Best Digital Music Server


I am looking for opinions of the "best" digital music server considering the following:

1) CD ripping capability/available formats
2) User Interface - I am crazy from trying to ID "Unknown Albums", dropped first tracks, missing album art, etc. on my PC.
3) HiRes (is Sony's technology -as an example - audibly different?) capability.
4) Streaming flexibility - not a big part of my listening experience, but getting bigger all the time it seems.
5) Last but not least - SOUND QUALITY.  I have a reasonably nice DAC (DA2) built into my McIntosh MC2700 PreAmp, so would prefer a '"no internal DAC" solution, but open to it if all the other rankings say buy it anyway.

Thank you in advance for your opinions!

Mark
mhwilliford

Showing 4 responses by mhwilliford

Understood - I prefer a one-box solution to these specific tasks and a proven UI to go with it.  I have been reading and watching a tone of YouTube vids on this but always value the real experiences of this group.  Please share any specific experiences you might have.
My budget is $1000 to $3000 depending on capabilities/performance.  I am not averse to building a silent, purpose-built PC (currently running on an HT PC I built 5+ years ago) IF I can find an excellent UI to go with it.
Thank you Guys - I am not aware of either company but both look intriguing.  Does anyone have experience with Naim?  How would their products measure-up?
This is the same conclusion I am coming to after several years of experimenting with an "HTPC" set-up and several different software options including JRiver (which seems fantastic but also has a clunky look and requires a night school class to master) and lately Music Bee (which I have also appreciated in many ways, but am realizing operating it in itself becomes a hobby alongside the music I am trying to appreciate).  It's not that I mind these tasks, I think it just tries to put our brains in two different places at one time that are not "same sided"..."Damn I truly love this tune...WTF - why is it showing-up as being from THIS album???"  This information exchange has been truly helpful.  Thanks to all who have participated (so far! :))  Lots of product mentions that I need to check into, and now I see that Roon has their own hardware, I need to check into that as well.  I previously felt that Roon was more than I wanted to spend on a service, but I am going to reevaluate now.