Ready For Digital Source...Computer?

On this forum you are always going to get lots of opinions regardless of how sound your position might be.

You can make a test for little or no money.

If you have an old laptop or PC (both free if you already own them) and a DAC (maybe you already own one) then all you need is a good media player like Foobar2000 or even VLC (both free) and some lossless audio files to send the analog audio to your existing system and decide for yourself if you like the sound.

Windows 10 Media Sharing settings, Foobar2000 and it’s associated Foobar2000 smart phone remote control app are not the most elegant solution but it is entirely workable and low cost/no cost. The results could be excellent sound with little investment. If you are not happy with the sound then you can choose how and where to improve.

@high-amp ...You’re welcome. I’ve been a Win/pc clone since the ’80’s as Apples’ only appeal to me as Granny Smiths’. ;) But it’s mostly ones’ tastes and what you’re familiar with. Not saying either is good/bad/indifferent, but what one can mod to taste(s)... I’m not afraid of opening the cover on the box and poking about.

Macs usually require one to ’outboard’ any peripherals, whereas a pc can either acccept a card and/or install a program or an app. It comes down to what you want or intend to accomplish.

I run the fast purpose built as source, and an older one as a monitor running various analysis progs for RT display of system and/or what a calibrated mic is ’hearing’...an ’in vs. out’ comparision is what I’m most interested in...

The ’loudest’ background item is a ceiling fan, that pulls warm air down from the 14’ ceilings I live with....*L* Esp. now that Maude Winter is at the stoop...;)

Thanks all, I think I am going to find a decent combo music server/DAC with an upgradable DAC. This looks interesting: https://eng.hifirose.com/rs150 at $5,000 or this one at half the price: https://eng.hifirose.com/RS250-info . Not sure what makes the big price difference though?

My issue with all in one  server/dac/storage equipmet is it kind of defeats the whole idea of maximally quiet streaming setup. Adding internal noise and functions of dac and storage in server chassis is not optimum. With outboard dac, you have far more options, and these combo packages are generally not designed/built by dac specialists. 

sns - Great point! Gives me a reason to keep researching.