beoplay s8 + mac mini for home theater?

5 replies

Hi guys :) ,

I would like to set up a "simple" home theater for a small room (approximately 12-15 sq. m) & plan to use:

- a mac mini as source for my movies
- a beoplay s8 for the sound
(+ a video projector & a screen of course).

my selection criterias are:
Sound quality but also:
1) simplicity (limiting hardware & cables quantities - as much as possible)
2) compacity.


Do you think it's a viable option?
Do I need an amp between the mac mini & the beoplay s8 (I hope not😎) or can i connect the beoplay s8 directly to the mac mini and keep a good sound quality?

Do I need the new "beoplay connection hub"?

I'm a newbie / sorry if my questions are stupid.

thanks for the help 🙂

 

Hi

The amp for the S8 is in the subwoofer, both for the woofer and for the satelites.

You can connect the S8 directly to the Mac Mini (I belive that cables are included) and use the apple remote for sound regulation.

 

Great!

Thanks for your answer 🙂

I am looking for a similar setup for my Mac Mini.  Does the S8 already include the cable connection required and if so which cable connection is it to the Mini?  it is through the phone jack connection?  Also this would not require the connection hub correct?

Sure you can use the S8 with a Mac Mini - will give you a reasonable stereo setup.

But from there to a 'home theater' setup it is very far - soundwise.

You will need  - at least - a center speaker, if your priority is 'movies'.

I'd say - for a 'movie theater' experience, you'd need back or surround channels too.

You might say that this would go against the 'simplicity', that you aim for.

 

However, the choice is yours!

For the sound of a 'home theater', you'd need a multi channels processor.

If you want to keep it as simple as possible and with the option of controlling the Mac, you'd better go for a BeoSystem 3 or 4 (!).

You could use a non-B&O receiver/preamp, but you'd have to use some workarounds to keep it simple (e.g. Using just one remote).

Using the Mac Mini as your source (connected via HDMI to the BSys) is no problem at all.

 

P.S. the connection hub is used, when you want a combination of a non-B&O tv with B&O speakers.

In your case it could be used - depending on the projector - I am sure.

You'd have to connect the Mac Mini to the projector, then - the sound to the hub.

But don't forget - this would only give you a stereo setup.

 

N.B. there are no stupid questions!

 

MM

 

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

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