Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Ericminer - you are correct. But I'm waiting another year or so for the next generation of music servers. The current kits come SO close to ideal for me, but not quite there yet.

When I replace my Mac Mini, I'll have spdif output and can try some days I'm currently shying away from.

I wish you guys could hear what I am getting from my Mac/odse/Burmester /die Muzik system. It's on another level. And that's in a terrible room.

First- better room.
Then new server....

But all of your points are valid.

Jon - are you OK? Lol. That was an interesting set of posts. I always agree with myself also. ;)

Matt,
I am ok, man. The audiogon server went a bit whacky and i thought my first post didn't get through, so i posted a new one and so on and voila!...they ALL finally appeared together! I was agreeing with you, not myself. Lol!

Matt .. room first, agreed. I think that might be where we started.. As for waiting a year or so for the next gen of servers, well I suspect that might be like waiting for the next best of any tech.. next year there'll be next year and on and on :-)

Just to keep a conversation going while I continue my burn in....

I did a quick search for current music servers

Here are my requirements:
-must be a fully self contained unit or system (ie. not dependent on a computer to store the data).
-must have USB and spdif digital outputs, fully hi-res supported
-must be from a company that will still exist in 5 years (I think this is the biggest challenge right now)
-must be obviously well designed and well made with quality parts and a well implemented/well dampedm chassis.
-must connect to the network so I can pull data/files off of my Mac
-must connect to network so i can access on-line services like Tidal.
-must have a simple well laid out App to control it.
-strongly prefer it does NOT have an internal DAC.

Here is a lost of what I have found:
YFS - HD-ref3 (this is basically a purpose built PC in a PC chassis)
Lumin S1 with L1 library/storage
Antipodes DX
Aurender W20
BMC PureMedia

Any opinions? Any experience? Any thoughts.

My only 2 thoughts are these:
1) Whatever I would buy will be essentially worthless 2 years later since it will be very very quickly woefully outdated.
2) None of the current major players really have a product like this yet. Why is that??

Oh. And the Auralic Aeris is an intriguing product that I have been eyeing for 6 months. At only $1600- it's very tempting. I'm just not convinced it will improve upon what I have. In fact, I can't really see how it would do anything more then add an unnecessary box between my Mac and my DAC.

I'm watching on the 'gon for one. When it shows up, I'll bite. It's worth a try I guess. I would rather just go for a full on music server then a media streamer though.....