2. pc-audio
  3. 152576-3277

Music Server or Laptop?

I’m looking for suggestions. I exclusively listen to my music collection ripped to FLAC from my laptop/Foobar--->DAC--->amp--->speakers. I’m wondering if there is a decent, no-frills, music server that I could use in place of my laptop or would I be better suited to just buy another, smaller laptop that I would use solely for music and maybe save a little bit of money? I’m just looking for something that I don’t have to have a wire running across my room all the time or it coming loose when I move the laptop when in use.  If it helps, I do not stream anything.  I prefer to listen to my own collection.

Thanks!
nicodemix
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,219 posts
 
I use Bryston BDP 2. You can hook up large (8TB) hard drives to it along with usb drives. It comes with Qoboz, Tidal, and Roon apps.
Very easy to use.

ozzy
matthewrudy's avatar
matthewrudy
1 posts
 
Try daphile.com, if your looking to turn a small pc into a dedicated server.  Requires a little computer knowhow but the results are stupendous.
adurerca
38 posts
 
Laptops provide the most flexibility with trying out different music players. My Macbook pro was in my system for about 10 years and could have gone longer but I had the opportunity for a nice used newer one.  I use the Toslink connection to the Qutest to eliminate the computer power issues of the USB.
artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5
1,912 posts
 
@matthewrudy et al. Just looked at daphile.com site. Is it an OS? The installation method makes it look that way. Or maybe an overlay, like windows was on DOS? Just curious. Seems like a good idea but I like to know the basics. Thanks
erik_squires
15,791 posts
 
Just looked at Daphile.

It is an OS image for x86 type servers. It is based on the Logitech Media Server / Squeezelite packages running on an real time OS for lowest possible jitter playback.

It is a similar idea to piCore.
Personally with the Raspberry Pi 4, I'm going to run Ubuntu on it, with LMS. Tiny and fanless.
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