Music server quality.


Has technology progressed to the point where a music server will outperform the very best CD player, or do the very best players still sound better than the very best music servers?
mdhoover
If you pockets are deep enough, here another one:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue28/novaphysics_memoryplayer.htm
Henryhk,
The Arcam would be expected to be a good unit, I suppose.

Kana813,
My pockets are not that deep. (My grave might be deep if I bought one and "forgot" to tell my wife.)
I guess I just don't get the packaged server products. Are they for people who are afraid of computers?

What do they do that a simple Mac running i-tunes can't do, cheaper? That is, assuming that you want to use your own dac? I have a squeezebox, but it doesn't sound nearly as good as the mac going straight into the dac with the optical output. Am I missing something here?
just to add another option - there is Cambridge Audio unit that has received good ink, and it is quite affordable, any comments?
Sw23...I think on using your notebook etc or PC..a) personally I tend to upgrade my PC more regularly as the pace of tech development is much faster and b) they tend to crash much more frequently than servers (virus etc) and finally c) I use my PC for so much other stuff anyway could actually inibit usage flexibility if married to my music system. ...I do use a PC based system due to my IPOD and also via Sonus yes...but still interested in what the servers have to offer. Also finally I guess, for some rooms at my place wirless distribution doesn't work that well so need mutiple options to consider. Obviously a PC based system also has lot of advantages such as convenience, user interface, flexibility, software upgrades etc as well.