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Music Server vs Computer?

Currently streaming music from a PC to a modded Airport Express that's connected to my pre. The Wyred4Sound music server looks really inviting. Appears to do everything my PC does. Ripping cds sounds like a breeze and storage capacity is great (1T or 2T). All I have to do is link it with a DAC. Are there any disadvantages, to include SQ, to using a music server vs using a PC/MAC? Seems to me that they both use HDs for storage, but that SQ with the MS might be better because streaming is eliminated.
rockyboy
vegasears
1,173 posts
 
My two cents. I am not a tech person, I put up with it to gain access to music. Dedicated music servers have integrated hardware and software into an all in one box device, that is simple to setup and control. They are filled with proprietary hardware, firmware and software. The more complicated the device, the harder it is to repair. Computer based servers like mac, windows or linux are assembled with off the shelf components. Repairs or upgrades most often can be performed locally without a trip to the OEM.
rockyboy OP
335 posts
 
Need to follow up on Steve Nugent's comments of 11-19. Music Vault seems to have no negatives. Has a 2 TB internal HD for storage and a second 2 TB drive for auto backup. Uses dbpoweramp for ripping and JRiver for play. Can save in any format, to include WAV. Add a DAC of your choice and it seems to be a very user friendly system. I can try to cobble together a bunch of hardware and software, but not sure I can do it for much less cost and achieve any better SQ. Please tell me where I'm wrong.
clio09
3,372 posts
 
Your experience may differ but I have a MacMini setup configured per Steve's recommendations. I use an Audiophilleo with Pure Power USB converter and LessLoss DAC 2004 MkII. I have also heard this set up with a Music Vault server. Both using JRiver. For my money I stuck with the MacMini.

If you want to look into other alternatives than Mac check out Small Green Computer and the servers they sell, as well as Sonore Audio and the SOtM servers.
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