If you look at any music server, they are just a personal computer with usually a Linux OS of some type. I have been down that route. Most music servers use the inferior USB connection. Another thing you don’t want to do is have a music server with disks attached in your audio room. 1 more thing, the app that you use to play your music is very important too.
When you consider all of this, why would you buy a music server?
I use my iMac in a different room running Roon server, connected to my ps audio DS dac using Ethernet. I have used Auralic’s DS Lightning software and Lumins and they are very good, but still no match for Roon. The Mac allows me to use a raid disk setup for more fault tolerance, plus my data is backed up regularly, easily recoverable, and many local companies can fix the Mac if I can’t. What other music server can state that?
When you consider all of this, why would you buy a music server?
I use my iMac in a different room running Roon server, connected to my ps audio DS dac using Ethernet. I have used Auralic’s DS Lightning software and Lumins and they are very good, but still no match for Roon. The Mac allows me to use a raid disk setup for more fault tolerance, plus my data is backed up regularly, easily recoverable, and many local companies can fix the Mac if I can’t. What other music server can state that?