I just configured a refurbished M2 Mac Mini this week solely as a Roon Core (+ Qobuz Connect streamer). I have a solid USB cable (Ricable Dadelus) feeding a very affordable Topping E70 Velvet DAC. Mac & DAC are both plugged in to a good IsoTek power conditioner. The DAC can receive PCM files up to 32-bit 768khz and the Mac sends my one album at that spec over with aplomb. I know it's sacrilege to many, but I also upsample via Roon to that rate too, and it sounds awesome! FWIW, DAC feeds a NuPrime AMG STA-SE amp & a MartinLogan Abyss 8 (active) sub. The NuPrime AMG STA-SE feeds Sonus faber Sonetto II G2 speakers. I sit about 10 feet back from the Sonetto IIs and, on many recordings, they not only "disappear", I also can perceive a soundstage about 20 feet wide, plenty tall too. I get some okay depth... wish that were more prominent — I don't get a lot protruding into the room from the speakers (mainly lead vocals and occasionally percussion), but I get stuff receding back into the soundstage beyond the speakers and wall.
Very happy and satisfied with my M2 Mac Mini as streamer/Roon Core!
Streamer recommendation
Hi all.
Looking for a streamer recommendation. I love my primary system. Have an Aurender W20 with their additional master clock feeding into my D’Agostino Momentum HD and M400 amps to drive my Wilson Benesch Resolutions with REL 32’s. Have that for my primary space.
Had a great opportunity to build a secondary system in a huge room that is our living room, family room, and kitchen for listening while entertaining or even just casually during the day. I have a pair of Focal Diablo Utopias (and a B&w DB1-D for a sub) fed by a Gryphon Diablo with their integrated DAC. Also using the theater pass through to run a 7.1 home theater using a Marantz Cinema 30. I have very limited space to keep the wife happy. It’s an open room so do t want a bunch of stuff cluttering her area.
The Gryphon is tucked away in a AV console with the center channel and the Marantz and Ethernet switch are in a pantry closet. Would like to have a decent streamer. Love the aurender conductor app. Would like some build in storage space to keep the music files built in. Would a Bluesound Vault be enough? Should I just bite the bullet and get another aurender like an N200? Or are there some more reasonably sized ones you like?
Your input is greatly appreciated!