CAPS 3.0 Zuma vs Mac Mini

Thanks for explaining Ryan.

As always, the golden rule of audio applies; No matter how much money you spend and what you buy, there is always a better mousetrap.

"Always a better mousetrap" is depressing. And, of course, subjective.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Intel's SSDs, but not so of their motherboards. I'm a HUGE fan of FANLESS! Both the garbage created by the motor and sound it makes as it moves air are distractions, to me.

There is a lot of pseudo-science out there aimed to explain what sounds good, and what does not sound good, in the world of computer audio. The trouble is, we've hit a point where our theories of electricity (theories are just elaborate models) cease to describe the entire situation. To some degree, we are still pioneers in the field of digital audio and our theories are horribly unproven.

Many who sell digital audio gear are pushing theories in an effort to further their marketing, or justify their design decisions. (Reminds me of "tubes sound better/worse" thinking.)

Ultimately, you have to listen. Within any given budget, at any price point, there are many options. Until you listen to a unit in your own system, you won't know for sure. Perhaps you can trust a reviewer to listen for you. Perhaps you can take a suggestion from a friend. Perhaps you can believe the sales pitch from a manufacturer -- and perhaps you can't.

What you can do is trust your ears. I, for example, only buy items I can listen to for an extended period first... and I only buy items that sound more accurate to me than the item it is replacing.

So... I'd suggest you negotiate a loaner, or find a manufacturer with a money back guarantee. Best case would be to find one who encourages you to listen for yourself!

Since he owns the company I'm sure they have plenty of time on them. This thread really does belong under the "Audio Club" section though.

Disclaimer: I am proud owner of Musica pristina server and immensely happy with its sound quality (way better then my Esoteric K-01) and service as well

Still, I disagree with esteem member "Musicapristina" regarding his position that ONLY your ear is final judge and therefore there is no need to talk and look at hardware/software specs etc.

There are hundreds of amplifiers, for example, for sale. If I am after amplifieer - how will I choose which to listen so my ears will be the final judge????
Its not possible practically.
So, I rely on a few sources: a) review of the reviewer whose previous reviews I found to be credible, b) reviews on-line by my peers, amp owners - I can see the systems matching etc. Again, I try to listen to these members who already proved to me that they know what they are talking about - too many deaf people (including reviewers) talk about music here. Finally, specs! Yes, specs. From 1960's its is fashion to say something bad about specs and at that time it was true - there was no correlation between specs and sound iality. We simply did not understood which specs are important and what their importance is.

Today, good specs indicate on the POTENTIAL of the equipment. For example, if BW = 300 kHz then I know its fast and therefore if not screwed, music will be not sluggish (but it may, if screwed). So, potential is there but reality must be examined i.e. heard. If, on other hand, BW = 20 kHz then I know (know!!!!) that this equipment CANNOT play fast and therefore I will not even bother to check it.

Same with servers - the main reason why I went to Musica Pristina was their published spec of power supply: ultra low rip and no other server manufacturer publish this spec. For me its very important spec saying that power supplies POTENTIALLY (only potentially) are very stable, will not produce ripping artifact associated with ear-piercing odd order of harmonic distortions. There were a few more good specs indicating POTENTIALLY excellent server.

I took it for 30 days home trial and...fall in love with it. THE END!

Rafael

Further to Core Audio's comments, it's hard to overstate how stupid an idea the CAPS Zuma is - although it would be wrong to take away from Ryan's post that batteries are a bad idea.

Assuming you solve the problem of low-noise AC-DC conversion, by far the next biggest issue is DC-DC switching noise. In fact, unless you deal rigorously with both, there's no point calling a computer transport 'designed for audio'. Get the power right, and you're about two-thirds of the way to the endpoint. Get it wrong, and you're miles off-track.

A motherboard with a single-rail input, or a Mac Mini, or a computer using a PicoPSU suffer equally from the same problem - lots of unnecessary DC-DC switching noise. Game over.

In our experience, using a Red Wine battery with a Zuma-like machine or a Mac Mini is roughly level-pegging - with the latest Macs ahead by a nose sonically. Given that they're also cheaper, more reliable and easier to use, I would suggest the answer to the OP is Mac all the way.

However, as we've demonstrated on this side of the pond, and Ryan's Core Audio products have blazed a similar trail over there, the only way to do this properly is to deliver at least three linear-generated or well regulated battery-powered rails into multi-pin ATX, Molex and PATA.

That's where a computer 'designed for audio' begins. Anything else is rather broken for this application.