With the Apple MacBook Air M3, you’ll get some power in your hands. This rather pleasantly priced notebook is available in 13- and 15-inch variants.
You can’t escape a computer even as an audiophile. And so why not choose something that is stylish and capable just like the rest of your audio system? The newly released Apple MacBook Air M3 might meet those requirements. It runs on Apple’s latest in-house developed CPU/GPU: the M3. The cheapest variant features 8 GPUs, 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM for $1299. If you want more, there is the 10-core GPU variant for €1529 (but that includes a 512GB SSD). Furthermore, 15-inch models are available. So plenty of (configurable) choice.
Expensive?
Very nice for some people is that you can now connect two external displays with the new MacBook Air M3. But let’s be very honest: even the cheapest model has more than enough to offer an audiophile, home worker, student and so on. A big advantage of Apple Silicon-based notebooks is the very favorable power consumption/performance ratio. Last but not least – we are slightly enthusiast – a MacBook Air is no more expensive than a midrange or high-end Windows laptop. But with Apple it includes no-hassle support in your own language, for example. Also not unimportant is the large amount of audio-related software that exists for MacOS.
If you still have an M2 or even M1 Macbook Air in use, should you switch immediately? Nah. That M1 was already blazing fast, and the M2 even faster again. Better to wait a few years then we would say.
I am becoming more interested in the “network” aspect of streaming. I have a 11 year old MacBook Air, 13″. 1.4Ghz Dual Core I5 processor. It has a thunderport that I can use for RJ-45 Ethernet connection.
Can I use this to operate my new Lumin U2 Mini?
I am waiting for the U2 Mini to be delivered this afternoon. I am literally sitting here waiting. One reason I bought the Lumin U2 Mini was the dedicated RJ-45 connection. I prefer hard-wires. I like to stay way from wifi, whenever I can. Even with the Ethernet connection on the Lumin U2 Mini, I must still use wifi to operate the U2 Mini, right?
My current system is: Lumin U2 Mini (coming now…) –> RME-ADI 2 FS DAC –> Subden A21 –> Klpisch Heresy IV Speakers –> Rythmik F12″ subwoofer
Thank you for Alpha-Audio. It is refreshing to find a audio forum that is always professional. Great job!
Hi Robert. You can share your internet connection on a Mac. See this article from the Apple Knowledge base: https://support.apple.com/nl-nl/guide/mac-help/mchlp1540/mac (this is the Dutch language version, but your Safari browser will probably instruct the site to display the right language for you).
However, why would you want to do this? The ‘normal’ setup is connecting the network port of the Lumin to a network port on your router, or preferable, place one of our recommended switches in between your router and the Lumin.
When your Mac is on the same network wirelessly, it will see the Lumin and you can operate it with the Lumin app from your Mac. No need to connect the Mac to the Lumin and do complicated things with network sharing.
Having your Mac connected with a wire to the Lumin will not result in better sound quality (on the contrary). When you stream on your Lumin, it is the Lumin that pulls in the music from the internet. Your phone, tablet or MacBook are working as a remote to operate the Lumin. Nothing more, nothing less. So how your MacBook is connected doesn’t matter.