Dedicated Music server vs Mac mini on a Devialet via Ethernet (AIR) connection

Thanks, shadorne.  The only difference in configuration would be ethernet through house wiring v direct cable from Mini.

db

@shadorne thnks for your view. I believe Devialet has a great isolated DAC so that should be covered. In this article though http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2017/10/richer-sounds-with-the-innuos-zenith-mkii-se/ the top line Innuos does seem to better SQ. Does it make sense that a noise free server serve better quality bits into the DAC??

btw: this price range is out of my league, but I might go with the mini Innuos if there is a significant SQ improvement

@roestano  

Digital is digital. Bits are bits. So you dont need to worry about noise if you assume Devialet has built a robust device with good power supply and have separated and isolated the digital logic circuits from contaminating the DAC section (this can occur through a shared  power supply or mere proximity of circuits). The only complication with audio is the timing signal. This timing problem (jitter) is well understood and modern equipmemt should function asynchronously which means the jitter clock is ignored. If you are providing ethernet to the DAC then your DAC is behaving like a small computer and it will not be receiving timing information over ethernet like it would with SPDIF or Toslink - so jitter will be a function of the electronics and clock stability of the Devialet itself. The Devialet should not care about the path of how the ethernet signal reaches it - so upstream digital devices should have no effect at all (apart from contamination of the house AC power from SMPS supply and which Devialet should be designed  to cope with.

@shadorne your explanation seems to make sense. Which makes me an even happier Devialet owner as it safes me quite some money on extra boxes and fiddling around with all the great options out there. 
I guess its the good old upgraditis which tries to find a reason to invest more in this hobby.
it’s a good opportunty to use the money on Roon lifetime. The 1.3 version sounds great and has nice DSP features that offer perfectly audible changes. My guess is that we’re in an era where software is going to be more important to our hobby/experience. Like Microsoft was back in the days.