Dedicated Music Server/Player

Independent streamer/server is definitely the way to go.  Given the nature and load associated with rendering vs. the actual server, I feel best performance comes from devices with separate computers for the two functions.  The server requires tons of power.  Too much power in the renderer function can introduce noise.  This is part of why I like Antipodes so much.  

The K30 has two separate computers inside one box.  The K50 has two computers, a clock and a separate power supply for each part inside that one box.  It is about separation of the parts, not separation of the boxes.  
 

When you look at a K30 or K50 via my antipodes one computer is set to server, the other to renderer.