What’s a Roon Nuc?
Why should there be so much difference in SQ between a NUC and a Mac Mini? I keep reading this. If so, I‘ll jump immediately to a NUC.
A NUC running ROCK (presumably) has a dedicated Roon setup whereas a MacMini will be running many other background Mac tasks that have no roon function compared to a barebones appliance OS like ROCK. Some say this reduced load makes for less noise and issues for audio processing. Having a NUC and running windows on it would be much the same as MacMini or any other non ROCK setup. Nucleus is for all intents and purposes a NUC in a Fanless case with some additional appliance options for Home automation features…otherwise essentially ROCK
What does NUC stand for?
Downstairs I run Roon core on a mid-2011 Mini on WiFi without problem. An ultraRendu with linear power supply is connected to the Ethernet and sends USB to an Ayre Codex DAC that sends balanced analog to an Ayre A7e integrated amp driving KEF LS50s. I use an iPad for control. Upstairs an Ayre QX-5 connects to the Ethernet and sends balanced analog to Ayre separates driving KEF Reference 1s. Roon bridge runs on an iMac, and I’m not sure it does anything more than the iPad.
Question: I’m thinking about a new or newer Mini, perhaps a late 2012 or 2018. I suppose I could strip out non-Roon related software. Does that seem like a sound idea, and if so which Mini, 2012 or 2018?
just get a NUC and ROCK…no more OS updates and configuring this and that. easy. some DIY might be required but many technophobes have done this and lived
Intel® NUC is a small form factor PC with a tiny footprint. Short for Next Unit of Computing, Intel® NUC (say it like “luck” or “truck”) puts full-sized PC power in the palm of your hand.
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Thanks for the explanation! However, looking at the processes running in the background, they take infinitesimally low CPU usage. Do you really think this translates into SQ?
Don’t open that can of worms…
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OK, I stay quiet 
My situation is anyway different: my Mac Mini streams to a USBridge Signature and I have the Ma isolated by a an optical converter. My guess is that I am almost independent of the upstream computer I am using.
And on top of that, I am using HQPlayer in conjunction with Roon, so a different situation altogether.
Sorry. Kidding… 
No problem!
I just wanted to see if there is anything else around as explanation than the standard one that ROCK is a dedicated OS. It might not be as simple.
I can’t tell you why and I didn’t expect any improvement in sound. I built my fanless Nuc because the Mac Mini was not 100% stable. I would need to restart the puter occasionally due to memory lock ups and the fan, quiet as it was, was a nuisance when listening at low levels.
I thought 1’s and 0’s would all sound the same but after i switched to the nuc, it sounded better, how or why, i have no idea? Timing, noise in the electrical who knows? But it is better and stable, i haven’t reset this unit in months. Switching to different titles is instantaneous with local files and nearly same with streams .
Seriously, I thought i had a good system when using the Mac mini but for the fan - but the Nuc destroyed that notion. Oh and the restart time, if you ever want to do it, under 10 seconds.
I certainly don’t doubt your perception! That’s why I am still intrested in building a NUC. That would be much simpler a setup as I have now.
I put my mind into setting up a NUC/ROCK system
A NUC or Nucleus will work better than just about any alternative in most cases. Don’t expect it to sound any different unless something is wrong with your current system.
How about connect big external drive for music to Mini. And leave Mac alone
You can set up your new Mac with a Time Machine backup of your old one or use the built in Migration Assistant to do the same thing but whatever your problem with your current Mac is, it isn’t that 8 gigs of RAM is not enough to run Roon. I use a 2012 Mac Mini with 8 gigs of RAM and it handles DSD64 files along with Parametric Equalization and Convolution Filters without needing more RAM.
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DO NOT USE TIMEMACHINE AND EXPECT ROON TO WORK!
Install fresh and and install the roon or roon server and restore your a roon backup
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I didn’t have to do a thing to Roon when I used Time Machine to switch from a 2010 Mac Mini to a 2012 Mac Mini. No problems at all.