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Your experience & thoughts on SSDs for MacMini

I have a 2007-2008 MacMini that I use exclusively as a music server on a third system with the stock HD. I am considering replacing the stock HD to an SSD. The stock HD makes noise that is audible often enough to draw unwanted attention to itself.

I'm looking for experience-based thoughts and commentary on the various SSDs that are available for this replacement. I'm using SnowLeopard and iTunes 10 with Pure Music for playback of AIFF files from a peripheral HD (which is silent).

So far, my research on this seems to get a bit confusing. For example, Other World Computing offers two levels of SSD, one over 50% more $ in price (and 25% larger 40 Gb vs 50 Gb than the other (offering a longer warranty, etc.) And I know there are several other manufacturers of SSDs out there with varying price points and related benefits.

This MacMini isn't used for anything else than serving music, ripping files, streaming audio, playing Netflix downloadable movies, and the occasional download from iTunes.

Your points of view are appreciated.

:) listening,

Ed
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
03-08-11: Perrew
When you optimize the computer for music playback the access speed of the drive might be a non issue so controlled test with SSD vs. HDD should be made
Agreed.
One easy way would be to take once Mac mini with regular internal HDD and connect an external SSD. If the external sounds better we might extrapolate that to an internal SSD sounding better, but if the external SSD sounds worse or equal it might be the interface connecting the drive.
I doubt that any meaningful extrapolation could be made. Regardless of where the music files are stored, the internal drive will be in use supporting the operating system and programs. And its circuitry will still be present and active, generating noise and causing (to at least a small degree) voltage droop, voltage fluctuations, signal crosstalk, ground-bounce, and other effects that could ultimately affect (to at least a small degree) the jitter and noise levels of the output signals of the Mini. All of those effects will differ between an ssd and an hdd, with little predictability.

Regards,
-- Al
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Dmccombs, yes I compared the SSD versus an external HDD both using Memory on PM. I thought the SSD was slightly better but don't understand why.

Perrew, I would think the transfer speed from the HDD to the ram would be much faster with Sata, but would it matter?

As I understand it, what you are seeking is a processor that does nothing other than conveying the data from ram to the dac without jitter.

One final comment. I saw several demonstrators using memory sticks with big capacities for HD music. Some were using PM with Memory. It strikes me that several sticks with great capacity with one dedicated to jazz, etc. would be convenient. Anybody have any thoughts about this?
perrew
299 posts
 
I would find big sticks less convenient than a HDD/SSD, it would be like partitions or catalogs and then would they be running of the USB bus or what?
Im waiting for my Mac Mini 2010 server version, to compare to the PC I built, both with HDDs, to see if there is a difference between the two. But my wager is that a Linear PS or battery would make a larger impact than the drive which I dont think will infuluence as much. Several builders of Dacs also report better sound with using a PC alsthough the Mac is a very nice solution. I like Macs and would love if they had the equal sound as PC but I dont count on it.
dmccombs
112 posts
 
Perrew,

I have tried a linear power supply, and I have done A/B between SSD external drives and regular hard drives. But, I did not A/B between SSD external drives and Regular hard drives while using the linear power supply.

Darrell
www.mach2music.com
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Perrew, having had two prior Windows servers, my expectations are the opposite of yours. Also, several Dac manufacturers, I know, one being Weiss, think the Apples are better. I certainly would like the convenience of Itunes with less of the money grubbing they do. I also wish that Apple had not followed the other Windows manufacturers down the road of really cheap components, such as drives.

I will probably go with a very modified Mini with a Raid 5 storage and a pro external drive for ripping my discs. All I will continue to use FW to the Weiss Dac202, but sata elsewhere.
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