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Best Digital Music Server

I am looking for opinions of the "best" digital music server considering the following:

1) CD ripping capability/available formats
2) User Interface - I am crazy from trying to ID "Unknown Albums", dropped first tracks, missing album art, etc. on my PC.
3) HiRes (is Sony's technology -as an example - audibly different?) capability.
4) Streaming flexibility - not a big part of my listening experience, but getting bigger all the time it seems.
5) Last but not least - SOUND QUALITY.  I have a reasonably nice DAC (DA2) built into my McIntosh MC2700 PreAmp, so would prefer a '"no internal DAC" solution, but open to it if all the other rankings say buy it anyway.

Thank you in advance for your opinions!

Mark
mhwilliford
antigrunge2
1,367 posts
 
Any Innuos model: easy setup and squeezebox software, fantastic SQ
mhwilliford OP
30 posts
 
My budget is $1000 to $3000 depending on capabilities/performance.  I am not averse to building a silent, purpose-built PC (currently running on an HT PC I built 5+ years ago) IF I can find an excellent UI to go with it.
mike_in_nc
1,128 posts
 
Ripping and serving are two different things. A third thing is fixing missing metadata -- there are several types of software available for that. You will be better off with best-of-class solutions for each aspect of this. I suggest a little more reading and thought before you spend your $3000.
mhwilliford OP
30 posts
 
Understood - I prefer a one-box solution to these specific tasks and a proven UI to go with it.  I have been reading and watching a tone of YouTube vids on this but always value the real experiences of this group.  Please share any specific experiences you might have.
golfmd2
27 posts
 
I got the Innuos Zen Mini.  Ticks all of your boxes.  Fantastic product.
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