old Mac Mini or new Maci Mini with Weiss DAC2

[rydenfan]

I recently purchased a Weiss DAC2 and am absolutely loving it. I was previously using the Modwright modified Tranporter which was also an amazing piece. The Transporter had a wonderful interface with Squeezecenter and I am really struggling with what to use now that I have the DAC2. I know that the old Minis use Firewire 400 and the new ones use 800, is there a preference? I would love to know what others are using.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi rydenfan - It kind of depends on how old you're talking about. An Intel based Mac Mini should be just fine. FireWire 400 will work for sure and I believe the FireWire 400 to 800 cable will work well with the new Minis.

 

[rydenfan]

I was just talking about the previous model that is on clearance from Apple. As long as there is no issue with Firewire 800, as for some reason I believed people were upset about this transition, then I will buy the latest and greatest mini.

 

[markr]

The fuss was (it still 'is' for some RME FW soundcard owners) about the brand of firewire controller chip that was chosen by Apple at the same time they decided to only put a firewire 800 port on their computer. Apple had previously used Texas Instruments for their vendor for the controller chip. They chose a 'less expensive' chip for the newest generation of Macs that only have a FW 800 port. This only seems to have been critical for RME FW users as far as I know, as RME developed a proprietary FW driver scheme or implementation for their sound cards that doesn't "like" the newer brand of controller chip. Many RME users have had problems with the newer chip.

 

I know that a couple of folks here have reported that their Weiss DACs work just fine with the newer Macs, so I wouldn't be worried about either type of (Intel) Mac. You can certainly drive a FW 400 device successfully with the FW 800 port on the newer Macs by either buying a 400>800 cable converter thingy or a 400>800 cable. - .... but that is what Chris just said, right Chris?

 

- markr

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Word brother :~)