Dedicated Music Server/Player

Those Viking Acoustic speakers are something else. I have never listened to horn speakers but they look outstanding. I also ordered hand made speakets from Salk Sound his model SSM6 they took 7 months to arrive but we'll worth the wait.

For me personally purchasing sight unheard is a bit of a leap of faith thank fully I have not been burned yet.

On a side note with digital front ends such as a few here in the replies did any of you also invest in audiophile network switch and upgraded ethernet cabling and if so what are your results

Thanks

Independent streamer/server is definitely the way to go.  Given the nature and load associated with rendering vs. the actual server, I feel best performance comes from devices with separate computers for the two functions.  The server requires tons of power.  Too much power in the renderer function can introduce noise.  This is part of why I like Antipodes so much.  

@verdantaudio  Antipodes has moved to a single chassis. For example the K50. 

Asking to clarify if you continue to recommend a separate server component and a separate player component, i.e. the two box approach?

@willgolf  You did not list Pink Faun. Did you also consider them? If yes / no...your reasons? Thanks.

The K30 has two separate computers inside one box.  The K50 has two computers, a clock and a separate power supply for each part inside that one box.  It is about separation of the parts, not separation of the boxes.  
 

When you look at a K30 or K50 via my antipodes one computer is set to server, the other to renderer.