Experience with Mach2 Music Server?

Listening to Peter Gabriel's "Plays Live" recording o the MacMini. I have to admit that the best this ever sounded was on my ~$2000 analog front end. Nothing super fancy: Technics SL1200 with KAB upgrades, Dynavector XX MK 2, Heed Audio Quasar. It was dynamic, open and incredibly extended top to bottom.

The CD version is pretty good, but it doesn't hold up to the LP.

Listening to the ripped CD on the MacMini>M2Tech HiFace>Modwright Transporter is the worst of the bunch. Flat, lifeless...blechhh.

Tvad,

Listening to Peter Gabriel's "Plays Live" recording o the MacMini. I have to admit that the best this ever sounded was on my ~$2000 analog front end. Nothing super fancy: Technics SL1200 with KAB upgrades, Dynavector XX MK 2, Heed Audio Quasar. It was dynamic, open and incredibly extended top to bottom

I can relate to this because I also have Technics SL1200M5G (slightly better than 1200MKII, and with some very extensive re-designs, of course :-)), and I have Dynavector DV XV-1S with specially tuned for it phonostage. I love the sound!

Listening to the ripped CD on the MacMini>M2Tech HiFace>Modwright Transporter is the worst of the bunch. Flat, lifeless...blechhh

The AK4396 in the Transporter relies on the Master Clock provided by the S/PDIF receiver (unlike when you play from wi-fi, although there are many problems there as well).

This said; MacMini sounds a lot better than that, especially when loaded with Win7 (x64), Jriver and Asio4all. :-)

Best,
Alex Peychev

It would be curious to see how the MacMini would be perceived once connected to a Red Wine Audio Black Lightning battery power supply . My suspicion is that most of the digital glare talked about here would be eliminated (among other improvements). It would be even more interesting to see if Mach2 would allow for a such a mod to their mods. :-)

Well, after reading some other threads, it seems I have egg on my face. Although I did not see it on the Mach2 website if I am reading correctly part of the mods include the addition of a battery as an alteration of the stock internal power supply.

Perhaps someone can educate this novice further. :-)

Hi everybody,

I have for the last few weeks been running on Mach2music with Pure Music into an Zodiac Antelope Gold +Voltikus setup. This replaced a highly tweaked Audio Aero Capitole MkII SE CDP. On a USB 2.0 setting upsampled to 192Khz, in hog mode and memory play the new setup is miles ahead, actually to the point where I prefer it to my Dynavector DV507MkII/Zyx Universe/zyx Artisan vinyl setup. The holographic soundstage, zapping impulse response and utter transparency without treble stridency nor bass wooliness make this a true break-through. The mach2Music mini beats a setup via my Imac on conventional hard-disc by a country mile and I am convinced that the frustrations voiced by others on this thread are resulting from poor choice of cables/wrong setup or USB1.0 interfaces.