Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.
09-08-10
Macs, windows and linux computers can all sound great when s ... Ballan
09-08-10
In this corner-computer geeks! in the opposite corner-audio ... Reubent
09-08-10
Reubent; curious; do you mean that the hdd is firewire and ... Ericjcabrera
09-08-10
I'm getting ready to purchase a mac mini for audio use only ... Timrhu
09-08-10
i think that hardware/software can and does make a signif ... Dmccombs
09-08-10
Core audio drivers in a mac are better than those in a pc. t ... Mintzar
09-09-10
If you do use a mac mini, having at least 4gb of ram and a s ... Ballan
09-09-10
When upgrading the ps for the mm where does one find/buy the ... Glory
09-09-10
And then there is the subject of converting the cd to a comp ... Horseface
09-09-10
Glory, i desolder the power cable from a stock smps or i bu ... Mintzar
09-09-10
Eric, correct. if you plan to use multiple external hard dr ... Reubent
09-09-10
Totally agree on the wireless keyboard. i use a logitech din ... Mintzar
09-11-10: Audiopath
Hello Eric,
You raise a very interesting and, for some of us, timely question. Had you proffered this question in June or July, I would not have dared to comment. But over the last several months we have been developing a hardware/software solution that has come from a rather mediocre digital sound to more clarity, detail, and depth of soundstage than any of us thought possible.
It all started with PI Audio Group (Dave) and your Tranquility DAC. (It all has to start somewhere and we always need someone to blame, so I’m happy to lay the blame on Dave's doorstep:-)). He purchased a Tranquility DAC and chose to build a PC based music server that is fan-less, has an Intel SSD, and is running a stripped down version of Windows XP. He has been touting the PC based music server for most of the last year (since the last RMAF show) but now claims to have "seen the light". After hearing the modified Mac Mini in Darrell's system, he has raised the white flag and now wants to replace it with a modified Mac Mini.
I had Apple envy for years until I bought a 2009 Mac Mini. Then it sat unused in the box for a year until this summer. When I finally opened the box, I installed an Intel 80 GB SSD and 4 GB of ram, loaded up Snow Leopard and we plugged it in to your DAC and it immediately was better sounding than my HP laptop running Vista or Darrell McComb's high end Lenovo laptop running Windows 7 Ultimate.
Since July we have implemented a series of tweaks to the new 2010 Mac Mini that simply deliver never before heard detail, depth, dynamics, and clarity to digital music. Some of these we have shared with you and some are still not being talked about yet. We believe that there are 3 key differences between the mini and other Macs. First, it the lack of a monitor attached to the motherboard. The power supply for the monitor produces electronic noise which is not present in the Mac Mini. Second, is the integral power supply. By locating the power supply less than an inch from the motherboard, Apple has eliminated that possibility of picking up noise on the 5’ - 6’ long leads that would normally run from the old-style “brick” power supply to the back of the computer. Keeping this noise out is crucial to achieving pristine digital playback. And third (and last) is the new design housing. The new “unibody” one-piece aluminum housing effectively provides a faraday shield for the circuitry contained inside. There are undoubtedly other improvements to the new Mac Mini, but Apple doesn’t really tout them in their ad copy.
While I am not dismissing the possibility that there could be a PC solution that sounds as good, I just have not been able to find anyone who is able to bring a hardware/operating system/software combination that comes close sounding as good as our modified Mac Minis. Also in favor of the Mac Mini are the small size, elegant styling, and visual appeal of the Mac Mini/Tranquility DAC combination. Together they don't occupy as much shelf space as the average CD/DVD player. Even Micro sized PC's are HUGE by comparison.
You deserve the highest commendation for bringing out a product that can reveal more information in digital music than anyone believed possible just a few months ago. Tranquility allows us to hear changes in virtually every aspect of the system that now rivals analog and makes 16-Bit/44.1-Khz CD’s sound better than SACD’s. I cannot wait to meet you at the RMAF show next month.
Very best regards,
Kevin Burke
Audiopath (Answers | This Thread)
09-12-10
Like i said in the first post, it's difficult to do better t ... Ballan
09-12-10
I use a regular macbook with a firewire interface and i thin ... Richardfinegold
09-14-10
How does the extra 2 gig of ram (to 4 gig) improve the sound ... Btw22
09-16-10
I wouldn't say that the extra 2gig improves the sound per se ... Mintzar
09-18-10
Quote from ballan above: "if you do use a mac mini, hav ... Rgs92
09-18-10
@rgs92: a ssd will be mechanically quieter and allow the au ... Ballan
09-18-10
Hey ballan, so, which ssd do you recommend? i'd like to sque ... Btw22
09-18-10
@btw22: i'll send you an email about what ssds i've had goo ... Ballan
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