Apple's new M1 Mac Mini as source (misses out on silent operation)

[mononoaware]

I have always been a Windows 10 user, but had this idea awhile ago to use a Mac Mini as a Source/player.
According to past information, you can control Mac remotely using: iTunes + iPad Apple remote App, or Jriver Media Player + iPad Jriver remote App.

So being a casual reader of "Apple News" I am aware that a few Apple M1 Processor Mac's have been released.
My general understanding was that the M1 uses less energy (more efficient) and generates less heat (passive silent cooling system possible).

I got excited and started reading up on the cheapest option which is the M1 Mac Mini model.
To my disappointment the brand new M1 Mac Mini has no mention of "silent operation" and still uses a fan.
And according to Apple: "Typical acoustic performance: Sound pressure level (operator position): 5 dBA at idle*", which is identical to the previous Intel Mac Mini.
While the others, M1 Macbook Air and M1 iMac 24" both have "silent operation" as stated on Apple Official.

So my question is has anyone got both the old Intel Mac Mini, and the new M1 Mac Mini?
Is the new M1 Mac Mini noticeably quieter than the Intel Mac Mini in near-field use?

I am intending to use M1 Mac Mini as a Source in a near-field setup and would prefer the cooling system to stay as silent as possible.
Hopefully the fan stays off/low if just playing back lossless music files. . .

 

[sandymc]

If you're using your iPad as a remote, the Mac doesn't need to be in the same room. I have a coax cable that goes from my Mac plus cheap coax out dac to the dac where my sound system is.

 

[Koeitje]

Can't you just use a Raspberry Pi. Cheaper and no fan.

 

[mononoaware]

If you're using your iPad as a remote, the Mac doesn't need to be in the same room. I have a coax cable that goes from my Mac plus cheap coax out dac to the dac where my sound system is.

Thanks but that still means a long cable going from one room to another.
I would prefer if everything is in one room. . .

Maybe I am being picky, but I read past comments online saying Intel Mac Mini fan noise can get audible (near-field) depending on use/power on duration.
Also apparently it gets worse with age. . .

It is not worth it to spend an extra $300 for the M1 Macbook Air which has passive cooling (silent operation) when I have no use for the screen and the battery which will just complicate things. . .
Unless I can dig up another use for a Macbook Air. . . (travelling data companion? but I don't and have no interest in travel)

The M1 iMac 24" is designed with passive cooling (silent operation) I am confused as to how come the M1 Mac Mini was not designed this way.
My guess is the Mac Mini was popular in commercial use (constant operation) therefore they designed it to be more robust.

 

[mononoaware]

Can't you just use a Raspberry Pi. Cheaper and no fan.

Yes true, but I am getting to that age where I would prefer something I can just plug and play.

I was actually thinking of finding a used/refurbished M1 Mac Mini in the near future at a lower price.
But still having thoughts that if they still use active cooling (fan noise) then I should just look for something else. . .

 

[Blumlein 88]

I think there's a sale on the mini for$599 this week at Costco and Amazon.

 

[blueone]

If you’re just streaming music, I suspect the fan will seldom come on. Even my i7 Mini‘s fan seldom comes on when watching video, no less just streaming music.

 

[mononoaware]

Even my i7 Mini‘s fan seldom comes on when watching video, no less just streaming music.

Just wondering what you mean when you say “seldom comes on”.

Does the fan have a “off” state (virtually silent) when powered on/low CPU usage?

I am aware many modern CPU’s have “throttling” of how much of the processor is used to save energy and reduce thermal temperature.
(In Windows 10 there is an option under power settings: Minimum CPU usage 0-100%)
So this being a function of modern CPU’s, the Apple M1 Processor should perform similarly and possibly even better.

 

[mononoaware]

I think there's a sale on the mini for$599 this week at Costco and Amazon.

Thanks.

 

[tgray]

My Mac Mini (2018) fan only usually comes on audibly when doing CPU heavy tasks (photo processing, etc). For normal usage (it is my main desktop), the fan is running but I can't hear it. Music with some EQ plugins does not stress it enough to spin up the fan to the point where I can hear it. It is currently at 1600 RPM and I can't hear it at all - my hard drives are louder. The fan is loud when running at full speed, which only happens when the CPUs are working hard.

It is my understanding the M1runs even cooler/quieter.

 

[SMc]

My Mac Mini (2018) fan only usually comes on audibly when doing CPU heavy tasks (photo processing, etc). For normal usage (it is my main desktop), the fan is running but I can't hear it. Music with some EQ plugins does not stress it enough to spin up the fan to the point where I can hear it. It is currently at 1600 RPM and I can't hear it at all - my hard drives are louder. The fan is loud when running at full speed, which only happens when the CPUs are working hard.

It is my understanding the M1runs even cooler/quieter.

My old Mac Mini's fan is rarely noticeable, hardly ever using high speed. I second the observation about hard drives which tick away during the regular Time Machine backups.

Wireless is good enough for the NAS that holds my music collection.

