My Mac Mini is a 2012 Core i7 with 16 GB RAM. I think the machine is up to the task, but as it’s been through 7 years of use and os updates and was used for some time as a software development machine. It just probably has some pebbles in its shoes. Now I don’t really need it for anything else (have a '18 MBP for development), so I may just wipe it and start over, keeping it for misc duties like ripping CDs. I might expose a smb share that ROCK can see for database backups that in turn will be backed up to my Time Capsule.
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Wow that sounds exactly like my plan. Like I said in another thread (I think) do keep us updated on sound quality/performance with your ROCK. Your Mac mini is the same vintage as mine.
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It’s fantastic. Thierry from HAF really knows what he’s doing. Kind of magically how my system sounds now.
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DSD to PCM conversion is not always well implemented in all DACs. My experience on Naim Dac is using Roon’ DSP to do DSD to PCM conversion sounds much better than using DoP. Using USB stick to play DSD files on Naim Dac still not that good.
Remember DoP is identical to DSD in regard to the encoded pulse density stream info.
Naim work natively in PCM, even though some of the newer TI DACs they use can natively work in Pulse Density Modulation as well as Pulse Code Modulation.
Therefore Naim will transcode DSD/PDM to PCM using their Analog Devices SHARC processor. This will follow a specific algorithm, and as I have said conversion of DSD to PCM is a subjective compromise and so there will be different flavours of conversion… you simply choose the one that sounds personally favourable. You will probably find that with the newer higher end streamers such as the NDX2 and ND555 the conversion sounds better, as noise decoupling from the SHARC processor is improved.
DSD SQ on Naim is discussed several times on old and new forum. I did not have a chance to hear new ND streamer but I play new Uniti many times.
For similar price range CHORD did a good job on DSD playback. CHORD also convert DSD to PCM inside DAC and the result is pretty good so I never use Roon to do the conversion before sending to CHORD Dac.
I just moved my Roon Core to new hardware.
Until now, I had a NUC with its standard case and its standard power supply.
I read some reviews and comments about sound quality improvements with fanless NUCs powered buy a LPS.
To be honest, I was sceptic.
How could a fanless case and a LPS be an improvement when the Core is networked (connected to the streamer via an Ethernet network) ? It doesn’t make much sense, does it?
My wife needed a new computer. She inherited the “old” NUC and I bought a NUC mainboard, the needed parts, an Akasa fanless case and a Teddy Prado power supply (I had the whole stuff for a quite good price).
So now, what about the outcome?
Well, I hear a slight difference (on the usual sound criteria). But don’t we always hear a difference? 
I also hear a difference between morning and evening listening sessions… Fatigue, attention, etc. makes a difference too.
Well, I guess the “wife test” should provide a definitive answer.
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I found a minor uplift when I switched to fanless, but that just could be it being a different computer and in a different location. I recently added an LPS too its given again a minor uplift with tighter bass. I only really noticed the other week when I decided to switch back to the original PSU.
Most significant difference to sq was to use REW to make readings and get Home Audio Fidelity to create me convolution filters to use in Roons DSP section to correct for the room. Feels like a new system.
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Hi Thomas
Is your NUC a server with a separate player or and all-in-one player?
I did a very similar build to you to assemble a NUC running ROCK. I have a second NUC in another AKASA case (but with no drives) that is a player running RoonBridge on Audio-Linux from a USB thumb-drive. The player NUC is connected to a MUTEC MC3+USB that reclocks and converts USB to SPDIF for a nDAC. The results are certainly very good.
Even a basic computer power supply on the player gave very good results but a borrowed 12v/5a Teddy (thanks nbpf!) certainly improved the clarity of the sound. More lately I’ve bought an HDPlex 200w LPS and this does everything the Teddy does and more. I haven’t tried any power supply upgrades on the server NUC.
Chris
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Hi Chris ,
The NUC is connected to my ND555 through my local network.
[NUC]----------[switch]-----------[ND555]
The FanLess case and the Teddy Prado didn’t improve the sound that much. Maybe a bit, but nothing really significant.
To be honest I wasn’t expecting a real improvement as the NUC is networked. But considering that some Roon Rock users seemed to hear an improvement I tried anyway 
But your scenario is quite different and it makes sense to take care of your direct connection setup.
Yep if anything it’s minor when using network over direct attached.
That’s right and seems quite obvious. I was quite aware of that but did the experiment anyway. An expensive experiment, especially when the result is as expected… I now have a very expensive Roon Rock box 
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Yep I also tried it to see, but I did not spend a massive amount on one and given your results as well I am thankful I didn’t.
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Interestingly some tend to “hear” a difference…
Placebo effect? Most certainly
To bad I’m not a “placebo guy” that could have justified the expense… 
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Hi @CrystalGipsy, (apologies for a small thread diversion…) have just ordered a miniDSP usb mic in preparation for using REW to create convolution filters…and tips or tricks you can share, or any external resource that you found most helpful?
I would look at HomeAudioFidelity as Thierry will create really good filters based on your readings and the price is not expensive and he will tweak until your fully happy. You only need the base service unless you want to eliminate crosstalk. If you contact him he will provide a sweep file that can be used in Roon and will automatically trigger a reading , you need 9 readings in total around your listening area. I would get a cheap floorstanding mic stand as well for better positioning of the mic. He basically follows Dirac’s model for taking readings. You provide readings and a wav of a song you know well. He will.then apply the filter to it and return it to you to hear. You then decide to use his service or not at no cost at this stage. If you want it then you pay him and he will send first set. You then can iterate them if you want.changes. Google homeaudiofidelty and you will find his site.
If you want to do it all yourself then there is a good thread on Roons forum by Magnus guiding you through it. Even he recommends to use HAF though after taking readings. Magnus method is different at taking readings as he uses RTA method.
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Thanks!
Another thing you will likely need to do is either reduce the headroom using the control in the DSP settings to stop any clipping or turn on volume levelling. If making them yourself you can reduce the overall volume to compensate instead.
I definitely got better results using a microphone stand. I’ve been using HomeAudioFidelity as well after trying REW to do it myself with mixed results.
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@CrystalGipsy are you using ROCK for roon? I have built my convolution filters but there seems to be no way to get them over to my Nuc running roon ROCK, all the info I have seen on the roon forums suggests that the convolution filters can only be loaded into roon from a pc (or mac). Will go read up more, but thought I’d ask you the question…
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