Macbook Pro As CD Source

This isn't strictly an Apples to Apples comparison but at a recent DAC shootout, I brought along my MBAir 13" 1.7GHz i5, 4GB of RAM, 128GB SSD while my friend brought along his MacMini Server (Quad Core i7 2GHz), 8GB of RAM and 120GB SSD.

His is a dedicated music machine. Mine isn't

We were running Amarra, iTunes serving out the same files to the same DAC and we all thought the MacMini sounded cleaner. The Air was running off batteries.

David12,

I used aMac Mini and a MacBook Pro into the same FireWire Dac, and didn't detect any difference.

David12, in my experience sonically there is no difference between the Mini and the Powerbook Pro, except that the Powerbook has the screen and is portable. I have only used both with Pure Music and FW, however. Now my Mini is from Empirical Audio using a raid system.

A quick question, is there any real sonic difference between the Macbook pro and Mac mini, as a source for a DAC? Thanks

No matter what music base I access, my Macbook Pro going into my ARC Dac8 doesn't sound as involving as from my CD transport going to the same Dac.

2bgeorge yes, my W4S2 is still breaking in and the system sounds better and better as the days go by!. I like it. I'm using a Furutech Formula 2 USB cable. The Macbook Pro is breaking in too.

I use mine as a CD player, via it's FireWire output into the FireWire input of my Apogee Dac.

Get a nice USB cable and Spotify and you have a pretty nice jukebox. Wyred4sound has one.
I am running my PC to my wryed4sound DAC and it sounds great. I read a review on some gear and I have a high probability of finding that same piece of music the reviewer is using. At the end of the day, audio gear is great, but new music might be even better.
Isn't that w4s DAC sweet? :^)