Those determined to pursue a path with the MacMini might want to sit up and pay attention right now because Hong Kong’s CLONES Audio is tapping us on the shoulder with news of its freshly-announced POWER STATION – a low noise linear power supply for the MacMini. Of further nuisance is that it’s found inside the Mac.
WHEN TO REPLACE MAC MINI POWER SUPPLY UPGRADE
I moved from a Mac/Audirvana setup to a Bluesound Node 2i but I’m looking to upgrade my research has led me to two choices I’m interested in: the Aries G1 and the LUMIN U1 Mini. One major source of that noise is the Mac Mini’s switch-mode power supply. Also take a look at the LUMIN U1 Mini (2k). The dividing issue is (predominantly) one of internal electrical noise that can cause music to sound rigid, uptight and iced with treble glare. The absence of a built in screen on offers two advantages: 1) the Mac Mini can be run headless – once configured, no monitor, no keyboard, no mouse – and 2) lower electrical internal noise emissions. Having run a 2014 MacMini and 2014 MacBook Air back-to-back, I can confirm that sonically speaking, the Mini has the edge.ĭirect, hands-on experience also tells me that the Mac Mini can’t match the AURALiC Aries, Aurender N100H or (especially) the Antipodes Audio DX, even when tricked out with all manner of USB signal cleaners, USB cables or USB-S/PDIF converters.Īt some point in every digital audiophile’s journey comes a point when they either consider moving up to a bespoke solution or just accept the Apple box’s limitations as digital audio transport. There is no soldering and no cutting of wires required, the procedure is completely reversible, and a toolkit with detailed instructions is provided.
WHEN TO REPLACE MAC MINI POWER SUPPLY SOFTWARE
Oh – and you can browse the web, watch video and run office software too. The MMK converts a Mac mini to operate on external 12V DC power by replacing the computers stock switch-mode power supply with a circuit board that fits perfectly in the space vacated by the SMPS. It’s a solution that gives easy access to the library management awesomeness of Roon as well as the audible amelioration of Pure Music, Sonic Studio Amarra or Audirvana+. The Mac Mini is Apple’s least expensive OS X entry-point, a not unattractive brushed aluminium box that can easily be tucked out of sight.
Hands up how many of you use a consumer-grade computer as your digital audio playback device? Keep those hands aloft if that same computer is a Mac Mini? Yep – thought as much – that’s plenty of you.