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Recommendations for home audio setup with Mac and NAS

Hello all, 

I've been doing a bit of searching through the forum and have found some similar threads, but I think my question might differ just slightly, so hoping to get some ideas/suggestions etc. Keep in mind I'm only "entry level" and not in position to spend thousands on new gear at the moment. Just trying to work with what I have.

I'd like to set up an entry level home audio system utilising a NAS as my storage for digital files, connected to a Mac. I will be doing most of my listening in my home office, and in the near future hoping to connect to the living room as well. 

My view is to set up the system in the follwing way, but I'm just wondering if I'm being idealistic, and if so if there's a better way to connect everything. 

I will have a Mac desktop (for office work etc) + mac mini (for audio/movie playback)

I want to connect both macs to the NAS (through a wireless routers), connect the Mac Mini to the amplifier and speaker system. I will be controlling the Mac Mini via the Apple remote on ipad or iphone. 

My question is, do I need the Mac Mini at all? Given that my Mac desktop (which will be used for office work mostly) will be connected to the NAS as well (which will have all my music and video files stored), should I buy a dedicated streamer instead, or is the set-up I have suggested feasible? 

In future, how could I be best set up the system in the living room to the NAS I have? Should I connect the amplifier in the living room to the NAS through a streaming unit via ethernet cable connected directly to the NAS? Or could I just get a wifi-streamer capable integrated amp/preamp that can connect wirelessly to the Mac in my office? I also have an Apple TV, so could I just realistically connect the to an amp in the living room and stream my music/movies from that over wifi?

I plan to use Bitperfect on my Mac (either desktop or mini) in my office system. Would this be OK to run on 2022 Mac OSX?

Thanks for your consideration!

snakenuts
pabs85
53 posts
 

I own a streamer, not the bluesound node. However, reading through your questions just made me feel like why go through all this when you could buy a bluesound node, used if you wanted to further reduce the costs, and it comes ready to do everything you want in your questions. It can connect to a NAS on your network, sit out the way connected up to your amp as it has an internal dac, has an app that you can use on your iPad, works either wifi or hardwired, opens up all the major streaming platforms, and more. 

In future you could add a second node to the living room and have multi-room if you enjoyed your experience with the node, if not you can resell it as they are in high demand and sell easily. 
 

That would be my humble advice, rather than fanny around with all that complication you have suggested and it doesn’t cost thousands.

macrojack
1,303 posts
 

I agree with everything "pabs85" said about the NODE but wanted to point out that perhaps you might be smarter to buy a Vault 2i. It's basically a Node with a 2 terabyte solid state drive onboard. The Vault is also a quick, efficient ripper as well.

Everything in one unit. Look into it.REmote is also available or you can use your phone with the free Bluesound app.

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,598 posts
 

Here is entry level. I sold my Synology and got it.

Or a Rasp Pi, s 2T SSD and a disk drive will outperform the Bluenode for under $500.  

I have both.

snakenuts OP
4 posts
 

why go through all this when you could buy a bluesound node

I have heard of these and briefly looked at them. I guess the main reason is at present I don't really want to spend another $800 or so just to do what I can do with my currently available equipment. My question was really just to see if what I wanted was feasible, or if I was overlooking an issue in the set-up. 

Another reason is I don't really care for "streaming" music from Tidal, Quobuz, Audirvana etc. I have no interest in it. But I guess network players are not just all for streaming online but to get your music into your home network.  

Having said that, I can consider investing in such a device in the near future.

I have about 2tb of music and about 3tb of movies/tv on my NAS, so I would need to hook a network streamer rather than rely on the inbuilt storage on some of the models suggested.

While the Bluesound looks good, can anyone recommend or vouch for other "entry level" networkers, such as SMSL SD9 or Audiolab 600N?

Another question - would it be best hooking them directly to the NAS (if capable) or stream over wi-fi?

Again, until I can invest in a network streamer, is there anything I need to consider that I haven't already when connecting my Mac Mini to my set-up? 

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