Mac Mini output question

[kevinr]

I'd like to replace my mini in the computer room with an Apple refurb or new one and move my 2007 1.83 Mini to the living room as a music server . Scrolling visually through my large collection of CD's collection and accessing via my remote and TV is a big attraction I have to admit . Just as a quick and dirty trial I hooked up my old G3 to the cheap and cheerful Behringer USB audio interface and then to the USB input of my MF V-Dac Mk. 1 and played the remaster Columbia Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man Redbook CD with 20 bit remastering and it sounded very similar to my Marantz 5004 player with the DAC . The G3's operating noise renders it unusable in a living room environment though .

My 2007 Mini has an upgraded internal HD and 4 GB ram with itunes library stored on a Seagate 2TB HDD with USB. You can purchase their dock to get USB 3 and Firewire 800 I believe.

My question is , How useable is the Apple digital output jack on the 2007 Mini ? It is called the minijack headphone jack but that's where Apple made the digital output also . I have to admit I've never been a fan of minijacks at all, but wonder if this can be used with a Toslink or SPDIF cable to perform well ? Don't know.

My other option is to use the USB output on the Mini to go to the DAC which folks have advised against using USB for storage and output hookup as they are on the same bus . I have a lone Firewire output on the mini but it's a FW 400.

Any advice about the best way to address input/output issues with this model mini is certainly appreciated.

Does adding the V-Link Musical Fidelity makes help easing the USB bus

issues ?

I thought about getting the Apple TV but the fact that it runs 24/7 and is locked into 16/48 is a deal breaker.

 

[kevinr]

After some googling I found that the digital output on the 2007 Mini is a Mini-Toslink jack . Don't think I want to go that route .

Looks like the MF V-Link or new V-Dac II is my option although I still would have to find a FW 400 HD to keep the I/O separate

 

[kevinr]

After some googling I found that the digital output on the 2007 Mini is a Mini-Toslink jack . Don't think I want to go that route .

Looks like the MF V-Link or new V-Dac II is my option although I still would have to find a FW 400 HD to keep the I/O separate

 

[orgel]

kevinr wrote:

 

"Looks like the MF V-Link or new V-Dac II is my option although I still would have to find a FW 400 HD to keep the I/O separate"

 

Newegg.com has a bunch of hard drive enclosures that have FW400 ports. On the site, go to External Enclosures and then narrow the search to "External Interface" -> one of the categories that includes 1394 or 1394a.

 

Once you've selected an enclosure, you can then choose an appropriate "bare" drive to install inside. (It's easy.)

 

You might want to pick an enclosure that includes both USB2 and FW400 ports -- this would give you more flexibility going forward.

 

--David