- Mac mini power supply problems update#
- Mac mini power supply problems plus#
- Mac mini power supply problems mac#
RAM is also doubled from 2GB to 4GB - a number previously only seen in the full-sized ZEN models.
Mac mini power supply problems update#
The MK3 update brings a newer Intel N4200 into play, which is both faster and more efficient than the J1900 and offers a maximum thermal footprint of just 6 watts. Innuos didn’t specify the CPU model used in the ZEN Mini MK2, but my sources indicate it was an Intel J1900. A subtly redesigned chassis houses floating storage and optical drives, reducing vibration and thus mitigating its negative sonic impact. There’s also an RCA analog out – yes, the Zen Mini MK3 has an integrated DAC onboard, which appears to be a first for Innuos. Gone are the vestigial computer ports from prior models, replaced by far more useful Toslink and coaxial digital outputs. That optimization extends to the Ethernet input and we also get a handy Ethernet output which serves as a passthrough for another network device for easy system integration. The most significant change is the switch from an off-the-shelf motherboard to a custom design, optimized for audio performance. The jump from Zen Mini MK2 to MK3 brought a host of improvements.
Mac mini power supply problems mac#
With the Apple and Innuos’ prices landing in the same ballpark, I’ve long felt a dedicated device such as the Zen Mini makes more sense than a tweaked Mac Mini and from what I’ve read on various forums, it seems many folks are now arriving at that same conclusion.
Mac mini power supply problems plus#
That’d be Apple’s Mac Mini, which for years was popular as a music server but significantly less so as of its 2018 refresh – blame a combination of stubborn USB audio issues plus a lack of aftermarket modding support. Measuring just 8.4 inches wide, 9.5 inches deep, and under 3 inches tall, the smallest (and most Kallax-Fi friendly) Innuos server is not much larger than the other Mini. The Zen Mini MK3 starts at US$1249 equipped with 1TB worth of onboard storage, with more storage (up to 8TB) available for an additional cost. All of this comes in a compact, fanless package that should be simple to integrate into most any system. It also streams from Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify, and can do internet radio stations too – some of which broadcast in lossless quality these days. It stores music on its internal drive but can also stream from a local network storage – whether that’s a dedicated NAS or just a network share on your PC/Mac/Linux machine.
It works as a Roon Core or Roon Endpoint, as well as supporting UPnP mode and even a Sonos mode for people invested in that ecosystem. So just what exactly does the Zen Mini MK3 do? It’s a streamlined music server which runs a custom audio-oriented operating system for exceptional sound quality and ease of use. But I realize one person’s “extras” maybe someone else’s “essential features”, thus each reader must judge for themselves whether their needs line up with what Innuos has to offer. Rather, it focusses on delivering what I’ll call the “core” music server functionality, to the fullest and without too much additional complexity.
The ZEN Mini MK3 is absolutely not a feature-light proposition. Innuos may have just the right solution in their ZEN Mini MK3 (US$1249/€999), the gateway to their ZEN range of server/streamers. without a directly attached screen for black-box library management and music delivery. These folks want a more straight forward device to serve as a dedicated digital transport, collecting and organizing their music library and serving it up headlessly i.e. I know more than a few music lovers who are plenty technically inclined, and do enjoy a streaming service or two, yet have no use for Bluetooth, AirPlay, touchscreen controls, WiFi or headphone outputs.
Not all of these features are useful to all people. And despite vinyl enjoying something of a renaissance, and the compact disc still hanging around (more in certain regions than others), file-based playback is clearly in very high demand. Streaming and file-based-playback capabilities have even found their way into our integrated amplifiers, as documented by Phil Wright’s Ayre EX-8 coverage. Even more recently, our publisher spent some time with the Auralic Altair G1, which takes a somewhat different approach yet still arrives absolutely brimming with functionality. Not long ago, I reviewed the Nativ Vita – a powerhouse music server with large hi-res touch screen, support for over a dozen streaming services, and vast connectivity.
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