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Novice needs Mac Mini and DAC advice

Stereo Boys, I really really need some advice. In the past 18 months, I've loaded all in on this hobby and in that short time span have gone from birth to a full blown, fairly high end system and now I'm integrating a Mac Mini server into the mix. My mind is blown with too much information and I'm losing it over which DAC will give me the best bang with a budget anywhere from $800 to $4000. I'm told that the Ayre and Wavelength don't really outperform the lower cost DACs by a huge margin. I need a shot of the truth. And I'm looking for plug and play. I'm not that conversant with all the technical science involved in all of this. I just want a clean, high res sound. Please help!!
moonshot
rhanson739
269 posts
 
Moonshot --

Any chance you worked for a large computer vendor in the 80s? I know a guy who got that handle while walking the AT.

I recently went the same route as you have and couldn't be happier over getting away from CDs.

Consider the PS Audio Perfectwave DAC MKII. Well touted, reasonably priced, nice features.

My current setup is the Mac Mini with 16GB and SSD, external FW800 drive, USB out to an Empirical Audio Off Ramp 5 (re-clocker), then I2S-HDMI connection to the PW-DAC. I run the Mac Mini 'headless' using screen sharing from any one of several Macs around the house, though you could also use an iOS app for that.

If you're running the Mini headless, you might consider the Gefen HDMI Detector plus. It's a small, inexpensive device that scams the Mini into thinking that there's a video monitor attached to the HDMI port. Otherwise, I find that screen sharing displays lag quite a bit due to screen-saving on the Mini.

Rob
m_snow
57 posts
 
What's a 'Stereo Boy'?
maplegrovemusic's avatar
maplegrovemusic
1,113 posts
 
Look into Tranquility . Usb only but a great dac .
gigi
20 posts
 
Moonshot,

Take a look at the DAC used in this room http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vdone&1342446780&read&3&zzlMantis007&&

I use the same DAC with great result especially with DSD source files. Since you have a MAC, your have plenty of choices when it comes to software player: Audirvana Plus, PureMusic or Amarra.
If you like more flexibility with lot of digital filters to tailor the sound to your liking plus the ability to convert PCM music files to DSD encoded files on the fly, there's Signalyst's HQPlayer which requires Window Vista or later.
moonshot OP
13 posts
 
Thanks, everybody. I really thank you for the input. Like I said, I'm looking for a simple set up and plan on, I think, primarily using the USB in. Please forgive my candor but I'm a bit of an idiot when it comes to integrating this into my system and I really want to keep things simple. I've love to be able to go out there to the marketplace, purchase a quality asynchronous USB DAC, no preamp, and punch out some good tunes from my Mac mini. There's just so much out there to look at and I've got to believe that 2013 will bring a new generation of cheaper but excellent quality dedicated USB DAC's.
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