Listening to music in 2018 MacMini

[Bitko]

Hello all.
I have a 2018 MacMini and recently I bought a set of powered bookshelf speakers (Edifier 1850). I want to know if the quality of music will be better if I get a DAC, and if I need an amp too, despite the speakers being powered. My budget for DAC is no more than $250.

 

[blueone]

I use a 2018 Mac Mini for my desktop system, and I can't believe you'll get any audible improvement from an external DAC. I'm listening to Amazon Music as I type this, and through AE A5+ speakers and a sub it sounds fine. You might want to get Boom or an equivalent EQ app to get the overall system response as smooth as possible.

 

[Bitko]

I already have BOOM, and I also have Airfoil. Airfoil allows me to stream music from my iPhone or iPad to the MacMini. What are you doing for the connection? Wireless or wired?

 

[txbdan]

Looks those have analog and optical inputs. The 2018 mac mini doesn't have optical out so i guess you're using the headphone jack? I'd bet a good DAC would measure better than the MM's headphone jack. Whether or not you can hear a difference is debatable. Buy a decent but cheap USB DAC from Amazon and return it if you don't it.

I use a 2018 MM as well, but use a USB-connected integrated amp. SoundSource is a nice system-wide EQ and plugin host utility.

 

[blueone]

I already have BOOM, and I also have Airfoil. Airfoil allows me to stream music from my iPhone or iPad to the MacMini. What are you doing for the connection? Wireless or wired?

Wired. The headphone output in analog to the A5+ speakers. I got the adapter from stereo mini plug to dual RCA on Amazon. Cheap, but it works too.

 

[Bitko]

Wired. The headphone output in analog to the A5+ speakers. I got the adapter from stereo mini plug to dual RCA on Amazon. Cheap, but it works too.

So you using Headphone output of MacMini to RCA of A5+? I am doing the same. Would it sound better if was to use this https://www.edifier.com/us/en/accessories/luna-e25HD-toslink-to-toslink-optical-audio-cable

 

[blueone]

So you using Headphone output of MacMini to RCA of A5+? I am doing the same. Would it sound better if was to use this https://www.edifier.com/us/en/accessories/luna-e25HD-toslink-to-toslink-optical-audio-cable

I'd bet twenty bucks against it.