Ditch the Mini ASAP — huge bottleneck to your otherwise nice sytem. Unless you’re planning on keeping it for a long time, throwing more $$$ at the Mini is a waste IMHO and would make much more sense to put those funds toward a dedicated streamer. Innuos makes streamers at several price points and come with their Sense app that’s widely regarded as the best and most user-friendly app in the biz, and several have even dumped Roon it’s so good but I believe it works as a Roon endpoint if you wanna stick with it. If you give a budget you’ll get more specific recommendations. Best of luck.
Maximize Mini with Roon to match my system -- or new component?
Hello Fantastic Audiogon Community!
I seek some advice regarding how to plan the next few upgrades to what I am beginning to understand has been a neglected and critical component to my system. The Mac mini.
Details of my system, which has undergone a complete upgrade in the past year both digitally and analogue:
(And thank you in advance to this incredible insightful and passionate community! I have combed through the forums for specifics on these questions already and am both impressed and still seeking advice….)
- SPEAKERS: Pure Audio Project Duet 15 Horn (Mundorf Silver Gold Oil Cap upgrade and high pass filter, Duelund 16 internal wiring and speaker cables to amp)
- AMP: PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP Integrated (Gold Lion KT77 power tubes, Briar and Mullard NOS gain tubes)
- DAC: HoloAudio Spring 2 Level 3 Kitsune edition
- PHONO: Music Hall MMF-9 and McIntosh MP 100 Preamp (but I’m focusing on the digital for this thread)
- INTERCONNECTS: Duelund 16 (Perfection interconnect)
- MAC MINI: M2 Chip, 8GB Ram, 245GB External HD through USB C, Generic USB Cable to the DAC. Roon Core.
I for now am mostly wanting to maximize the Mac mini so that it is as perfect as possible running Roon with Qubuz.
However I am also curious what you all believe is the “appropriate” upgrade to my digital stream, to match the rest of my components.
I am a minimalist with hardware (?!) and would like the future splurge on this to be on something that lasts, doesn’t have a screen, and doesn’t require any maintenance… just runs for a decade. I am loving Roon. Most of my old digital library is burned from CD, so I tend to listen to streamed files as they are the same or higher quality (?). I am happy with the HoloAudio DAC.
QUESTIONS:
- How do I maximize my current system with affordable (sub 1K) adjustments and upgrades to the software and hardware?
- The Mac Mini unit is headless, and I typically have the Roon app open on this Mac mini and control it from my iPad. Is the “Roon Core” a background app, and should I quit the “Roon” app?)
- Upgrade USB Cable?
- Power Supplies?
- If I were to get rid of the mini, what would be a new digital component that runs Roon well and matches the rest of my system?
THANK YOU ALL!
BRILLIANT PASSIONATE LOVERS OF MUSIC HALLUCINATION MACHINES!
R.
P.S.: I have been following this thread regarding Streamers, similar OP setup, but was wanting to focus on the Mac mini for now... https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/options-to-improve-digital-sound?utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sendgrid