Having sold my 2012 Mac mini w i5 16gb Ram (note nothing inside just for Roon) and now back to using a 2017 mbp 15” i7 16gb Ram the difference is sq is very far. I don’t understand why everyone keeps saying they don’t hear a difference.
I’ve run both mini/mbp to qutest to amp and it’s opened up by a lot. Staging is better, width and air in between, decay of notes is also much better, and layering!!! All along I thought I needed some upgrade to fix this issue apparently it was the mini holding the sq back. Dynamics is so much better too, you can feel the swing of the rhythm is more palpable.
From the mini, I had to push the volume up to -35 but on the mbp I had to lower down to -45 thereabouts to make them sound similar but in no way are they similar at all. Dynamics held up even in lower volume.
I was toying with the idea of getting a nuc but with this experience in mind, I doubt having a low spec’s nuc would be better. Especially hearing the difference between both mini and mbp.
Now I still want to replace my mbp w a headless core as it’s just ghastly having a laptop sitting there but I don’t want to hear mac mini 2012 quality again…
Having said all these though I do want recommendations for something similar to what the mbp is able to put out.
Rock on nuc? What specs? Or is a dedicated streamer better? Would a newer Mac mini w maybe more cores do a better job than the 2017mbp?
I’ve seen NUC prices and I can’t wholeheartedly agree with the prices especially doubtful if it’d be comparable to the mbp.
I’m not as updated now as I’d like to be and in need of advise as to what I can replace my laptop for a Roon core