now. I’m just surprised that no one has yet engineered a way to make personal computers compete with the best streamers/renderers when it comes to sound quality.

Is there anyone here who has never watched a movie on a computer?  Does computer "noise" ruin the movie-watching experience?  Did you feel the need to install special power-conditioning components to clean up the signal? 

There are good reasons to prefer a TV over a computer for video.  Avoiding electrical noise isn't one of them.  Why would music be any different?