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Best standalone music server?

So I am considering dipping my toes into the full digital world and was wondering what people here may consider as the best standalone music server, and here I am going to be specific.
I do not want to consider a home pc or mac based type of system at all!
Looking at adding one of the standalone models like for example the Wyred4sound ms1 or cocktail audio.
High on my list is ability to rip my cds directly at the unit itself, access to internet radio and other music apps (Pandora etc). High quality built in dac would be nice but if not then high quality digital out to run to an external dac. I will not be needing to access music files stored on another pc as my home pc is pretty old but fully functional for my simple needs. The only music looking to access from it right now are ripped cds and internet available music in whatever form.
So if it worked out well, yes it may be a replacement even for a cd player completely

Thank you
128x128uberwaltz
asahitoro
244 posts
 
Yeah, I’ve basically confirmed I can pull off what I want to do but wanted to ’think out loud’ a bit about it here to hear others with way more experience and knowledge than me offer any opinions or things I should consider before going this route.
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
It's one of, if not the easiest way.  For it's price range, the Bluesound gear is really solid stuff.
asahitoro
244 posts
 
Thanks. Yeah I wish my Yamaha AVR worked with Rune (easily) and I could connect an external HD to the rear rather than the front panel. Would any USB->HDMI or coaxial digital convertors work? The Node 3 sounds like the way to go.
david12
1,454 posts
 

 I have just started using an Innuos Zenith. This is a UK/Portugese Server and certainly very keenly priced, here in the UK. It should be good in the US, with the current $/£  exchange rate. It has recently become available over the pond, I believe. Here it is a good bit cheaper than Melco or Aurender and has a ripping port, excellent support and is very easy to use.

 I had been using a heavily modified Mac Mini, which took me weeks to get up and running, being not an IT wizard. The Innuos took a morning, with very good telephone support. I would'nt have needed any help at all, but for my Ayre QB9 DAC, refusing to speak to the Innuos. I don't know why, just bad manners I think.

 It comes in various versions, with HHD and SSD options, the Zenith is the SSD one. It contains a ripping port and the whole process of ripping, backing up etc, is simple. There is an option to check metadata before ripping and adding a photo if none is available on Metadata.

 Even out of the box, no warm up, it is way ahead of the Mac Mini, crisp detailed sound, great dynamics and soundstage.

  All in all, highly recommended.


ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
But not in the price points that the folks in this thread are talking about.  Plenty of great servers on the market from Melco to Aurender to Antipodes to Lumin to CAD to custom made to one of the most under rated, The Music Vault by Neil Van Berg (I personally don't like all of them).  What kind of US support does the Zenith have?  I don't know much about the company. I visited their site, but not much about the US there.  
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