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Your experience & thoughts on SSDs for MacMini

I have a 2007-2008 MacMini that I use exclusively as a music server on a third system with the stock HD. I am considering replacing the stock HD to an SSD. The stock HD makes noise that is audible often enough to draw unwanted attention to itself.

I'm looking for experience-based thoughts and commentary on the various SSDs that are available for this replacement. I'm using SnowLeopard and iTunes 10 with Pure Music for playback of AIFF files from a peripheral HD (which is silent).

So far, my research on this seems to get a bit confusing. For example, Other World Computing offers two levels of SSD, one over 50% more $ in price (and 25% larger 40 Gb vs 50 Gb than the other (offering a longer warranty, etc.) And I know there are several other manufacturers of SSDs out there with varying price points and related benefits.

This MacMini isn't used for anything else than serving music, ripping files, streaming audio, playing Netflix downloadable movies, and the occasional download from iTunes.

Your points of view are appreciated.

:) listening,

Ed
istanbulu
jylee
306 posts
 

Remember when anyone, including the girlfriend or wife, could come home and turn on the receiver and select the tuner and play music in about 5 seconds? That's what needs to become reality with server based audio.

Sure, it can be achieved. My system is modeled after the touch screen display and JRiver as described here.

Touch Screen Music Server

The touch screen makes the operation considerably easier than consumer HT receiver remote control with 100 buttons or a laptop with remote screen sharing. It takes a lot of effort to set it up, but once it's up and running it's a breeze to browse and select music.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
It takes a lot of effort to set it up...
Jylee (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)
That's not what I have in mind, but congratulations for building something that makes you happy.

Plug-n-play is what I have in mind.

Computer audio is not yet plug-n-play.
prpixel
826 posts
 
The Mac OS doesn't support the Trim command yet which means the drive will slow down over time. The more expensive OWC drives with the longer warranties are enterprise class drives. They have more overpervisioning for longer life. I've been using nothing but SSD's for the last few years in all my machines for boot drives. I've had three failures in the last year. two which were OWC Enterprise drives. When SSD's fail, the fail without any warning. One day you machine is working fine, the next day the drive is just gone. So, i've got in the habit of backinb up often. BTW i keep my music on machanical drives with multiple backups.
istanbulu OP
291 posts
 
>>I've been using nothing but SSD's for the last few years in all my machines for boot drives. I've had three failures in the last year. two which were OWC Enterprise drives. When SSD's fail, the fail without any warning. One day you machine is working fine, the next day the drive is just gone. <<

Prpixl... I was afraid someone would have your experience. Sorry to hear about that. Sounds as if you are not recommending the switch to SSD.

:) listening,

Ed
jylee
306 posts
 
Computer transport is not for the faint of heart. And I don't believe computer audio will ever become plug-n-play in my lifetime. It works quite well if you know the routines. But the barrier is high enough for a lot of folks, which is unfortunate. It works quite well once set up to your liking.

Ed, I hope you don't get the wrong impression that traditional magnetic disks are more reliable than SSD. Once you have any valuable data on your computer, back up is a must. Think of it as car engine. It requires regular maintenance to get going, and it will ultimately fail without giving a warning. Whether the disk is mechanical or solid state, the data must be backed up at regular schedule because the failure is a matter of when, not a matter of if.
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