Music Server with no DAC?

Nothing digital is "future proof".

It will continue to get better and better over time.

So, for example, in the present, Media-Monkey, Bryston DAC, 24/96 downloads, Laptop w/external HD, should completely kill the Transporter at a cost of just 300 or so more depending on details.

From a cost standpoint, yes, IF you already own the Bryston DAC. If not, that's an extra $2K for the DAC, which is the list for the Transporter which can be bought for several hundred less. Not sure why you are convinced it would "kill the Transporter", but I've never heard the Bryston. The Transporter also allows your music server/laptop part of your home network (wi-fi or ethernet), can stream to other locations on the network, and has internet radio & music services built-in.

The reviews on the Bryston are very impressive but that really does not answer your initial question. I still think that the elimination of the DAC is not a big cost saver and if you want all the functionality of the Transporter, you can always take a digital stream from its outputs.

Swamp - Bryston for 2k and other stuff for 300 compared to 2k total is as I said "300 or so more" - just to be clear on what I mean in the comparison, so its not 2k more, its 2.3k-ish total, that is all I mean.

I agree that I have no proof that it will "kill the transporter" but I'd put a small amount of money on it! I 'think' (I don't know) that the Bryston DAC is not just better, but actually in another class. I'll have to let others chime in on that who have heard both, or perhaps who even have the combo and have A/B'd them. Also, it can take in 24/192 from Reference Recordings, 2L, etc., not sure if transporter can do that. That surely would put it in another class.

So, for example, if I could buy the Transporter without the DAC it has for 700 (that assumes that 1300 of it is for the DAC it has, maybe its 1000 or 800 - I don't know) then I would get the Bryston with it and be happy.

Also - if the DACs were separated (or how about at least on 'boards' or modules that could be removed and updated?) then as time goes on you can update them without replacing the whole system. NAD is doing this with their AV signal processing AV systems, and Meridian, a few others have been doing this for 10+ years.

Now, that would be interesting, a Transporter with 3 DACs that you choose from, the Transporter itself, then either no DAC at lets say 700, then Level1 at 1300, Level2 at 2k, and Level3 at 3.5k? That would be extremely interesting. But as you can see, easier to emulate that by just leaving the DAC external.

It will be interesting - lets take the Berkeley Alpha DAC - its 5k right now. In 3 years what will it be? 1k? 1.5k? That seems to be the 'value for dollar' state of the art DAC today, competing with Esoteric and EMMLabs at double, triple and I possibly quadruple the price. The Berkeley Alpha DAC surely blows away - and I mean really blows away the Transporter, particularly at 24/192. So, if you get Transporter and Berkeley Alpha DAC together today, you are throwing away at least a thousand dollars (whatever amount is directed towards the DAC section in transporter). I don't have a thousand to throw away, but for the convenience of what the Transporter offers, I might have 5.5k or 6k for the combo! But its tough knowing you are throwing away 1k or whatever amount.

The Berkeley Alpha DAC surely blows away - and I mean really blows away the Transporter, particularly at 24/192.

Is this speculation on your part, or have you actually heard the two in the same system and compared? Have you seen the interior of a Berkley DAC? I don't think you'll ever see it coming down to $1.5K with the amount of work it must take to build one (that IS speculation on my part). There's always going to be one step better...the carrot on the stick attached to your head just out of reach. When does one start enjoying what they have? I'm in a similar place as Grant describes. The MWTP simply does not have any glaring flaws or even minor flaws that calls attention to itself. I don't doubt it might be bested by other things out there in critical listening comparisons, but I wouldn't speculate or waste time or energy thinking about it when there's so much music to be enjoyed, and absolutely nothing about what's coming out of my system leaves me wanting to dissatisfied with it. I have gone through a few DAC's and players before this, and also have made some direct comparisons to some comparably priced digital front-ends in a very revealing system, and I have to say I'm very happy with what this does for me. You asked for direct comparisons so this is what I've compared the MWTP to in several blind tests with various types of music: Empirical Modified Northstar DAC with Empircal Pacecar via i2s, Electrocompaniet EMC-UP, MHDT Havana with and without Pacecar. My friend and I ran blind listening sessions on each of these in his very revealing system and listening room. In every case we both chose the MWTP over the other front ends. The closest, believe it or not, was the MHDT Havana using the Pacecar. That combination was the most difficult to judge for me, and I'd say my blind call on that might have been swayed as the differences simply were not as pronounced as with the others. Sorry, I've done no comparisons with anything else that you've asked about. Again, I'd point to using a dejitter device like the Pacecar on one of the servers that provide a digital stream to your favorite DAC. I also can't really relate to speculation in terms of investment on returns. Everyone has a different threshold as to what they're willing to pay for the enjoyment of something, and I wouldn't presume to know someone else's. Everything changes, and these days at a rapid pace. The world is always in flux. Life is fragile and short and completely unpredictable when you get right down to it. Again, the same question comes to mind...when does one start enjoying what they have?

"The closest, believe it or not, was the MHDT Havana using the Pacecar."

The mhdt Constantine is SS and would be an interesting one to compare if the mhdt tube DAC was the closest otherwise.

I have both Constantine and Paradisea. Each cost under $500 second hand.

Constantine sounds more like a good SS DAC. Paradisea with stock tube sounds like a tube device, particularly in the mids. OTher tubes can change the sound. The NOS Tung Sol equivalent makes it sound more SS like the COnstantine.