sandman012

regarding Oyen, I have a 1TB mini ext HD from them ... going on my third unit in less than 6 months, as the original one shipped didn't work, and the replacement just sh!t the bed last week. While their customer service is very good and they will be replacing it yet again, I will be looking elsewhere going forward.

Thanks for the comments, sounds like I should be fine with what I am looking at.

Coming here to get thoughts about going to a mac mini as my music server. I currently have a 120GB mac book (> USB > Peachtree Nova > Opera Mezza speakers). But it is my wife and I's main computer for home use, and there are times when I want to hook it up for listening, but my wife is using it to surf the net or watch netflix. (I don't want to go with airport express, I'd rather be wired.) Also, I need more HD storage. I bought a 1TB Time Capsule for this reason, to easily wirelessly store and transmit music, but it still leaves me with having to buy back-up drive. So I'm thinking of an older Mac mini (1.42GHz 40-80GB HD), which can be had on eBay for ~$250, and then getting a 1TB External HD with all the storage I'll need ... so I'll have a music server for ~$400 (and have the Time Capsule for backup.) Where my music equipment is has a 27" LCD TV, and I can get a wireless keyboard and mouse. I can use my iPhone for remote. So for me, its sounding like this will be a better situation. My only concerns, which I am looking for feedback on: 1) is there any appreciable noise from the Mac mini? 2) is there any difference in sound/performance/capabilities between Mac mini/Eternal HD and Macbook/Time Capsule? 3) my iTunes library would move to Mac mini/Eternal HD, but I'd still like to move music to my ipods/iphone via the macbook. is this possible?

Thanks for the comments.<br /> <br /> "I'll try hooking up the P1 to the GCPH this weekend to clarify this, but I suspect you are right about the PP2 being a drag in your setup."<br /> <br /> If you get around to that, definitely let me know what you hear! Thanks in advance.

I just bought this unit from the original owner who had properly burned it in before selling it a few months later to me. I bought it as I needed to get a unit with a remote and I needed to put most of my audio equipment into a AV storage unit.<br /> <br /> The only good comparison I can make to another unit is what it is replacing .... a Unison Unico 80W with built in phono stage, and I was using a MHDT Paradisea USB DAC.<br /> <br /> I have to say the Peachtree (with NAD PP2 phono stage) isn't up to par with the Unison.<br /> <br /> The speakers I am using are Opera Mezza monitors, digital source is Macbook playing AIFF files, analog source is Rega P25/DV 20X.<br /> <br /> On the digital side its pretty close to the Peachtree, but the Nova is lacking a bit in bass extension and weight, and the Unico has a little bit more something, a fuller sound.<br /> <br /> On the phono side of things there is a big dropoff across the board. This I assume is probably mostly due to the Unico phono stage being better than the NAD PP2? Won't know for sure until I try a better phone stage.<br /> <br /> To get back to the sound I am looking for I will probably need to get an amp to use with the Peachtree as a PRE/DAC, and a better phono stage. So after that expense, I don't consider the Peachtree a "giant killer". But it is a pleasant enough sounding unit.