Your Computer Based Transport Setup

I am on the verge of moving to a Mac or Windows based transport setup but I am not sure which route to go.

I am pretty good with computers so a custom pc setup is what I have decided because of:

1. economically better than packaged music server
2. ability to experiment and change settings and software

However, I do not see a lot of info or thoughts on peoples computer based transport setups, (or ones that or pretty recent considering how fast the computer landscape changes so fast)

I will be going through a Chordette QuteHD dac to a Bryston 4b SST amp.

So, what is a good looking and performing computer setup?
Do you like mac mini's, big macs, windows 7 or 8 and any pro's and cons?

I am leaning towards a mac mini with something like audirvana. The mini is a nice looking small format and the OS is pretty solid and it runs quiet and cool from my experience.

Thank you fellow computerphiles.