New Computer: What Should I Get for Audio?

You could not use you PC/Mac with an Oppo. It can take hard drives or flash drives and then you choose music on screen with the remote.

Yes a laptop would work as standalone but you'd want to pair it with an approproate DAC.

p.s. Timlub - I too have a very heavily modded tube-output CD player (Exemplar/Denon). I'm puzzled by your comment that "my server/DAC is every bit as good". Puzzled because I thought the point of computer down-loaded hi-rez music was to get much better sound.

I am very happy using my Apple MacBook Pro with 8gb of RAM and 500gb hard drive as a music server. I just use iTunes and connect to a PSAudio Perfectwave DAC using the optical connection, but USB works fine too. I store my music as Apple Loseless files. The advantage for me of using a MacBook is that I can pick it up and use it elsewhere and for other purposes without needing to connect to another screen. Of course with iTunes you can also control it remotely using the iTunes remote app on an iPhone or iPad.

Get any HTPC that features an Intel Core "TM" processor without built-in video, meaning the video is NVIDIA, ATI, etc. Memory can be 4GB+ (usually up to 8GB). Depending on the HTPC input power required (usually 12V or 19.5V), find a proper all-linear power supply. Use Windows 7 (x64) with JRiver MC17 and the new XMOS based hiFace Two USB to S/PDIF interface with its own ASIO driver set at low latency. Rip CDs to uncompressed WAV. Do not use any DSP effects. Try JPlay with JRiver or with its own JPlay Mini Player.

Good luck!
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi

John, I'd only try the Mac because there is so much in the threads about it... overall with the tweeks, i'm quite happy with my PC. I didn't mention, but the consensus is that on Windows, you need a 64 bit version. I have also heard that windows 8 has better drivers and is audibly better than windows 7. I have a developers copy, I may try that soon. I bought a cheap 3gb 320, removed a 1 gb stick of ram and added a 4gb stick, so I have 6gb 320 and also have a 1 terrabit external.
JFZ, Your puzzled that a good cd player might not sound as good?.. I have a MHZS, that i've done alot of work on, it is very good indeed... As far as high res. I listen to a ton of Jazz. My excellent recordings are excellent regardless of bit rate... For Duke... Duke Ellington all stars is Fabulous, Jazz at the Pawnshop... Excellent and many others that I have are 16/44.1. I do own about 50 Hi res recordings, but even in hi res a crappy recording sounds crappy... For me, the addition of Hi Res and the utter convenience of a computer, I won't leave this format.