Rob wrote:
I'm not convinced that the DAC/analogue amplifier in my Mac Mini is all
it might be - the sound, while not unpleasant, appears to be rather
dull, at least compared to the DAC of an AV amplifier when fed the
optical output.

So, I'm thinking of a DAC to improve the sound. It does appear the sky's
the limit, but this caught my eye:

http://www.homehifi.co.uk/TC-7510/about.html

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Rob

Have a look at http://www.avihifi.co.uk/avid/avid.html for a little item
on using the Mac Mini. OK it's written in marketing speak as it's
selling AVI's speakers (which WILL of course be excellent)but there is a
link to a PDF article at the bottom of the page. In this, the writer
says he used the optical out on the Mac in order to be able to use his
external DAC.

I have a Mac iBook which has Firewire and USB connections but no optical
out. Years ago I bought an Edirol USB DAC (for use with a PC before I
saw the light)and that works fine. A mate of mine got the current
version of the same thing (Edirol UA-1EX) which offers in/out for forty
odd quid and seems to do a decent job.

For recording I have an M-Audio Firewire 410 but that would be overkill
for your requirements (phantom power, low latency monitoring and all
those goodies).

As for Mac v. PC, each has pros and cons. Gamers tend not to go for
macs. I support PCs for a living and use mac at home.

Roy.

Roy wrote:
Rob wrote:
I'm not convinced that the DAC/analogue amplifier in my Mac Mini is
all it might be - the sound, while not unpleasant, appears to be
rather dull, at least compared to the DAC of an AV amplifier when fed
the optical output.

So, I'm thinking of a DAC to improve the sound. It does appear the
sky's the limit, but this caught my eye:

http://www.homehifi.co.uk/TC-7510/about.html

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Rob

Have a look at http://www.avihifi.co.uk/avid/avid.html for a little item
on using the Mac Mini. OK it's written in marketing speak as it's
selling AVI's speakers (which WILL of course be excellent)but there is a
link to a PDF article at the bottom of the page. In this, the writer
says he used the optical out on the Mac in order to be able to use his
external DAC.


Interesting - it's what i've been doing for a while with excellent
results. I can't detect a qualitative difference between the Mini/AV DAC
and a CD player. He seems to be saying he used the Mac DAC at the end
which resulted in a (ahem) more organic sound. Not my experience.

I have a Mac iBook which has Firewire and USB connections but no optical
out. Years ago I bought an Edirol USB DAC (for use with a PC before I
saw the light)and that works fine. A mate of mine got the current
version of the same thing (Edirol UA-1EX) which offers in/out for forty
odd quid and seems to do a decent job.


That looks to be just the job, thanks very much. We use Edirol stuff at
work and while the build appears shoddy the sound quality is astounding.

For recording I have an M-Audio Firewire 410 but that would be overkill
for your requirements (phantom power, low latency monitoring and all
those goodies).


Quite, i don't need all that - and I like the idea of bus power.

As for Mac v. PC, each has pros and cons. Gamers tend not to go for
macs. I support PCs for a living and use mac at home.


It's all horses/courses; I've been using a Mac for a few years now and
have never looked back.

Thanks for the input.

Rob