That's a nicely packaged unit. What is the typical price, I didn't see that. Also it does not appear to have USB C PD and Thunderbolt.
Jan
Yes I've been using refurbished equipment before and never be disappointed. It's an underrated resource. But it doesn't have the connectivity I want.
In the end I sprung for this:
https://www.amazon.com.be/dp/B0B765VF84/ref=pe_43847721_694249361_TE_SCE_dp_1 , the 256GB version.
For some reason, Amazon insisted to give me a $ 35 discount. Well. if they insist.
Jan
https://www.amazon.com.be/-/en/dp/B0B765VF84/ref=emc_b_5_t
Or if you think you really need 16GB RAM...
https://www.amazon.com.be/-/en/dp/B0BYZ91RFL/ref=emc_b_5_t?th=1
Can also be ordered directly from Mele...
https://store.mele.cn/products/mele...ssd-support-vesa-mount?variant=42433409646770
EDIT: Funny coincidence. I started this post before your last, but got distracted. Good choice I think.
Or if you think you really need 16GB RAM...
https://www.amazon.com.be/-/en/dp/B0BYZ91RFL/ref=emc_b_5_t?th=1
Can also be ordered directly from Mele...
https://store.mele.cn/products/mele...ssd-support-vesa-mount?variant=42433409646770
EDIT: Funny coincidence. I started this post before your last, but got distracted. Good choice I think.
With the release of the Raspberry Pi 5, I'm giving up on any future PC builds. With the RPi 5, it's 2-3x the power of the RPi4 so I can't justify a more powerful Mini PC anymore.
From the owner of Raspberry Pi:
https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/introducing-raspberry-pi-5/
Plus, they are planning on releasing RPi HAT PCI-E cards:
If you run anything on Mains, you already have noise. Then running any Audio devices off Motherboard USB ports even more noise. So cheap Mini PCs, cheap Mickey Mouse designing / architecture and cheap implementation will only bring the noise and future headaches. The PCI-E HAT can solve that by PCI-E communicating direct to the CPU and SuperCapping a RPi with Off Mains Power like how PCI-E eliminates noise from the PC. But PCI-E RPi HAT is still an unknown at this time.
Anyways, I'm going to focus on RPi and move on from PC builds. PC's are not really meant for Audio with it's inherent noise, but some steps can be taken to combat. Same with RPis.
I leave you with what I wanted to pursue in a few years:
Xeon, plus PCI-E plus you can put in your own brand of RAM.
https://www.aaeon.com/en/p/epic-boards-epic-tgh7
I was planning Apacer Industrial, not Consumer, RAM which is renown for it's Audio sound quality:
https://www.mouser.com/c/embedded-s...modules-memory-cards/memory-modules/?m=Apacer
Good luck.
From the owner of Raspberry Pi:
https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/introducing-raspberry-pi-5/
Plus, they are planning on releasing RPi HAT PCI-E cards:
If you run anything on Mains, you already have noise. Then running any Audio devices off Motherboard USB ports even more noise. So cheap Mini PCs, cheap Mickey Mouse designing / architecture and cheap implementation will only bring the noise and future headaches. The PCI-E HAT can solve that by PCI-E communicating direct to the CPU and SuperCapping a RPi with Off Mains Power like how PCI-E eliminates noise from the PC. But PCI-E RPi HAT is still an unknown at this time.
Anyways, I'm going to focus on RPi and move on from PC builds. PC's are not really meant for Audio with it's inherent noise, but some steps can be taken to combat. Same with RPis.
I leave you with what I wanted to pursue in a few years:
Xeon, plus PCI-E plus you can put in your own brand of RAM.
https://www.aaeon.com/en/p/epic-boards-epic-tgh7
I was planning Apacer Industrial, not Consumer, RAM which is renown for it's Audio sound quality:
https://www.mouser.com/c/embedded-s...modules-memory-cards/memory-modules/?m=Apacer
Good luck.
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I just want a box that I connect and works the way I always do. I think I explained that in post # 1.
Which nobody reads after there's a post # 2 of course ;-)
I'm not a computer builder, but I can see the attractiveness if you are so inclined.
