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How to set up a Mac mini for music only?

I'm new to computer audio and am thinking of using a Mac mini exclusively for music. I am mostly illiterate when it comes to computers and would really appreciate your ideas regarding the optimal configuration of such a mini. I will be running it through an as yet unknown USB/SPDIF converter (maybe Bryston?) to a first generation Berkeley Alpha DAC to my Audio Research VSi75 integrated to my Dali Euphonia MS 4 speakers.
Any suggestions regarding memory, processor speed, backing up, best auxiliary programs to use with Itunes, cabling, you name it would be greatly appreciated.
Also I understand that I can use my ipad to control the whole thing?
Help please?
bixx
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
10-25-14: Zd542
"Unlike Steve, I don't find the older Minis a good match - I've found in my PC builds that a faster i7 QuadCore sounded better than my Atom based servers so I'd say go for the fastest CPU you can get."

I don't understand why that would be. Playing music on a computer can't be all that resource intensive for a modern PC. CD's came out in 1982. If you rip one to an equivalent lossless file, why would you need all that processing power?
There are countless design differences between fast i7-based computers and older Mac Minis. Which can in turn affect electrical noise, waveform quality, and ultimately jitter in countless unpredictable ways. So the resulting differences in sound quality most likely have nothing to do with processing power in itself, and can only be determined, um, empirically :-)

Best regards,
-- Al
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
FWIW I thought my 2012 i7 2.6GHz QC Mini sounded better than my other 2010 C2D 2.4GHz. Plus the Atom vs i7 on the PC side - I started seeing a pattern.
wisnon
700 posts
 
Newer processors like a quality i7 has tighter tolerance and are more stable and accurate.Xeon server grade processors are even better. Stability and accuracy are more inmportant in audio than sheer comuptational speed.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"Stability and accuracy are more inmportant in audio than sheer computational speed."

When you say stability and accuracy, what exactly do you mean? Stable, as in not crashing, or something else? I done get accuracy either. Unless you are talking about something like jitter.
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