As winter shambles coldly toward much of the U.S. and the world, feast your eyes on a beautiful, custom-built backyard shed housing a hot Mac mini computer setup (in the photo above). It doesn’t even need heating because it’s in California. Jealous yet?
Today’s featured setup pairs a Mac mini with dual HP displays, a Logitech webcam designed for the Pro Display XDR and some slick audio gear we haven’t seen before.
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Custom-built man shed houses killer dual-display Mac mini setup with interesting audio gear
Redditor birdmarket (“Bird”) showcased the setup in a post entitled, “In my backyard office shed.” The shed is custom-built and has enough room for a complete desk-based setup, a chair and some art, but not much more.
In the setup, a Mac mini drives dual 27-inch HP Z27 ultra-high-definition IPS displays with 3820 x 2160 pixel resolution running at 60Hz. One display sits in landscape mode on an Oakywood Monitor Stand and the other stands in portrait mode.
“Dang, super clean backyard office set up!” cheered a commenter. “The only backyard offices I’ve seen just had cobwebs and rusty tools.”
Another person asked about the heating and air conditioning, wondering if it’s tough getting out to the shed in winter. And they also wondered why have the office in a shed instead of the house.
“Space heater and no AC. Works fine in our climate (California),” Bird replied. “The house footprint didn’t allow for an office, so this was the best option.”
And what an option. We’ve seen man-shed-based setups from time to time. They make us jealous. This one’s pretty mind-blowing, for example.
“Did you extend your home Wi-Fi to the shed? Or do you have another Wi-Fi box set up in there?” asked another commenter who said they have a shed in need of Wi-Fi.
“We trenched fiber along with power (separate conduits),” Bird replied. “So the [Mac] mini is hardwired 10GbE and there’s a separate wifi [access point], as well.”
Logitech webcam designed for Pro Display XDR
Curiously, Bird runs a Logitech 4K Pro Magnetic Webcam atop his HP monitor in landscape mode. But Logi designed the device specifically for Apple’s Pro Display XDR.
It features a magnetic mount that holds steady even when the camera tilts up or down, according to the company, as well as “RightLight 3” technology that helps the camera adjust to low light or direct sunlight.
Interesting audio gear
Our Setups coverage finds its way to lots of great audio gear, including many products we see over and over again as well as big-name stuff. But Bird’s setup includes two items never before mentioned on Cult of Mac.
One is a pair of $349 Wharfedale Diamond 12.0 speakers. They’re 2-way, 4-inch bookshelf speakers. Their proprietary Klarity woofer features mica-infused polypropylene cones with molded radial ribs that result “high rigidity, low coloration and lightning-fast response,” the British company said.
The other unfamiliar contraption is a PS Audio Sprout100 Complete HiFi DAC Amp that the speakers plug into. It’s a 100-watt-per-channel amplifier for speakers, headphones, gaming systems and other devices. It also works with smartphones via Bluetooth to stream media from services like Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora and others. You can even hook up a turntable and play vinyl through it.
And if you like the macOS Sierra wallpaper showing on the displays, one place you can find it is here.
Photo: birdmarket@Reddit.com
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If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.