I also believe that the noise argument is mainly a bogus argument in practise.
Surely you are aware that those PCs do not process audio but digital files, and they can do that for years, trillions and trillions of bits without dropping a single one.
I get going next week for $ 250; in your case you'll probably spend a multiple of that and hundreds of hours.
I don't think you are an audio guy; you're a digital nerd ;-)
Jan
Which nobody reads after there's a post # 2 of course ;-)
I'm not a computer builder, but I can see the attractiveness if you are so inclined.
I also believe that the noise argument is mainly a bogus argument in practise.
Surely you are aware that those PCs do not process audio but digital files, and they can do that for years, trillions and trillions of bits without dropping a single one.
I get going next week for $ 250; in your case you'll probably spend a multiple of that and hundreds of hours.
I don't think you are an audio guy; you're a digital nerd ;-)
Jan
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I think you should check out the fanless miniPC options from Intel NUC or Zotac. They feature a compact form factor, fanless design, and USB-C/Thunderbolt connectivity. You may find a suitable option for your JRiver and Tidal server needs.
@EstelleLamb yes, thanks for the heads up. I had already looked at those but didn't see the USB C versions.
They are also more expensive than the MeLe unit I got and which, after some hiccups, now runs smooth.
Jan
They are also more expensive than the MeLe unit I got and which, after some hiccups, now runs smooth.
Jan
There are 'node' type mini PCs made by HP, very common here in our government offices, police stations, and courts.
Also, there was a company called Enjay making them, it is a generic item really.
They are small, a little bigger than a DVD drive case, and are intended to work with a server, the hard disks and USB ports are deliberately disabled for safety, and the government uses a version of Linux for speed and safety from internet hackers.
Some are as big as a box file, about 12 x 3 x 10 inches.
The advantage is also that there is little to wear out, and since the OS is at the server, no need for field upgrades.
Try and find such a device, use a small HDD to store the OS and apps, let the data (music etc.) be on a bigger HDD, the case must be big enough for two drives, or use an external portable drive.
That should work.
Also, there was a company called Enjay making them, it is a generic item really.
They are small, a little bigger than a DVD drive case, and are intended to work with a server, the hard disks and USB ports are deliberately disabled for safety, and the government uses a version of Linux for speed and safety from internet hackers.
Some are as big as a box file, about 12 x 3 x 10 inches.
The advantage is also that there is little to wear out, and since the OS is at the server, no need for field upgrades.
Try and find such a device, use a small HDD to store the OS and apps, let the data (music etc.) be on a bigger HDD, the case must be big enough for two drives, or use an external portable drive.
That should work.
The turnkey commercial available fan-less computers are a bit pricey, if you did not mind soiling you fingers ( I know you dislike building computers) and putting an Intel nuc into Alaska case you could get a decent unit affordably. It Is close to time for me to build a new roon server and that is the road I will take.
Bill
Bill
If you're willing to DIY, Streacom makes fanless cases. They're pricey but well made, and they look good. Probably the main justifications for DIYing a PC these days are to select what you want to install in it, to have more control over the quality of the case, and to have exactly the kind of cooling you want.
The FC8 (Streacom) is an ITX case that could be suitable. It's certainly larger than a Mac Mini, though not huge. There may be smaller cases if you don't need GPU space.
https://www.techspot.com/products/cases/streacom-fc8-fanless-chassis.82960/
One person's build process is shown here, and you can see how the CPU is cooled through (indirect) physical connection to the external heatsink fins on the right side of the case.
The nice thin about Austraya is whatever way you walk, you always end up at the beach! 
You just have to walk a loooong time.
The MeLe case top looks to be some sort of hard plastic.
It has slits in the surface and looks like a fancy heatsink.
On the inside, the chip surfaces are thermally connected to the back side of the case cover/heatsink.
In operation it gets to about 40 deg C I estimate. At idle is does not appreciably heat up.
It's exactly what I needed, especially the two USB C ports, one with PD.
Jan
You just have to walk a loooong time.
