Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

There will always be room for a purpose built, one box, easy to plug and play server.  I"m honestly thinking about getting the Melco and using it only as a NAS and running my Mac Mini to run Roon and the network via an iPad if I can figure out how to get it to work. I also want to wait to hear what the new Melco's will sound like and then also to see if Roon themselves come out with their NUC soon, which I believe they are close.  I want to run Roon if I can for how much fun it seems to be.  I love playing with it when visiting stores and in friend's systems.

I have done an extensive comparison of most available audiophile grade dedicated standalone servers, and the Aurender easily stands at the top of the pile. I'm not talking about DAC's with renderers; I'm talking full standalone music servers with renderers built in. 

I will shortly compare the N10 to the computer with Ethernet streaming. Amongst the many mini comparisons we are going to do is comparing the Emm DA-2 fed by the N10 to the Emm DA-2 fed by the computer/Ethernet/Sonore Microrendu. Should be interesting considering the N10's amazing performance. 

Matt that will be fun to hear what you have to say.  Which Melco were you using?  The N1ZH or the N1A?  I'm excited to hear the new units when they come out in the next couple of months.  The N10 only has USB and not AES/EBU or ethernet right?  

Hi Matt, as the owner of a Mojo Mac mini, I agree with you that the better "audiophile grade dedicated standalone servers" improve on the sound of even a purpose-configured Mac mini server, and I respect your opinion that

"Aurender easily stands at the top of the pile (of)......full standalone music servers with renderers built in."

However, I remain curious about your audition of the Antipodes DX server.  As I remember from your posts, you didn't care at all for the sound, which so far off from what most others hear that it makes me wonder whether there were problems with the unit, stored files, or interface with the DAC you were using at the time.  

Last year, my Antipodes DX received the Generation 2 upgrade with full Roon capability.  John Darko at DAR compared the Gen 2 DX with Aurender's N100H and found,

"Antipodes Audio’s flagship DX, ....a cut above its rival in price and performance."

Dave Clark at Posi+ive Feedback said of the original (Gen 1) DX,

"I loved the sound. I mean LOVED. The Antipodes presents music with such scale and density that it is scary good. Space, presence, texture… extension, detail, resolution… absence of any, ANY, glare, grit, brightness, hardness… but a lot of nothingness between the notes and within the music. Damn. Stuff just happened. The music played… it flowed... washing over you like the waves of the sea. Engulfing you… engaging you… sweeping you away. The Antipodes brought out the best, but did not editorialize or color the sound. What was there was there, but with the better the recording, the better it sounded… and yet, poor recordings took on a higher level of sonic pleasure—the Antiopdes dug deeper into the music letting the beauty come out, regardless of the quality.....my highest recommendation."

John Atkinson, of Stereophile, reviewed the Gen 1 DX and concluded,

"Highly recommended. I said highly."

In addition to the folks listed above, others who hear lots of digital gear, such as Steve Nugent and Michael Lavorgna also really like the DX.  I have not yet seen anything less than a stellar review of the Antipodes DX, or of any Antipodes server, and my own experience is that the Gen 2 Antipodes DX is easily the best-sounding digital source I have used in my system. So, while I am not questioning your opinion, I am questioning whether there may have been a problem with the DX unit you auditioned.  If not, then I would chalk up your observations to personal preference.   The reasons for my post are to encourage you to find an opportunity to hear another (preferably Gen 2) DX server, and also to encourage the other readers of this thread that there are (at least) two top choices when considering a stand-alone server.

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2016/06/reference-grade-roon-with-the-antipodes-dx-gen-2/

http://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/audio-ramblings-the-antipodes-dx-music-server/

http://www.stereophile.com/content/antipodes-dx-reference-music-server#BTSLL31HoQZV9o0i.97

Guys, we all hear differently.  That's why many will not ever agree with what Matt likes or doesn't like.  I've heard and liked the Antipodes, but I also like the N10 too.  I need to hear the new Melco N1ZH when it comes out as to me it sounds better than the Aurender N100 (again, personal taste).  That said, I could easily live with the N10 or W20 as I like balanced input better than USB.  

I'll still put my purpose built Mac Mini with Paul Hynes LPS up against any server out there.  I don't know everything that Steve did when building the darn thing, but I bring it with me to stores on occasion or other's systems and they can't believe it.  Again, my ear.

We all post about reviews etc, but we all know that they too may or may not like things that we do.  If I was going to get a purpose built server over my Mac Mini, which I may do for ease of use eventually, I'd look at the N10 and the DX, but I'd also need to put the less expensive Melco in the mix and figure the work around if I felt I had to have Roon.  

Different strokes for different folks as this long thread has shown time again.