MacMini vs Bryston BDP-1

headshrinker2 · « **on:** 25 Aug 2011, 07:03 pm »

Greetings. Any folks on the Apple Core forum have the opportunity to directly compare MacMini vs Bryston BDP-1 as a digital audio source?

pardales · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 07:34 pm »

I've used 3 different kinds of Mac's over the years, 1 iMac (currently using), 2 different Macbook's, and 1 Mac Mini. This does not answer your question because I have never used a BDP-1, but I would say that the Mini is the best Mac for music server purposes.

I'd like to hear an answer to your question as well and hope one is forthcoming.

simon wagstaff · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Aug 2011, 12:16 pm »

I use a mac mini as an audio server, using it's toslink output and decibel playback software. I have never understood why there might be differences, it is supposed to be a bit for bit output, no? People seem to think there might be differences, I don't know. I have never bothered to do any sort of comparisons but I do think that the Mac Mini using decibel and the toslink output sounds very good, at least as good as Cds when playing back red book files. also sounds very good with higher rez files.

well, not that useful of a post but there you go!

headshrinker2 · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Aug 2011, 02:07 pm »

While it doesn't answer the original question, I think it is a useful post. Your Mac based system sounds great to you. In the end, that's the whole point of all this.

Quote from: simon wagstaff on 26 Aug 2011, 12:16 pm

I use a mac mini as an audio server, using it's toslink output and decibel playback software. I have never understood why there might be differences, it is supposed to be a bit for bit output, no? People seem to think there might be differences, I don't know. I have never bothered to do any sort of comparisons but I do think that the Mac Mini using decibel and the toslink output sounds very good, at least as good as Cds when playing back red book files. also sounds very good with higher rez files.

well, not that useful of a post but there you go!

ted_b · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Aug 2011, 02:57 pm »

I use a 2009 Mac Mini (8GB, SSD) as my primary music server, running SL 10.6.8 and using Pure Music 1.8's integer stream support into an Antelope Gold 24/384-capable DAC. It is my best music to-date.

George (zybar) will be sending me his BDP-1 for demo/loan in a couple weeks, and I'll use it into the Gold via AES/EBU (DH labs D-110). Stay tuned.

pardales · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Aug 2011, 03:27 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 26 Aug 2011, 02:57 pm

I use a 2009 Mac Mini (8GB, SSD) as my primary music server, running SL 10.6.8 and using Pure Music 1.8's integer stream support into an Antelope Gold 24/384-capable DAC. It is my best music to-date.

George (zybar) will be sending me his BDP-1 for demo/loan in a couple weeks, and I'll use it into the Gold via AES/EBU (DH labs D-110). Stay tuned.

That's great ted_b, can't wait to hear what you think.

headshrinker2 · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Aug 2011, 08:47 pm »

Quote from: pardales on 26 Aug 2011, 03:27 pm

That's great ted_b, can't wait to hear what you think.

simon wagstaff · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Aug 2011, 01:01 pm »

I guess I will just add that my mac mini is quite old, it is a core solo with 2 gigs of ram. I can't run Lion on it but I am running Snow Leopard just fine on it, need to have snow leopard in order to run Decibel.

No problems with the processor or ram, I use "disc play" which plays the files from the ram.

zybar · « **Reply #8 on:** 7 Sep 2011, 12:41 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 26 Aug 2011, 02:57 pm

I use a 2009 Mac Mini (8GB, SSD) as my primary music server, running SL 10.6.8 and using Pure Music 1.8's integer stream support into an Antelope Gold 24/384-capable DAC. It is my best music to-date.

George (zybar) will be sending me his BDP-1 for demo/loan in a couple weeks, and I'll use it into the Gold via AES/EBU (DH labs D-110). Stay tuned.

The Bryston BDP-1/BDA-1 combo plus a Morrow Audio Dig4 AES/EBU digital cable are on their way to Ted today.

George

JohnR · « **Reply #9 on:** 7 Sep 2011, 12:42 pm »

Does he have my address to send it onto when he's done? (Just checking

)

lokie · « **Reply #10 on:** 7 Sep 2011, 08:23 pm »

Anybody care to provide a little post game analysis of pro's and cons?

Does the BDP-1 read AIFF?

Mr. Zybar... what is your relationship to Bryston?

zybar · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 Sep 2011, 08:47 pm »

Quote from: lokie on 7 Sep 2011, 08:23 pm

Anybody care to provide a little post game analysis of pro's and cons?

Does the BDP-1 read AIFF?

Mr. Zybar... what is your relationship to Bryston?

Mr. Zybar...who's that?

No relationship with Bryston - I am simply a customer who bought a BDP-1 and BDA-1.

