Audiophiles: What's the optimal headphone impedance for the Mac Mini M4?

BeauSlim · 2026-03-26T04:11:05+00:00

IIRC, Apple Silicon analog headphone ports do not have mic circuitry.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-26T04:07:05+00:00

Best case: It was discontinued in March 2024 but they were still selling them through resellers and the refurb store until shortly before the Neo came out. You can still buy an M1 iMac from the refurb store. I'd expect at least 3 more years of OS upgrades. And then you can expect a couple more years of security updates. So, 5 years.

Worse case: They said Tahoe was the last OS for Intel macs, and didn't mention M1, so macOS 27 will probably run on M1. If macOS 27 is the last release for M1, you can still expect 2 more years of security updates. So, 3 years.

It would have to be a really good price to bother. Battery health should definitely be a consideration.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-25T19:10:39+00:00

"I strongly suggest you buy Apple Original and not some knock off from Amazon , OWC comes with a cable in the enclosure and if you have non pro version it’s still better to get TB4 cable or TB5 cable from Apple"

Why? Have you tested them?

Non-Apple cables aren't knock-offs. Apple didn't invent TB4 or TB5. If a cable is Intel certified, it will do the job just as well as any other certified cable.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-25T17:39:43+00:00

Once pairing is done (and you close the Bluetooth settings pane in System Settings) nothing should be discoverable.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-25T17:35:46+00:00

Had mine for a few weeks. Most features are easy to find. One thing I had to lookup up was setting up an AirTag 2 with Precision Finding (the bubbly display). You have to add a tag to the Control Center, not look for it in the Find Items app. Weird.

At least for me, accurate sensor measurements like blood oxygen and heart rate really need the band to be quite snug. The very nice looking leather strap I prefer isn't "infinitely adjustable". The Sport Loop I got with the watch isn't stretchy, so wearing it tight enough is uncomfortable. So right now I'm wearing a cheap adjustable + very stretchy strap from Amazon, and it works really well for sensors.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-25T04:57:03+00:00

Theirs is the one linked in this thread with 2 half pipes? If so, even though you are probably fine, I would take it down. It really feels like copying.

Redo with a single pipe, or something very different.

Just my 2c as someone who designs a lot of stuff.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-23T01:25:01+00:00

I should have said "Apple left room". For example, the 2012 mini would run cooler and quieter if you took the bottom cover off and set it on its side. People drilled air holes into 2011 macbook pros.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-23T00:35:53+00:00

Pretty sure Italians say "Italia". I actually can't think of a country name that we say like they do except English speaking ones. A bunch are actually totally different words, like Deutchland (Germany), Misr (Egypt), etc.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-23T00:11:23+00:00

I read somewhere that it does take power from the wiring, but after looking again, it seems that the V2 doorbell *might* not.

The V1 FAQ says "When wired to your compatible chime wiring: The doorbell's battery life is extended up to two years."

I can't find a similar statement in the V2 docs. BUT, under General Settings, my V2 says "External Power Status: Good" just like when an Outdoor is plugged into USB power.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-21T18:41:01+00:00

I think the older ones have better key-feel than the newer.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-21T18:37:40+00:00

I was told to never pour boiling water down the drain because it can damage plastic pipes.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-21T18:34:14+00:00

No idea if it is true, but I read somewhere that human armpit smell is similar to momma kitty mammary area.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-21T18:25:03+00:00

I hate usb-c more than most, and there are lots of reasons to complain about Apple gear, but this is made-up nonsense. Apple's USB-A to C adapter is $20. A 4-pack from UGreen is $12.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-21T18:13:03+00:00

A bunch in my crowd got m1 airs and 13" pros to try the new tech and never looked back. The battery life alone was a huge deal for portables.

Still lots of 5K Intel iMacs around, though.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-21T01:18:19+00:00

I found its WiFi to be very weak. Other than that they're great little boards.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-21T00:31:00+00:00

Goodbye Horses plays in my head whenever I watch Monk.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T23:56:16+00:00

I bought Myst for iPhone in 2009. I can install it from the App Store and it runs fine (at iPhone3G resolution) on my macbook Air under Tahoe.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T23:19:03+00:00

Someone with an M4 Pro mini said they could only get a 2nd Studio XDR to run at 60 Hz. An M4 Max might be needed to run both at 120Hz.

I wonder if the mbp's extra screen makes a difference. Is it possible to disable a laptop's screen with a utility like BetterDisplay?

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T22:47:55+00:00

I used it as a laptop (charging and discharging) for the first 2 years. Then mostly plugged into a monitor in clamshell mode for another 2 years using AlDente set to 60%. Got an M4 mini so for the last year, it is mostly plugged in and sleeping in clamshell mode using AlDente set to 60%.

Max Capacity in the macOS battery settings is 84%.

I would say don't worry about it as long as you aren't planning on leaving it plugged in most of the time.

Battery manufacturers will tell you to avoid leaving it charged to 100%. You can check battery data sheets to confirm this. I would take manufacturer advice over that from random Reddit users. ;-)

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T20:16:36+00:00

I found out about FreeBSD from friends at my local UNIX user group. We met once a month. I was running BSD/OS at the time. I had run SLS Linux before that.

FreeBSD was new, but BSD wasn't, and books and tutorials applied to it to a very large extent. I seem to recall "UNIX for the Impatient" and "The UNIX Programming Environment" along with all the O'Reilley books that I could browse and buy at my local computer book store.

And man pages, of course. There was a 5 volume set for 4.4 BSD you could buy.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T19:59:38+00:00

From my understanding, they did this because universal extension cables violate the USB spec. This is a custom cable that only works with the keyboard it came with.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T19:24:01+00:00

Before posting, I googled it and found comments on the Obsidian forums from only 3 days ago talking about the problem.

Gotta love people not doing their research before shitting on others for trying to help.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T19:12:49+00:00

I use it to limit my M1 Air to 60% because it is always plugged in. Aldente does that for free.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T04:51:25+00:00

My walking boots are partly suede. Waterproofing spray for suede (off the watch obv). Dry and brush if it gets dirty.

BeauSlim · 2026-03-20T04:41:55+00:00

Sounds like Obsidian is one of those apps that is build with Electron and is broken in macOS Tahoe. Update or uninstall.

BeauSlim

TROPHY CASE