Just leave your computer on and using the remote app on an iPhone or iPad you can start up your music from iTunes in seconds. I have owned Macs since 1984 and never turned them off. Just have them go to sleep when not in use.
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The Bluesound Vault2 would fit your needs, but they also perform frequent updates....but you can choose not to do them |
Oh, yea. I didn’t know they have a remote app for Mac mini that could be remotely used on an iPad. Still I’d like to remove and store on somthing separate. - Maybe the sound could be improved ?
I’ve read a little about the Bluesound vault. Do you have it? Do you get all the album artwork like iTunes has? Is it easy ?
- Coukd up to $2000 retail - Thanks |
have you looked at the Innuos ZenMini MK III for 2000 you can get 8 TB (1 TB costs about 1250). Very easy set up, will burn and store your CDs with album art, etc. I recently purchased one and am very pleased with it. |
It’s like iTunes. You get the cover of the album. I listen primarily to Classical and occasionally it is misidentified, such as the wrong Conductor and Orchestra but the right work, which would probably be less of an issue for pop music
I own the Vault2 and a pair of Node2 for other areas in the house
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The Vault 2 uses the BlueOS. You rip a CD and it pretty much gets organized the same way iTunes does. It doesn’t provide any extra info about the albums a la Rune...
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I installed an ssd in my mini and boot up time is about 1/4 of what it used to be. I won't be spending 3-4 times what I paid for the mini on something that doesn't even have built in wi-fi. The Vault 2 has to be connect to the network via ethernet connection. FWIW I think the mini with Audirvana+ is pretty hard to beat especially with all the other functionality. |
+1 on the Innuous Zenith 3. Very easy to set up and use with ios app. Works well with Roon. Great sound quality. Internet radio. Available with 1 to 8 tb of storage, as already stated. |
+2 on the Innuos. I went from using my mac to an Aurender and now to an Innuos. The Innuos is by far the easiest to use and best sounding. Using the Aurender + itunes was very time consuming just to rip 1 CD. Insert the CD, create a folder, google search for artwork, download artwork, add artwork to created file, highlight CD songs from itunes and drag to the created file and on and on..... With the Innuos you insert the CD and it does everything for you....plus I get to use Roon now, which I love. |
You rip a CD and it pretty much gets organized the same way iTunes does.
I don't like amount of scrolling you have to do to get to particular album in Itunes, but if you create "smart playlists" for each genre (like "genre IS Jazz") then Itunes displays whole page of thumbnails of all records in the genre - much easier to use. As for the server - I use WiFi on Mac Mini to transfer data (on 5GHz band) to Airport Express, then by Toslink to Benchmark DAC3. I keep my computer ON all day placing it in the "SLEEP" mode at night. It wakes up instantly. Since I'm sending data (no timing) over Wi-Fi computer (playback program, speed, amount of memory) is not important. Same (other than conducted electrical noise) goes for Ethernet or async. USB. |
The new vault 2i has both wired and wireless internet if that is a big deal to you.
Personally I stick to wired as very little chance of any dropouts while streaming.
Owned my Vault 2 for nearly 2 years and only just now getting thoughts to possibly upgrade.
But I had same thoughts last year and stuck with the Vault 2 as to replace it was going to cost a heck of a lot more than the 1k I dropped on it! |
It would have to be wireless for me, as my router is upstairs in bedroom, while listening room is in basement.
thanks for all the responses - appreciate all the help. |
I had the same challenge when I got the Innuous (router in one place, listing room elsewhere and no possibility of running a wire). I tried a powerline adapter. It worked but I was advised that it might degrade my sound quality since it transmits a signal over the power line. I changed to a wireless bridge (under $100) which connects to the Innuous by ethernet cable. Works pretty well, although it occasionally loses the signal even when I’m a few feet away. I got an inexpensive Netgear with two antennas. Netgear makes one with four antennas and, of course, there are other brands. I’m wondering whether upgrading the wireless bridge would help. In any case, a server with built in wireless internet probably would have similar issues.
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Fast, I had the same problem of dropouts until I changed to 5GHz band (bought dual band router). 2.4GHz has only 3 channels (since each of 12 channels is more than 3 channels wide). 5GHz, in addition of higher number of channels, has advantage of poorly penetrating walls. It is advantage, because it suppresses more 5GHz signals from the outside of the house. In addition less people use 5GHz routers (less traffic) and no cell phone frequencies (that are around 2GHz). |
If you’re comfortable getting in your routers settings check how many are using the same wireless channels as you and switch to a channel no one else is using. Most people don’t bother with changing it, they leave it on the default, might help . |
Thanks but I’m using an Apple AirPort Extreme router which is dual band and has
5Ghz. |
I have been streaming my ripped CDs wirelessly using iTunes from my Mac to either an Apple TV or an Airport Express for 8 years and have never had a dropout or any issues. My router is an Apple Airport Extreme. It has always worked flawlessly. I have 3 systems in different rooms and last year added a fourth for my wife. We play some music just about every day if we are home. .
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