advertisement


Mac Mini as cheap music server - can anyone comment based on experience?

GruntPuppy said:
The mid 2010 meets the hardware requirements. The 2012 doesn't. The 2012 machine is, overall, a much better machine - but I don't need overall - I've got specific requirements - a small, neat all-in-1 box that has a cd/dvd drive (not going to rule out movie ripping and playback), digital out, with the option to connect additional storage if needed. This machine isn't going to need to do anything else at all. I understand that it's sensible to make allowances for future requirements, but any future computing needs will be met by other units.

Also, it's a cheap solution. Having dipped into my emergency funds (aka my burial money!) to buy a dac/integrated to act as pre-amp and a pair of nearfield monitors, I'm anxious to get the best balance of price and function that I can.

Think of this as graceful semi-retirement for a still-worthy piece of kit, next to a bunch of other obsolete but nicely capable equipment that's largely overlooked. Indeed, I'm pleased to say that even my pre-amp - which is still being sold new by Richer Sounds - is discontinued despite it's high spec and being a damned useful piece of gear.
Click to expand...

Ripping is hard on drives. I've ended up problems on my 2009 MacBook Pro which I sold and 2011 iMac which I'm using as we speak, their drives no longer fit for use.
I ended up buying a NOS external LaCie FireWire drive from eBay for a fiver. It's a full-size self-powered unit with drawer, not one of those flimsy USB drives.
 
GruntPuppy said:
The mid 2010 meets the hardware requirements. The 2012 doesn't. The 2012 machine is, overall, a much better machine - but I don't need overall - I've got specific requirements - a small, neat all-in-1 box that has a cd/dvd drive (not going to rule out movie ripping and playback), digital out, with the option to connect additional storage if needed. This machine isn't going to need to do anything else at all. I understand that it's sensible to make allowances for future requirements, but any future computing needs will be met by other units.

Also, it's a cheap solution. Having dipped into my emergency funds (aka my burial money!) to buy a dac/integrated to act as pre-amp and a pair of nearfield monitors, I'm anxious to get the best balance of price and function that I can.

Think of this as graceful semi-retirement for a still-worthy piece of kit, next to a bunch of other obsolete but nicely capable equipment that's largely overlooked. Indeed, I'm pleased to say that even my pre-amp - which is still being sold new by Richer Sounds - is discontinued despite it's high spec and being a damned useful piece of gear.
Click to expand...

Running the late 2012 with a 2TB SSD and a 256G ssd boot drive and maxed out 16GB RAM. Has been flawless for over 5years that I've had it. I have a superdrive which can easily be had on fleabay for 30-odd quid. Sits right on top and if you squint a little or have a few glasses of vino it looks like an all-in-one! I'd think twice on going with the all-in-one because on a 10+ yo machine the bit with moving parts is the most likely to die on you. Also the hardware really is a lot better on the late 2012's. However you go hope it works well for you.
 
Avoid the 2011 Mac Mini's that are all stuck on High Sierra if you are connecting via USB...there's a popping/clicking bug in High Sierra and I had to connect via optical and then subsequently not get the best out of my MDac.

Changed it for a 2012 on Catalina and the popping/clicking was gone, can now connect via USB which sounds great using J River and the J Remote app to control.
 
Boozyuzi said:
Avoid the 2011 Mac Mini's that are all stuck on High Sierra if you are connecting via USB...there's a popping/clicking bug in High Sierra and I had to connect via optical and then subsequently not get the best out of my MDac.

Changed it for a 2012 on Catalina and the popping/clicking was gone, can now connect via USB which sounds great using J River and the J Remote app to control.
Click to expand...

I doubt that this was a High Sierra issue. I've used until recently with my MacBook Pro and had no such USB issues with a Teac or an RME DAC.
 
tuga said:
I doubt that this was a High Sierra issue. I've used until recently with my MacBook Pro and had no such USB issues with a Teac or an RME DAC.
Click to expand...
Indeed, my 2011 MacBook Air has been on High Sierra for years and I haven't noticed audio glitches when using an external USB DAC.
 
I've talked myself into getting the top-spec 2012 model with i7 2.6GHz processor. 16GB RAM is preferable but not a deal-breaker as it's an easy upgrade to undertake. I would however require an SSD drive to be already fitted as, having watched youtube videos, I don't fancy installing it myself. I see there's an i7 2.6GHz with 8GB RAM currently in the Classifieds. It's a 'Server' model, and I'm not too sure how these differ in day-to-day operation from the Standard model? I also note it has both an SSD and HDD installed, which will presumably run louder than a Mini with only an SSD installed, but perhaps not any louder than my HDD-equipped 2010 Mini? Advice would be much appreciated. :)
 
ToTo Man said:
I've talked myself into getting the top-spec 2012 model with i7 2.6GHz processor. 16GB RAM is preferable but not a deal-breaker as it's an easy upgrade to undertake. I would however require an SSD drive to be already fitted as, having watched youtube videos, I don't fancy installing it myself. I see there's an i7 2.6GHz with 8GB RAM currently in the Classifieds. It's a 'Server' model, and I'm not too sure how these differ in day-to-day operation from the Standard model? I also note it has both an SSD and HDD installed, which will presumably run louder than a Mini with only an SSD installed, but perhaps not any louder than my HDD-equipped 2010 Mini? Advice would be much appreciated. :)
Click to expand...

I have run loads of Mac Minis over time (at least 10) and can't say I've ever really been too badly troubled by either noisy HDDs or fans - and that is with them right in front of me on the desktop.
Before the Minis I had a few towers in quick succession and they could be annoying (as Craig B points out)

That said, not all HDDs (or fans) are created equal and a lot depends on how intensely they are run over time. My biggest beefs with spinny disks though are their propensity to fail and that I have always found them very slow compared to SSD equivalents.

