Streamer for LTA Aero

just a note of appreciation for the measured wisdom displayed by most posters and especially the OP….

Here is a follow-up take on this, you can get by with less computing power since your LTA Aero has no DSD or MQA support.  
We all started somewhere, which mostly is not the same place we end up.  If you want to get your feet wet with a solution that provides good sound right out of the gate, for a modest cost, you could do much worse than this sonicTransporter i5, ultraRendu with 7V LPS bundle for just over $2K.  Add a 2TB SSD for $350 or 4TB for $600, plus a CD ripper for $240 from SGC, or for less than $100 from somewhere like OWC or B&H, and you have a total solution that would accommodate your entire CD collection for less than $3K. Since you would have separates, you could incrementally upgrade over time, if you even believe it is necessary.  Call Andrew at SGC and he will answer any questions you have about getting started and the support he provides.

IMO, Roon is an easy way to integrate your own ripped files with streaming services (I use both Tidal and Qobuz), and offers unmatched metadata as well as Roon Radio, from which I learn about new music almost every time I listen, but there are less expensive solutions.

At the very entry level, you could start with Roon’s own Nucleus One for $500 and run a USB directly to your Aero.  You could add a streamer like one of the Rendu options at a later time if desired.

There is no one right solution.

@phaelon 

Another vote for the N200. I haven’t put memory in it because the CD’s that are ripped on my NAS, sound fantastic to me.
 

And BTW, you can use almost any computer to rip your CD’s.

I can't find the words to express my appreciation to everyone who is responding. This is enormously helpful. I feel like my thinking is much clearer now. Thank you.

Get the N150. Spending twice as much is a waste of $$$$.