How to introduce computer audio to my system?

I got this guide when it was still free

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=98931.0

If the Mini with no display is too difficult to set up/manage, a MacBook Pro 13" works just as well. Just get the SSD option. That's what they use in a lot of audio shows now.

As an IT professional, I will make the following recommendation for hardware. The Mac Mini is an attractive small form factor computer, but it isn't suitable as a server. For any computer that is functioning as a "Server" for your valuable data, it must have two things: ECC memory, and RAID-1 disk storage. Without these two things, you will suffer corruption and loss of data. Not "if", but "when". ECC memory protects against corruption as you create and manipulate your data (music files) and RAID-1 disk storage protects against hardware failure and silent corruption in the storage of this data. You don't need to spend a lot of money to have these features either. But you skip them at your own risk - records and CD's don't go bad on their own, but without ECC memory and RAID-1 disk storage, computer-based audio will indeed go bad on its own.

Today I would consider a sonos (.com) connect digital out to your DAC and try a subscription to MOG (16M 320kbs song library) while you rip your own collection. That would give you immediate access to music plus Internet radio. I just replaced my bedroom system with sonos wireless speakers and am really enjoying the ease of set up/use and immediate access to music using my iPhone as a remote.

No matter what you do, you will have to rip your CD collection. If the server has a drive you can do it on the server. I personally have music server behind my main audio rack, so I cannot use it for ripping.

The Bryston BDP-2 supports NAS storage. So you would rip your CDs on any el cheapo PC on the network (using a good ripper like Exact Audio Copy), and store your data on a NAS. A NAS can be configured for RAID 1 as suggested by lupinthe3rd. You set up the Bryston to look for music files on the NAS and presto. Not sure how well this would work if you have no ethernet connection close to the BDP-2. You can probably get this to work wirelessly. Another option is indeed to use USB storage.

There are many ways to skin the computer audio cat, and it may indeed be a little confusing to the novice...

I use a single HDD (no RAID) for my main music library but use a RAID 6 NAS to back up the files.

ps even RAID is not infallible especially for most SOHO systems so if you are really being pedantic, you will need replication as well.