The MeLe case top looks to be some sort of hard plastic.
It has slits in the surface and looks like a fancy heatsink.
On the inside, the chip surfaces are thermally connected to the back side of the case cover/heatsink.
In operation it gets to about 40 deg C I estimate. At idle is does not appreciably heat up.
It's exactly what I needed, especially the two USB C ports, one with PD.
Jan
If tweaking is no problem, then what about a celeron N3160 barebone board, currently available for CHF 20.-. New and surplus because of EOL (As seen on Ricardo, seems trustworthy, but I am not the vendor).
Both the MeLe and Coofun computers have been rock solid for me. The MeLe runs my Linux server, barely gets warm. The Coofun runs Win10 and does heat up; it also shows a struggle running windows. But for what I use them for, would buy them again.
Also using Protectli Vault for my home router - fantastic.
Also using Protectli Vault for my home router - fantastic.
Although small SMPS can be noisy you are making the common mistake of forgetting that the Pi itself is noisy, just like any circuit that is switching current through transistors at high speed. This puts noise into the ground no matter what the PS is, and is also radiates EMI. You cannot escape it. These small ARM boards are NOT designed to have very low emitted radiation and low ground noise, they are designed to be small and cheap.
For audio my solution was to ditch the ARM boards. For various reasons like poor OS support or low computer power I moved up to mini PCs running the Intel Celeron class chips. The N3160 mentioned above is one such example, but not a very stellar performer. The latest Celeron integrated CPU is the N5105. It is the very one that Jan purchased (he started this thread) and it is more than capable for many, many audio channels. These cost from $150 to $250 but you get a finished computer including memory and storage, with chassis and power supply and not a bare board. The Pi board alone costs $80 now and when you add up all the other stuff you will need the price is not all that attractive compared to when it cost $35 and the PS $10. If you think you need more CPU horsepower, there are now some low TDP AMD CPUs like the Ryzen 5 5560u that are 2-3 times more powerful but are usually found in fan cooled chassis despite a 15W TDP. In this case the fan hardly has to do anything at all. The cost bumps up to $250-$350.
Finally, a good quality USB audio interface with its own power supply (not bus power typically) can be located a bit away from the computer and can have stellar noise and distortion performance. Combine that with a mini PC and you are good to go.
I had a Raspberry Pi some years ago and found it pretty frustrating:
The RP itself was cheap, but you need a chassis, too.
And an extra power supply.
And a SD card, which is prone to failure.
And maybe a proper SSD via USB.
Then you have an ugly mess - several devices connected together, need to hide this somewhere.
Worst is that it doesn’t even work properly. Mine crashed every few days. I believe the root cause was the power supply architecture: The USB runs off the 5V directly, which is prone to brown out conditions. Note that a more powerful supply doesn’t help since the voltage drop along the cable is inevitable.
Sad to see that the latest model still has this inferior power supply architecture despite USB-C.
I got myself some cheap fanless Asus, which runs cool for years now without any issues, all nicey packed in a single, aesthetic chassis.
Unless you need GPIO and other Raspberry features, better get a tiny computer instead.
The RP itself was cheap, but you need a chassis, too.
And an extra power supply.
And a SD card, which is prone to failure.
And maybe a proper SSD via USB.
Then you have an ugly mess - several devices connected together, need to hide this somewhere.
Worst is that it doesn’t even work properly. Mine crashed every few days. I believe the root cause was the power supply architecture: The USB runs off the 5V directly, which is prone to brown out conditions. Note that a more powerful supply doesn’t help since the voltage drop along the cable is inevitable.
Sad to see that the latest model still has this inferior power supply architecture despite USB-C.
I got myself some cheap fanless Asus, which runs cool for years now without any issues, all nicey packed in a single, aesthetic chassis.
Unless you need GPIO and other Raspberry features, better get a tiny computer instead.
If there is no need for peripherals which x86 PCs do not have (I2S, fast GPIOs, fast SPI), a miniPC (especially refurbished nice-brand ones with extreme discount) is almost always a better solution, IMO. I believe RPi is hyped and many people use it without having a well-argued reason.