streaming mac mini

[philiphifi]

hi - i have a mac mini running as a music server using audirvana connected to my dac. I would like to stream the music downstairs to my main system + be able to play music stored on the mac mini on ipads and iphones.

could you tell me what i need to do? i have never streamed music before so i don't know how to do it.

thank you very much

Philip

 

[AndyU]

I think all you should need to do is have the Apple Music app on you Macmini, and that should “see” your iPhones and iPads as potential playback zones using Airplay.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204951

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202809

 

[philiphifi]

hi - isn't this just for itunes? i use Audirvana software

 

[Craig B]

Audirvana outputs a digital audio stream only (i.e. none network data), so it's all a bit of a catch 22 with other than a single hardwired connection from DAC to Hi-Fi.

Specifically, iTunes (or the Apple Music app introduced with Catalina) would be required for sharing one's Mac music library with iPads/iPhones, as well as for streaming content via Wi-Fi over AirPlay.

One workaround here is that Audirvana can be set to synchronize with one's iTunes library, thereby allowing the user to either output via Audirvana to DAC or push up to 16/44.1 content round via iTunes/Music App to Apple devices such as AirPort Express, Apple TV, and iPods/iPhones. The downside being that no DSD, FLAC, etc. content can be stored in an iTunes library, nor can Hi-Res streaming services be routed through iTunes.

 

[AndyU]

hi - isn't this just for itunes? i use Audirvana software

Sure, but afaik Audirvana doesn’t have the capability of sending audio to endpoints like iPhones and iPads. But as Apple Music does do this, there doesn’t seem to me to be any reason why you can’t have both running on your MacMini; Audirvana to play out of the Macmini, and Apple Music for AirPlay-ing to other devices. It would likely take you less than five minutes to find out - just fire up Apple Music on your Macmini, point it at your music library and read the Apple support.

Another way of doing things would be to run a DLNA server on your Macmini and stream to your chosen endpoints, or to run J River Media center and use JRemote on your iPhone/iPad.

 

[timH]

I too use a mac mini as a server which feeds an ESS9038 dac. I use itunes on the mac mini (old os) which means I can control it with the Remote app on my iphone or ipad. If I want to play stuff on the iphone or ipad or macbook i can just use the Music app and home sharing. Works seamlessly