[jrebman]

I'm wondering if anybody has done or tried this and knows if it works, doesn't work, has quirks, or what, but I'd love to be able to get the CD player off my rack (my wife is the only one who uses it), and instead would like to be able to play the Physical CDs using the slot drive on the 2010 Mini using PM (or possibly Audirvana +).  Question is can this be done from a headless mini using an iTouch as a remote?

It would have to be something easy to do, and if it could happen automatically when the CD is inserted and then allow the iTouch to control the transport functions, that would be ideal.  I know there is some sort of play-through mode in PM, but not sure how it would work  in a headless setup like this.

Any advice from anybody who has tried this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

[roscoeiii]

I am not using PM. But just threw a CD into my headless first-gen Intel Mac Mini to see what would happen. Here is my story:

It automatically causes iTunes to open.

iTunes is accessing GraceNote.

CD shows up with track names. Not automatically imported (although iTunes can be set to do this).

Press Play and the CD plays with no problem. BUT I can hear the drive spinning from my listening position (admittedly pretty near to my rack). This spinning is loudest for the first 30 sec to 1 minute, then gets a good deal quieter but still audible from my listening position when I press mute.

So yes, it works but is not without obvious drawbacks. However, if your 2010 Mac Mini's CD/DVD drive is quieter than mine, then you should have no problem.

Also can't say if the same ease of play would work with Pure Music. Nor can I comment on how it might work with iTouch. I am using Screen Sharing from my laptop.

Hope this helps.

[gooberdude]

My mini works the same way with a cd inserted,  Only itunes will play it & it sounds awful, plus the spinning drive is audible.

I just spend the time to rip to the HD, then play back in PM.

[jrebman]

Roscoe and Matt,

Thanks -- forgot about the drive noise issue.  My mini is sitting in a Pi Mac Sandwich, so not sure how much that will help.  I'm not sure ripping with a remote iPod connection will really work, and the idea is to make this all as simple and transparent as possible -- or otherwise my wife won't use it.

Guess I'll just have to see what the play-through mode in PM offers and how it works and then see if it can be done with the iTouch.

Ideally I would love it if my wife could get used to using her iPhone as a control, so that's probably the better place to put my energies.  All the CDs will be ripped to the HD anyway.

Then if the CDP can go, I can put a good phono preamp in it's place and put a TT on a wall shelf .

Thanks,

Jim