[Gopher]

Wayne or anyone else who might know--I've had a Bolder modified Squeezebox Touch which has been my primary transport and I've enjoyed a lot.  I've had some issues with Squeeze server over the last few months which have really turned me off to it and I've purchased a Mac Mini as its likely replacement.

I know the Elpac is 12V and started off as a power supply for laptops...    If I have the Mac Mini modified to accept DC power, will this PSU work?  I'd love to keep this music railed PSU in the mix.

[Wayne1]

Fred,

DO NOT try to use the ELPAC for the Mac Mini. The ELPAC produces 5 volts at up to 2 amps. It did have a section for 12 volts at about 1/2 an amp, but that was gutted as part of the mod.

A 2010 and later Mac Mini needs 12 volts at 8 amps or so. If you use the video card and hang a few USB drives on it, the current demand may be more.

I'm sorry to hear the Touch was giving you problems. Mine is still working just fine with no drama.

FWIW, I heard that Lou from Daedalus and Dan Wright compared the sound from a modded Touch to Dan's laptop into his new DAC and preferred the Touch. Each system is a bit different and everyone hears things that others don't.

The least expensive way I know of to get a linear supply for a Mac Mini is to use a DC car power supply. I have modded a few of them to improve the sonics for use with the Mini. The pricing would start at about $400-500.00. The Music Rail in the ELPAC cannot be reused with the Mac Mini as it cannot handle to current draw.

[Gopher]

Thanks for the warning!!

I have had 0 problems with the modded Macmini, my problems are with the Squeezeserver software.  I have issues with faad.exe crashing constantly, despite many uninstall/reinstals and with my computer in another room I had to physically get up and go into my bedroom, click "ok" and come back--sometimes after every song on an album.

My solution for the last 2 months has been using a remote desktop app on my cell phone to hit OK when it crashes, but I'd rather a sleeker solution and had the AMEX points to buy a Macmini.  I'm also using a USB only DAC and am presently using a Metrum Octave that allegedly wants to be software up sampled rather then fed the native redbook format from a transport, so there is that variable as well.