 

[mononoaware]

My Mac Mini (2018) fan only usually comes on audibly when doing CPU heavy tasks (photo processing, etc). For normal usage (it is my main desktop), the fan is running but I can't hear it. Music with some EQ plugins does not stress it enough to spin up the fan to the point where I can hear it. It is currently at 1600 RPM and I can't hear it at all - my hard drives are louder. The fan is loud when running at full speed, which only happens when the CPUs are working hard.

It is my understanding the M1runs even cooler/quieter.

Thank you for the information.

New M1 Mac Mini (base model) is only available with SSD, so that takes care of the HDD noise problem.

Hopefully my average listening session (60-120 minutes) is enough to keep the fans at low speed (zero audible noise from listening position).

Would you say your use case is near-field (1m-1.5m)?

 

[mononoaware]

My old Mac Mini's fan is rarely noticeable, hardly ever using high speed. I second the observation about hard drives which tick away during the regular Time Machine backups.

Wireless is good enough for the NAS that holds my music collection.

Thanks would you say your use case is near-field (1m-1.5m)?

 

[tgray]

Thank you for the information.

New M1 Mac Mini (base model) is only available with SSD, so that takes care of the HDD noise problem.

Hopefully my average listening session (60-120 minutes) is enough to keep the fans at low speed (zero audible noise from listening position).

Would you say your use case is near-field (1m-1.5m)?

Should have clarified - external hard drives, not the Mac Mini's drive.

Yes, I use it in the near field. Speakers on my desk, Mac was under the monitor (arm length's away). I recently moved it and all my drives to a shelf under my desk and it is even quieter.

Computer is on pretty much all the time, and I listen to music throughout the day working from home. Processing RAW photos always gets the fan going, and sometimes using Discord video chat with multiple video streams coming in can cause the fan to get audible.

 

[hardisj]

I purchased an m1 mini a couple months ago solely for video editing. I haven’t heard any noise at all from this thing, sitting 2 feet away, while processing large video files.

FWIW, I have my PC tower on the other side of my L-shaped desk and hear the PC - even when it isn’t processing anything.

 

[mononoaware]

Should have clarified - external hard drives, not the Mac Mini's drive.

Yes, I use it in the near field. Speakers on my desk, Mac was under the monitor (arm length's away). I recently moved it and all my drives to a shelf under my desk and it is even quieter.

Computer is on pretty much all the time, and I listen to music throughout the day working from home. Processing RAW photos always gets the fan going, and sometimes using Discord video chat with multiple video streams coming in can cause the fan to get audible.

Thank you for your reply.
I will be using it only for playing audio (lossless) and file sharing.
Should be fine then.

 

[mononoaware]

I purchased an m1 mini a couple months ago solely for video editing. I haven’t heard any noise at all from this thing, sitting 2 feet away, while processing large video files.

FWIW, I have my PC tower on the other side of my L-shaped desk and hear the PC - even when it isn’t processing anything.

Thank you.
I also have an old PC tower (Windows 10) in another room and it is quite noisy (from startup).

It gives me confidence after reading your experience with the M1 Mac Mini.
Maybe the “typical acoustical performance” stated by Apple is the same as Intel Mac Mini for technical reasons, but M1 should theoretically give superior performance (in lower noise and thermal temperature).

 

[blueone]

Just wondering what you mean when you say “seldom comes on”.

Does the fan have a “off” state (virtually silent) when powered on/low CPU usage?

I am aware many modern CPU’s have “throttling” of how much of the processor is used to save energy and reduce thermal temperature.
(In Windows 10 there is an option under power settings: Minimum CPU usage 0-100%)
So this being a function of modern CPU’s, the Apple M1 Processor should perform similarly and possibly even better.

The fan does not have an off state I'm aware of. The case can get moderately warm, so the engineers seemed to have already used the conduction trick on a relatively heavy aluminum case.

What I mean by seldom comes on, is that I do run McAfee protection software, and that seems to cause the fan to come on at odd times. I don't use the Mini for music streaming (I use my iPad), but I can't remember the last time I heard the fan, and the Mini sits on my desktop about three feet from my ears.

The M1 is *much* more power efficient than any Intel CPU, so I suspect the fan will engage even less on the M1-based models.

 

[mononoaware]

I do run McAfee protection software, and that seems to cause the fan to come on at odd times.

Hopefully it will be secure enough without McAfee installed.

I don't use the Mini for music streaming (I use my iPad),

I am currently using an iPhone 7 and streaming AirPlay to an old Apple TV 3 (the last ATV with optical output to DAC).
It gets the job done, but of course I am limited to how much audio I can sync (transfer) to the iPhone.

The M1 is *much* more power efficient than any Intel CPU, so I suspect the fan will engage even less on the M1-based models.

I suspect the same also regardless of Apple’s specifications.

 

[blueone]

Hopefully it will be secure enough without McAfee installed.

That's what I used to think about my Macs, until a couple of months ago I got some malware on my Mini. If you use a firewall and don't do general internet browsing on Mini you might not need malware protection, but at this point I'd have to recommend it. I don't know if the McAfee software is lying or exaggerating, but it says it finds and fixes a substantial number of threats. (Yes, I'm a skeptic, but a careful skeptic.)