The Ayon S3 is more than just a media server.
It's got the guts of an Ayon Skylla DAC built inside and if you look at the price of that unit, you can sorta understand why they priced the S3 as such.
So you need 3 different units to recreate that functionality: a media player, a DAC, a tube preamp.
You can get a bit of that functionality by trying something like this:
a. get an AudioGd Reference 7.1 or 5 or 10
The 5 is similar in design to the Ayon (stacked PCM1704). The 7.1 has more DACs stacked. The 10 is like a 5 with a headphone output. That may be what you are looking for.
b. get a PopCornHour PCH A300. That has a simple screen that allows you to navigate without turning the TV on. Use the coax output to the AudioGd. Bear in mind this is not tweaked or designed for absolute fidelity but it sorta gets the job done.
c. get a decent tube preamp like a preowned ARC or maybe a Schiit Lyr which has a single input preamp and headphone amp as well.
It's got the guts of an Ayon Skylla DAC built inside and if you look at the price of that unit, you can sorta understand why they priced the S3 as such.
So you need 3 different units to recreate that functionality: a media player, a DAC, a tube preamp.
You can get a bit of that functionality by trying something like this:
a. get an AudioGd Reference 7.1 or 5 or 10
The 5 is similar in design to the Ayon (stacked PCM1704). The 7.1 has more DACs stacked. The 10 is like a 5 with a headphone output. That may be what you are looking for.
b. get a PopCornHour PCH A300. That has a simple screen that allows you to navigate without turning the TV on. Use the coax output to the AudioGd. Bear in mind this is not tweaked or designed for absolute fidelity but it sorta gets the job done.
c. get a decent tube preamp like a preowned ARC or maybe a Schiit Lyr which has a single input preamp and headphone amp as well.