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Thanks Superdad. The more research I do, the more scope creep seems to set in, lol. Realizing I can do much more than just a music server with a Mac Mini. We have 3 kids who love movies, plus 2 ipads and an ipod touch, etc. I’m thinking I could rip their DVD’s and let them stream movies to the old ipad or Apple TV in the playroom, etc. Also, even the i5 2012 has a higher performance rating than my early 2011 MPB, so I’m hoping I can do image processing (Lightroom and Photoshop) using the faster Mac Mini with screen mirroring (or other method using the MBP as a display) to the MPB. Maybe getting a bit too ambitious, but it seems like I could do a lot with it. Mike

Thanks, I didn’t realize that. Out of the loop I guess

Hello all, I’m looking to get a Mac Mini to locate close to my stereo setup and use remote software to control it. I have a Wyred 4 Sound Dac2, dedicated 2-channel preamp and amp, Sierra-1 monitors, and a sub. I’ve just started dabbling in high-res audio files, and would like an easier way to listen to them that putting my MBP over by the stereo and pugging a USB cable into it every time I want to listen to high-res files. There are three mid-2011 MM’s on CL, and a late-2012 also. Are there worth considering? Are there certain points in the MM evolution that I should be considering, or discounting? I’d prefer to save money and buy used if I can get all the features I need. I haven’t decided on music software yet, as I’m still using iTunes. I’m leaning towards which ever is most stable and will give me the least hassle, I don’t want to constantly have to fuss with something, or reboot it. Thanks for any thoughts, Mike

Ha, ancient formica countertop. It is usually on my lap or the couch. I have a 8-inch wide aluminum extrusion, but heat transfer won't be all that great without heat transfer paste I wouldn't think. I just need to pull the bottom of the Mac off and see if the internal heatsinks are all dusty/grimey. Mike

I didn't look at all processes, I did now. Still about the same, maybe 12-15% of total % CPU of all processes running. You'll have to forgive me, but I had PC's for decades and this is my first Mac, so I'm not very good with it yet. Mike

I have the BDP-93 which doesn't have any digital inputs so you can't use the internal DAC for another component unfortunately. I have a BAT preamp and amp, so I feel like I should get a DAC that won't let those components down, even though I'm not using them to their full ability with a lot of my music listening currently. Even with streaming music I can say they made a large positive difference in SQ, especially the openness of the soundstage with the preamp. That's why I haven't just bought an inexpensive DAC. That, and once I buy a DAC it will be tough to convince my wife I need a "better" one, lol. I just looked at the activity monitor (the MacBook is making the same level of noise it always does) and the largest process is Safari at ~5% usage. Mike

Thanks, but it had been 3 days since I made my post, not 3 hours, that's why I was wondering if I asked some question that was so obvious no-one wanted to answer. It looks like I might be fine using the iPad to stream MOG and just use the MacBook to surf if I feel like it, but shut it when I want to focus on the music. Not sure how much of a PITA using the iPad to search for/select music will be compared to the MacBook. I do like my physical keyboard and track pad. You might be right about the fan, I just assumed it was the HD. Could probably use a good cleaning. Still trying to decide of it's worth spending $1200-1500 on a DAC if I listen to a majority of streaming music vs. CD's or high res files from my HD/NAS. I figure I'll get more high-res music over time, so might as well get a good DAC now, and if I get a less capable DAC I'll always be wondering what I'm missing out on. The W4S DAC-2 has been my front runner for many months now. Mike

Anyone? No-one knows any answers, or am I asking the equivalent of "Is this the car's tire?" at a car dealer? Thanks, Mike

Hello, first post on this forum and looking for direction, please. There is a ton of great info here and I've done quite a bit of searching here and Google, but I'm having a hard time finding what I'm looking for. Right now I do a majority of my listening via Pandora from my Oppo BDP-93 (ethernet) -> pre-amp -> amplifier -> speakers using a plasma TV as my display for Pandora. I'd like to use MOG/Pandora 1 to get higher sound quality, but I have some (many) questions and need for direction, or at least what terms I should be searching for. I have an early 2011 2Ghz i7 MacBook Pro, a 3rd Gen iPad, a 1st or 2nd Gen iPod Touch and a NAS323 NAS box. What I'd like to be able to do is stream MOG (and/or Pandora 1) from the Macbook or iPad to my (pretty decent) 2-channel stereo system across the room, about 10 feet (straight line) away. I don't have an external DAC yet. I'd like to be able to keep the MacBook near me so I can surf the web while listening if I want. Questions: 1) Biggest issue; looking for suggestions on how to get MOG/Pandora 1 to my 2-channel stereo. I was thinking of streaming from the MacBook -> Apple TV -> external DAC -> preamp. I might be able to get away with a USB cable under the area rug across the room, but would rather not. Wife wouldn't be impressed, and with 3 kids it ups the risk of the MacBook being yanked onto the floor. My system is under a plasma TV I can use as a display. Maybe a dedicated Mac Mini would be a better option? Could I use the MacBook/iPad/Plasma for the display and to control MOG/Pandora from a Mac Mini? Or maybe I should be looking at some other standalone streaming system altogether? 2) Can I use the MacBook to stream when it is closed, or do I have to keep it open. 3) Is there some way to control the MOG/Pandora interface using the iPad/iPod Touch remotely (not having to touch the MacBook directly, say if it's across the room)? 4) The MacBook makes (relative to a silent room) a lot of noise. Guessing it's the hardrive spinning. Anything I can do about it? SSD? It's distracting when listening to music and it's on my lap. My budget is $1500-2000. I was planning on a good DAC being a big chunk of that. Thanks for any thoughts, suggestions, or pointers on where I could find some FAQ's covering the above. Mike