Computer Audio Asylum

Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies.

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RE: mac mini (mid 2011) vs raspberry pi 4

Posted by AbeCollins on March 2, 2021 at 07:26:45:
Common knowledge favors using an external disk (ssd or hdd) on a music server but in my experience sound quality is perfectly fine (outstanding) using the Mac Mini's own internal SSD. However, one reason to use an external disk is for backups and to easily recover from that backup. You can also store that backup offline or even offsite.
I have a 2012 Mac Mini that I outfitted with TWO internal SSDs. I would normally play music off the first SSD and make a bootable backup to the 2nd SSD automatically on a nightly basis [and another backup to an external SSD]. If the first SSD ever failed, I would be able to simply boot from the 2nd internal SSD and keep on playing music until I got around to replacing the failed SSD.
You don't need to use Thunderbolt on the external Samsung T7 or T5 SSD. You can use USB and still achieve outstanding performance. It's not speed that you need for music playback. If you're concerned with using a USB SSD and USB DAC, don't be. On the Mac it's super easy to ensure that the DAC is on a different USB controller vs the disk.
With regard to the Raspberry Pi you can certainly use it as a music server but you might try it as a network streamer instead. You have a perfectly good music server in the Mac Mini.
There are several solutions you can play with. There is no single "best" solution.