Mac mini music server -digital output

[kvardas]

Building a Mac mini music server. Besides toslink or spdif, is USB the only option for digital output for inputing the DSD and PCM to the DAC? I was able to tap to the pins of the chip in a multiplayer and export directl to my DAC the PCM and DSD. Was hoping to do the same with the Mac mini as opposed to the sun approach.

Thank you

Kris

[JonMarsh]

Best results I've ever had a with a Mac Mini involve either of two methods:

To get a high quality S/PDIF or AES/EBU ouput, was using a Berkely Alpha USB interface from USB, and doing a system analysis to make sure that nothing else was on that USB channel (this should be a dedicated music server, after all, so just say "No" to any other USB peripherals when in doubt). IF this is followed by a re-clocker such as Brainstorm DCD-8 or Mutec MC3+, using a rubidium frequency standard (external 10MHz oscillator), all the better.

Using FireWire output into Metric Halo LN-8, from native FireWire output or using Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter.

Something to always remember is that whether it's coming off the pins of a chip, or via an interface connector, it still has an embedded clock determined by the local oscillator. If you go Alpha USB, then you're using the internal high quality clocks on the Alpha, with an asynchronous interface to the Mac. Then you can further 'tighten up' the quality of the embedded clock with a DCD-8 or Mutec. This has been my experience. This isn't just personal placebo effect; this was blind tested with my friend in Muich's wife, and she could ALWAYS hear whether the re-clocking was in the system or not, and found it in a positive sense for increasing transient focus and definition, especially for piano and other percussive instruments. Of course, she's a pediatric Doctor; maybe they come equipped with special ears? She's our resident cynic and sanity check.