MacBook Pro or Mac Mini as music server

I've never heard a Mach2 mini, but they apparently add some top secret adjustments to your computer for optimum sound quality in addition to the hardware mods. For a turn key product, go Mach2. If you like to tinker or save some money, build your own. If you still aren't happy, send it to Mach2 for their OS optimization.

If you are the diy type you can try installing your own ssd drive in the mac mini. It shouldn't take you more than an hour for your first time and there are some helpful guides on the web to walk you through it. I installed a 60gb OCZ vertex 2 and it is more than enough space for my OS, software and apps. 40gb should be fine too if this will only be used as a music server. Take your time and it is very easy to swap the hd. I use my oem 320gb hd in an external firewire enclosure for my music files.

The ram upgrade is as easy as it gets. Unscrew the bottom, remove oem ram, install new ram.

There are also some OSX optimization guides such as turning off spotlight, etc. etc.

If you need itunes integration, go with Pure music or Amarra for a player. I use Audirvana and prefer it to the other players I've tried. Audirvana seems to be getting better with each new update and it's a free open source player.

The SSD and extra memory do not make a night and day difference in sound quality. You can also drive yourself crazy trying to find the differences between the different players. I would agree that the components (speakers, dac, amps, cables) would make a larger difference than a solid state drive and more ram in a mac mini. Every little bit counts though if you're striving for better sound quality.

At the end of the day, I'm a bit curious whether computer audio as a source or transport e.g. Mac Mini or the Mach 2 Mini would be better than a $1000 or a $3000 cd player unit connected to a dac ?
if it is, or better that's a big bonus because of the convenience of being able to access it instantly compared to swapping CD's.
For those who have maxxed out computer audio based system, do you feel its as good in the Sound quality to your vinyl rig ?

thanks again for the replies.

cheers

Soundhouse or others
Do you use the mach2mach mini into a dac or as its own digital Source?
Is it good enough to use without a Dac?
Thanks

In response to Onhwy61 the mach2 mac mini is the best transport I have ever owned. I have had tried over 32 different CD set ups over the years from DCS to highly modified Marantz SACD players and I currently own a HRT Music Streamer Pro. I have had hooked up the many different DACS with a standard Mac Mini and with the Mach2 the big bang for your dollar is the very front end before it gets the DAC. I have tried the following DACs; 1)Wyred For Sound DAC-2, 2)The Zodiac,3) Ayre QB 9, 4) the Audio Research DAC 8, 5) Benchmark, 6) Berkeley, 7) Arcam rdac, 8) PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC & Transport, 9)Cambridge Dac Magic 10) The Burson, 11)Music Streamer II+ and 12) Music Streamer Pro. I kept the cryo treated music streamer pro. If I where to rank these DACS I have tried in my system. I would say they all do different things but the keep in mind the Music Streamer Pro that is dual differential balanced with asynchronous USB input using the highly regarded Texas Instruments Burr Brown PCM 1794 and additionally gets its power from the Mach2 mini which is battery powered which kills the other DACS. But to be clear the Mach2 Mini even with the using only the headphone jack as an output did somethings better the standard mac mini with the most of DACS on the list. The output was a little lower but it for surely had better tonal balance and deep and wide sound stage. The sad thing is I can have any digital front end I want and I think what currently I have in my system is the best I have heard in my system. Is it better than my vinyl rig? It is scary to say this but now it comes down more to the recording than the format. With all the previous digital setups a so so vinyl recording recordings always sounded better than my previous digital set ups, but now I have some recordings that can sound better either way depending on mastering of the recording. Do not get me wrong when Two of the same quality pressing and recording on CD or Vinyl, vinyl still sounds better to me.

I use Amara Pro and Pure Music. The Amara sounds a little better than the Pure Music. I have tried as many music players as I could get and those two sound the best. Pure Music is a bit more stable and not buggy like Amara.