I don't run any HDDs at all now.
 
Last edited:
Craig B said:
Those who think a Mac mini with 2.5" HDD too loud for their listening room are in desperate need of a PowerMac G4 MDD (Mirrored Drive Doors) reality check...

http://vintagemacmuseum.com/mdd-mania-the-wind-tunnel-express/
Click to expand...

miktec said:
I have run loads of Mac Minis over time (at least 10) and can't say I've ever really been troubled by either noisy HDDs or fans - and that is with them right in front of me on the desktop.
Before the Minis I had a few towers in quick succession and they could be annoying (as Craig B points out)
Click to expand...

Yes, my 2010 Mini with its 2.5" internal HDD is very quiet even compared to the 6TB external HDD that's attached to it, and that's before I mention the noise levels from my Mac Pro that doubles up as a fan heater in my room! I'm just thinking ahead to the time when I might relocate my external HDD and Mac Pro elsewhere and really drive down the noise floor of my room to a level where I can hear the blood coursing through my veins... :D
 
ToTo Man said:
I've talked myself into getting the top-spec 2012 model with i7 2.6GHz processor. 16GB RAM is preferable but not a deal-breaker as it's an easy upgrade to undertake. I would however require an SSD drive to be already fitted as, having watched youtube videos, I don't fancy installing it myself. I see there's an i7 2.6GHz with 8GB RAM currently in the Classifieds. It's a 'Server' model, and I'm not too sure how these differ in day-to-day operation from the Standard model? I also note it has both an SSD and HDD installed, which will presumably run louder than a Mini with only an SSD installed, but perhaps not any louder than my HDD-equipped 2010 Mini? Advice would be much appreciated. :)
Click to expand...

I don’t think there is much in it apart from you got Mac OS X server which functions perfectly well as a stand alone operating system. The one in the classifieds looks like a good deal
 
ToTo Man said:
I've talked myself into getting the top-spec 2012 model with i7 2.6GHz processor. 16GB RAM is preferable but not a deal-breaker as it's an easy upgrade to undertake. I would however require an SSD drive to be already fitted as, having watched youtube videos, I don't fancy installing it myself. I see there's an i7 2.6GHz with 8GB RAM currently in the Classifieds. It's a 'Server' model, and I'm not too sure how these differ in day-to-day operation from the Standard model? I also note it has both an SSD and HDD installed, which will presumably run louder than a Mini with only an SSD installed, but perhaps not any louder than my HDD-equipped 2010 Mini? Advice would be much appreciated. :)
Click to expand...
That would be one with the fusion drive likely. The server model already the hardware for 2 drives. Fitting a drive on these can be a total ballache or not very. Depends on where. The bay closest to the top of the machine is the bugger. I managed to do it but my missus was not happy with the language durring the process!

BTW, never heard any HD noise with my mini when it had the 1TB drive which is now one of my backups.
 
garyi said:
I don’t think there is much in it apart from you got Mac OS X server which functions perfectly well as a stand alone operating system. The one in the classifieds looks like a good deal
Click to expand...
Post Snow Leopard Server, Mac OS X Server, OS X Server, and macOS Server are no longer operating systems, but add-on software packages, including a (rapidly diminishing) set of server services and a main dashboard from which to control settings. IOWs, from 10.7 Lion on, all base networking functionality has been built into the standard OS with the 'Server' product simply adding the necessary services plus an app with which to configure/control same.

Hardware wise, 'Server' typically means the higher processor plus two storage drives as standard. In the case of Mac mini Late 2012/Server, 2 x 1TB HDD as standard, with the option of substituting 256 SSD(s) for one or both HDDs. Late 2012 was also the only series with 'Server' offering a 'configure-to-order' processor option (i7 2.6GHz vs. i7 2.3GHz).

One of these, especially so the 'configured-to-order' i7 2.6GHz, would be sadly wasted if used as a dedicated music server only.
 
As I say the one in the classifieds was a great deal sadly our OP was dead set on an 11 year old dvd drive.
 
Craig B said:
One of these, especially so the 'configured-to-order' i7 2.6GHz, would be sadly wasted if used as a dedicated music server only.
Click to expand...

For the OP's use, yes, but for someone using it also as a general use machine including watching and serving hi-res video it presumably makes sense to get the highest spec possible to delay the requirement for future upgrade, or is this something that's ultimately limited by the GPU? If I'm upgrading from my 2010 2.66GHz C2D Mini with 8GB RAM I figured I may as well max out the spec and go for a 2012 2.6GHz i7 with 16GB RAM, but perhaps a lower spec would suffice?...
 
ToTo Man said:
For the OP's use, yes, but for someone using it also as a general use machine including watching and serving hi-res video it presumably makes sense to get the highest spec possible to delay the requirement for future upgrade, or is this something that's ultimately limited by the GPU? If I'm upgrading from my 2010 2.66GHz C2D Mini with 8GB RAM I figured I may as well max out the spec and go for a 2012 2.6GHz i7 with 16GB RAM, but perhaps a lower spec would suffice?...
Click to expand...
The i5 2012 Mac Mini is fine for any music server duties. The i7 is really to provide the umph for running as a client server i.e. multiple users thats all. For most peeps they wouldn't see any performance gains over an i5. I already have Snow Leopard Server running on a 2010 Mini and look forward to running the i7 2012 Mini as a client server machine.

Watching video doesn't need much power at all. Video editing however is a different matter and you'd also need a decent GPU so that leaves the Mac Mini out.

Cheers,

DV
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top