Music Server Advice

The D-05x is a Roon endpoint.

If you fed your D-05x via USB from NUC, the D-05x in not an endpoint. Endpoint is the Roon lingo for "streamer". The NUC would be in your scenario both the Roon Core and the Roon Endpoint. Not optimal for sure, certainly not optimal to use the NUC as the streamer. 

I you really like to try Innuos, you can get a ZENith or a Statement, that can be both the Core and the Streamer, feeding your DAC (the D-05x) via USB.

I also assume you know Aurender does not do Roon? You should know since you have had Roon since inception. 

My nomenclature may be in error but functionally the Nuc feeds the D-05x via USB. I wanted to do away with using the NUC and thought that the Pulse would do that.  I quickly found out during setup that I still needed the NUC. (I know about Innuos other offerings, but I don't need or want a CD ripper.) I  knew the Aurender wasn't Roon so I tried the Aurender App and felt paralyzed by the learning curve. However, it sounded very good. So now after having both the Pusle (didn't like the sound) and the Aurender N10, I'm willing to part with using Roon as my primary interface and delve into Aurender's app. My strategy has evolved to using Roon just to discover new music and use Aurender, or other software related to another device for my primary digital listening. I also inquired about the N200 and other streamer suggestions.

I always go for sound quality first and skip the add on functions. Hence I have two Aurender… they just sound better. Given your excellent equipment I would be using an Aurender streamer. 
 

For me I have learned to use the app and since I am on an iPad already it is really easy to Reseach albums with AllMusoc and Google then find them in Qobuz. 

I will throw in a plug for the Aurender N200, it is just a tick better than the N10 which it replaced. It is very good.

I had a Lampizator Pacific DAC that was pretty good. Then I added the Lucas Audio LDMS Music Server. Oh my, the SQ was night and day better. You should contact Lucas Domansky utilizing What’s Ap ( Free phone call) and just talk to him about your needs. He is a computer genius and a great guy to talk to for advice. I am getting an upgraded LDMS next week, My current LDMS will be available to buy. Lucas wanted me to keep it in the USA and as he gets a customer he will sell mine which is 18 months old. He said he would sell for $8k. that is just a little higher than your budget but well well worth it.