Roon/Plex server suitability

[gtwibell]

Wondering which Mac Mini would be most suitable as a combined Roon and Plex server, with local media storage devolved to a large, direct attached USB external drive. The choice comes down to either a new M4 mini with 16Gb RAM and 2Tb SSD, or a 2023 M2 Pro mini with the same memory and storage specs. This will be replacing a headless, late 2012 2.3GHz i7 mini server which is starting to feel a little slow.

Whichever mini is not pressed into server duty will be used mainly for MS Office, browsing and other desktop apps.

 

[gigatoaster]

From a Roon perspective, I guess the vanilla version would suffice. I have a m1 with 16GB and it’s sufficient for 15k tracks in my library. I also upsample to 384kHz, my amplifier doesn’t go above (no DSD support). The processing speed is 16x.

For Plex, I don’t know, I use Infuse Pro instead.

How big are your media & music libraries?

 

[Ray2]

I use a 2014 mini. i5, 8 gb ram, up to 15tb attached storage, 2.5" 5,400 spinners. Plex, Jellyfin, Music run fine. A year ago I ran the setup on an M1 Air for about 18 months then went back to the mini. Can't say I noticed a difference. May have been but not noticeable to any users.

 

[MadMax65]

I use a 2014 mini. i5, 8 gb ram, up to 15tb attached storage, 2.5" 5,400 spinners. Plex, Jellyfin, Music run fine. A year ago I ran the setup on an M1 Air for about 18 months then went back to the mini. Can't say I noticed a difference. May have been but not noticeable to any users.

Have you had any issues with the 2014 Mac Mini if and when any transcoding is needed?
I'm looking to set up my son with a Mac Mini to use as a Plex server which will be connected via ethernet and then HDMI into his smart tv (runs 120hz as he needed that for his xbox series x). I assume that will all be direct play but he also likes to watch on his phone while out using plex pass..........I assume that will need transcoding and so trying to figure out whether to go with a 2012, 2014 or 2018. 2012 & 2014 can pick up for around $50 but 2018 will be around $150

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

I use a 2014 mini. i5, 8 gb ram, up to 15tb attached storage, 2.5" 5,400 spinners. Plex, Jellyfin, Music run fine. A year ago I ran the setup on an M1 Air for about 18 months then went back to the mini. Can't say I noticed a difference. May have been but not noticeable to any users.

I'm running this same setup (plus, ahem, constant downloading/uploading files) and it's been great.

The damn Mac Mini has been running 24/7 for 11 years, save the time I installed an SSD to replace the internal spinner.

Every once in a while I get a message about the computer/connection not being able to handle 4K files, but those are usually files beyond what my TV can even display properly. And I've always found a suitable file after another try or two.

My wife also streams to her iPad nearly every hour of her working day.

Ethernet connection helps, as the Mini and the AppleTV themselves are wired, but the TV is connected to the AppleTV, not the Mac Mini.

Once this dies, I'm getting a base model Mac Mini refurb and going right back to the same setup.

 

[MadMax65]

I'm running this same setup (plus, ahem, constant downloading/uploading files) and it's been great.

The damn Mac Mini has been running 24/7 for 11 years, save the time I installed an SSD to replace the internal spinner.

Every once in a while I get a message about the computer/connection not being able to handle 4K files, but those are usually files beyond what my TV can even display properly. And I've always found a suitable file after another try or two.

My wife also streams to her iPad nearly every hour of her working day.

Ethernet connection helps, as the Mini and the AppleTV themselves are wired, but the TV is connected to the AppleTV, not the Mac Mini.

Once this dies, I'm getting a base model Mac Mini refurb and going right back to the same setup.

So no transcoding issues ever?
Pretty much would be setting it up to do the same as you. I can pick up:
1. Late 2014, Intel 3GHz i7 2-Core, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Intel Iris 1.5GB for $50 and wouldn't need to upgrade anything.
Or
2. Late 2018 3.0GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $140 and may have to upgrade ram if need be.
Or
3. 2018 3.6 i3, 8gb ram and 128gb SSD for around $90
Or
4. Find a 2012 which I have read may be better than a 2014 in terms of transcoding if needed.

Thoughts?

 

[Ray2]

So no transcoding issues ever?
Pretty much would be setting it up to do the same as you. I can pick up:
1. Late 2014, Intel 3GHz i7 2-Core, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Intel Iris 1.5GB for $50 and wouldn't need to upgrade anything.
Or
2. Late 2018 3.0GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $140 and may have to upgrade ram if need be.
Or
3. 2018 3.6 i3, 8gb ram and 128gb SSD for around $90
Or
4. Find a 2012 which I have read may be better than a 2014 in terms of transcoding if needed.

Thoughts?

My 2014 is an i5, 1.4GHz. No transcoding issues on 4k BD mkv's. Mine came from OWC's used dept.

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

So no transcoding issues ever?
Pretty much would be setting it up to do the same as you. I can pick up:
1. Late 2014, Intel 3GHz i7 2-Core, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Intel Iris 1.5GB for $50 and wouldn't need to upgrade anything.
Or
2. Late 2018 3.0GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $140 and may have to upgrade ram if need be.
Or
3. 2018 3.6 i3, 8gb ram and 128gb SSD for around $90
Or
4. Find a 2012 which I have read may be better than a 2014 in terms of transcoding if needed.

Thoughts?

The 2012 has a better chip than the 2014, yes.

I have a far lesser Mini than the 2014 you're looking at and it's been fine for nearly everything.

Not perfect, but rare enough that I can't remember although we use it all the time.

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

My 2014 is an i5, 1.4GHz. No transcoding issues on 4k BD mkv's. Mine came from OWC's used dept.

I'm running same chipset, with a 256 SSD.

 

[MadMax65]

My 2014 is an i5, 1.4GHz. No transcoding issues on 4k BD mkv's. Mine came from OWC's used dept.

I'm running same chipset, with a 256 SSD.

The 2012 has a better chip than the 2014, yes.

I have a far lesser Mini than the 2014 you're looking at and it's been fine for nearly everything.

Not perfect, but rare enough that I can't remember although we use it all the time.

So the consensus is just get the Late 2014, Intel 3GHz i7 2-Core, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Intel Iris 1.5GB and it should be good, thanx.
What OS are you all running on you Mac mini 2014's. Old supported or newer with OCLP?

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

So the consensus is just get the Late 2014, Intel 3GHz i7 2-Core, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Intel Iris 1.5GB and it should be good, thanx.
What OS are you all running on you Mac mini 2014's. Old supported or newer with OCLP?

I'm running High Sierra.

 

[Ray2]

Shows how well I know my server. i5 2.6 GHz, not the 1.4 I noted above. Found out when I went to see what OS I was running — Monterey. The joys of having a totally maintenance free Mac.

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

All that being said, I'm using unRarX right now and it's taking the better part of an hour to put together babylon, via a USB 2.0 connection.

I can see how having an improved chipset and faster transfer speeds might solve that.

 

[MadMax65]

All that being said, I'm using unRarX right now and it's taking the better part of an hour to put together babylon, via a USB 2.0 connection.

I can see how having an improved chipset and faster transfer speeds might solve that.

MIght have to give it a bit more thought as I would be making things pretty automated with Sonarr, Radarr etc then transferred into plex folder after being completed........don't want that aking a long time either.