I Use an ultraRendu w a Mac Mini USB into Ayre Codex (likely DAC upgrade in my future) with Roon and only streaming - no files.
I’m interested in everyone’s thoughts and experiences on a Mac Mini replacement & though I like Roon, would like the option to hear anything, anywhere on the internet easily, ie Youtube, not to mention Sirrus etc.
How subtle will the upgrade be? $ better spent elsewhere? Likely suspects Aurender, Lumin, Roon Nucleus, SonicTransporter, Pro-Ject etc. etc.
If you allready have an ultrarendu there is nothing to be gained in sound quality when you replace the mac-mini. Others might argue that there are differences but if there are they are on the border of audibility. I have never heard any difference whatsoever between different core machines. I have tried macbook pro, mac mini, i7 desktop with windows/linux, i5 server with linux/Rock. Even an 15 year old pc running windows10. All sound exactly the same. The only thing you can gain is speed when you have a very large library. With a small library even the 15 year old PC was very usable.
Since Youtube and Sirrus are of pretty low quality anyway why not use a seperate usb dac for it directly attached to the mac-mini. No streamer is going to give you the convenience of playing sound from as many sources as your mac-mini can.
Have you tried Shairport app on your ultraRendu and using Airplay on your Mac, to Airplay audio to your Rendu?
Try it with YouTube and report back if you have any lip sync issue.
Thank you will def try that
Thank you- don’t need any storage but the apps for tidal & Quboz and Roon core live on the computer (as server)
Well if the ultrarendu indeed supports airplay you are all set. The Mac-mini is much more versatile then any dedicated streamer out there.
I would say no need to replace the Mac mini - it’s a great home for Roon in my experience. As for replacing the Ayre Codex, I recently got a Lumin T2 streamer/DAC which is hooked up by ethernet to a Mac mini running Roon core and by XLR to my amp - depending on the rest of your setup/requirements this would certainly do what you want (Airplay, Tidal, Qobuz, etc.), and the sound quality and build quality are absolutely fantastic. Certainly a step up from a USB solution IME.
Zero library so speed not a concern
Will def take the advice to heart
Yes hear great things about Lumin, Aurender & Innuos but currently would probably only buy a ’dac-less’ model because sonically I’m leaning to the current Audio Research Dac (for a future purchase)
I imagine eventually even they will build a one box solution, Ethernet in, analog out
Lumin U1 mini is the DAC-less version, or the U1 if your budget stretches.
Hi again. So did you try it?
Not yet maybe this week, my stereo quarantined in a different spot, will go cheer it up soon and report back
Roughing it w a vintage Bogen Mono tube amp and a restomod Altec At my GFs