Using Mac Mini as streamer plus music server

[David A]

Thanks @David A , you are using Antipode DS? I cannot find this model in their website, I found EX which is $4600 AUD, and they have so many other models like CX, and EX+CX, not sure what's the difference.

You think that the improvement is coming from close location between the Devialet and Antipodes using Ethernet cable connected comparing to Mac Mini, but this might not be the reason or say only reason? Even if you connect Mac Mini directly to your AirPort Extreme at the same location, your Antipodes might still sound better due to its specially designed for audio, but this is my guess, and it also something I worried and want to find out about Mac Mini as a music server. Mac  Mini has a internal fan, and SMPS power supply, its not optimized for audio at all.

Also I don't know how much a streamer can effect the sound, generally I think the DAC should be the most effective thing to impact the sound.

I surprised the Audioquest Ethernet cable made noticeable difference to you, as I saw many people said the advantage of Ethernet cable is it doesn't like any other interconnect cable which impact the sound by its quality a lot. Do you mind to share what kind of improvment you found using the audioquest ethernet cable? as well as between the mac and Antipodes.

Thanks David.

The Antipodes DS is no longer on the Antipodes site because it has now been discontinued. Probably the closest model to it in the current lineup is the EX. There's a number of differences: new motherboard, new processor, new power supply, new output options. If I were to consider one of the new Antipodes models as a replacement I'd go for the CX which is more oriented towards server functions but I'd also look at other options such as the Roon Nucleus+ and new Innuos models. I think there's quite a few good server options available now but I'm still very happy with the DS and not seriously considering replacing it at the moment.

Changing from the Mac Mini to the Antipodes introduced a lot of changes to my setup in terms of equipment placement, length of the signal path between source and Devialet, cabling and connection options and the actual change from the Mac to the Antipodes itself.. I definitely noticed an improvement and I believe more than one of the changes contributed to that improvement. I have no idea which change contributed what to the improvement and no way of finding out. That's the problem when you change something which involves several different changes in the process.

As to the differences I heard, it's now 15 months since changing to the Antipodes  and a bit less since changing to the Audioquest cables. I didn't make or keep listening notes so I can't really separate out differences after that length of time and say which are due to the server change and which are due to the cable. I'd just summarise the changes in total as coming down to improvements in clarity, dynamics, and tonality. In addition the change from the Mac to the Antipodes was prompted by Devialet's 3 month free trial of Roon. At that stage I was using a small iTunes library and Devialet AIR app on the Mac and wasn't overly happy with my streaming results. Swapping from the iTunes/Devialet AIR combination to Roon with Roon's version of AIR was a bit  step forward in streaming reliability for me and got  me seriously considering moving to streaming as my primary source and because of various factors in my Mac Mini setup I decided to go for a separate server that didn't require the use of the Mac Mini. That was a big step forward for me, especially in the reliability of streaming as a playback source for me because I never was quite without problems when using the Devialet AIR app on the Mac.