George

zybar · « **Reply #12 on:** 7 Sep 2011, 08:51 pm »

Quote from: lokie on 7 Sep 2011, 08:23 pm

Anybody care to provide a little post game analysis of pro's and cons?

Does the BDP-1 read AIFF?

Mr. Zybar... what is your relationship to Bryston?

Yes, the BDP-1 reads AIFF files.

George

roscoeiii · « **Reply #13 on:** 7 Sep 2011, 11:26 pm »

Simon,

In my experience Mac Minis sound better into a well implemented USB than through Toslink (likely due to high jitter found in many Apple digital outputs). If your DAC doesn't accept USB or its USB is poorly implemented, there are a number of USB to digital coax converters out there. Some for quite cheap.

JfTM · « **Reply #14 on:** 8 Sep 2011, 12:27 pm »

I'm very interested in this topic as I'm looking to replace/upgrade my current digital audio source device (Dell running iTunes, all lossless). The Bryston is on my short list as is build a Windows machine or Apple Mini.

Does anyone have any links to BDP1 vs x reviews?

Thanks

jtwrace · « **Reply #15 on:** 8 Sep 2011, 12:39 pm »

Quote from: zybar on 7 Sep 2011, 12:41 pm

The Bryston BDP-1/BDA-1 combo plus a Morrow Audio Dig4 AES/EBU digital cable are on their way to Ted today.

George

Very much looking forward to his comments.

New thread for that?

zybar · « **Reply #16 on:** 8 Sep 2011, 12:43 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 8 Sep 2011, 12:39 pm

Very much looking forward to his comments.

New thread for that?

I would imagine a new thread is in order.

George

ted_b · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 Sep 2011, 01:23 pm »

The Bryston boxes will arrive tomorrow. I will set them up and let them settle in over the weekend, and while doing that transfer some of my music to readable USB drives.

I have three main goals for this borrow. One, compare the Mac Mini to the BDP as per this thread; two, compare my Antelope Gold DAC against the BDA with same front ends; three, add Stello U3 USB-to-AES converter as USB source for BDA (via Mac Mini). I'd rather not address issues two and three here on this thread, so I'll probably start another one somewhere.

This will all take some time, yet I want to get these pieces back to George cuz he's without!! He was nice enough to do this, but the guy is audio-less!! So my comments will be based on a short-term eval, but I'll make sure things settle in. By now everything is well broken in.

ted_b · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Sep 2011, 04:01 pm »

Well, the Bryston pair arrived yesterday and were set up in a jiffy, with no real issues. The comparison with the Mac Mini, however, is now forcing me to go out today and get what I've needed for awhile...a gigabit switch to allow more than one gigabit ethernet connection in my music room. I need both Mini and BDP to be ethernet-connected (NAS connection and remote ipod app for Mini, mpod app for BDP) so I can switch them easily from my couch potat.., er, listening chair.

One caveat in these evaluations...the DAC eval will be slightly favoring the Antelope Gold since it is its own preamp (which is how I prefer it). The BDA will use my best rca cables, the ASI Livelines, to connect to the one and only set of analog ins on the Gold (acting as just a pre). So the Gold gets to use one less set of connections. I could have both of the DACs connect to a preamp (which is the BDA-1's normal modus operandi) but that puts my Gold at a huge disadvantage with its built in direct-to-amp prowess (unlike any other direct-to-amp setup I've tried) and, well, the Gold is MY DAC, so why try to dumb-it-down. It's good to be king!

BTW, last nights cheater (too early for serious listening) session unveiled a tremendous capability of the BDP-1...that is, the resolution and noise floor that allowed me to hear micro-cues like fingers sliding on frets, like rustling papers in the background, like a cough I swear I've never heard before in a live Patricia Barber track. All this with no real sonic downsides so far (other than my personal feature needs for NAS connections and to take advantage of the Gold's greater-than-192k capability, albeit slim pickins at that end).

konut · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Sep 2011, 05:34 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 10 Sep 2011, 04:01 pm

One caveat in these evaluations...the DAC eval will be slightly favoring the Antelope Gold since it is its own preamp (which is how I prefer it). The BDA will use my best rca cables, the ASI Livelines, to connect to the one and only set of analog ins on the Gold (acting as just a pre). So the Gold gets to use one less set of connections. I could have both of the DACs connect to a preamp (which is the BDA-1's normal modus operandi) but that puts my Gold at a huge disadvantage with its built in direct-to-amp prowess (unlike any other direct-to-amp setup I've tried) and, well, the Gold is MY DAC, so why try to dumb-it-down. It's good to be king!

Do you have a passive attenuator somewhere in your bag of tricks? The BDA-1 potential will not be realized unless it can be released from preamp bondage. A balanced attenuator would be ideal, but a single ended will do.