martlet

FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps) Good catch - thx I stand corrected!!!

I'm trying to put the pieces together on a mac mini based system. I recently purchased a 2011 Mac Mini Server and a 27" Apple Display (thunderbolt based). Eventually I will use the server as a server. For now it, being a fan of it's cpu, it is being used simply as a desktop with the server software disabled. The 2011 Mini's have eliminated the firewire connection in favor of the tbolt. The system resides in a room upstairs. I'd like to store my iTunes based music files on it but access it on my downstairs music system. The combination of Apple Display and 2011 Apple Mini works to my advantage in connecting a "yet to be purchased" DAC as the display contains a thunderbolt/firewire converter - something still hard to come by with third party hardware. Since (to my knowledge) there are as of yet no tbolt, based DAC's even buying a new mac mini for downstairs repeats the problem. My question is about the connection to my downstairs amp/preamp system. I realize that within Apple I have the possibility of using Apple TV/Airplay or Airport Express but understand that audio quality may degrade with these solutions. I have an extra Apple router if that makes a difference. Of course there is the option of buying a used 2010 Mac mini and using that near the downstairs music system. That's a duplication I'm hoping to avoid. What are my options for connecting with the upstairs computer?