Newbie Question

FWIW I took a simple laptop that I use for traveling and a 2TB portable hard disk I that my daughter used for a photo course. Ripped all my CDs and SACDs to the hard disk. The hard disk goes into a USB port on the computer; the computer goes by USB into the separate DAC. This arrangement sounds better than playing my disks on an Oppo using its DAC or playing them on the Oppo using my separate DAC. But the Oppo is great for ripping the SACDs and for audio/video needs. I use JRiver to manage everything. I can sit in front of my speakers and use my phone to play anything. Simply great.  For me the only cost was for JRiver, but there are free alternatives.

I use the Vault and bypass it’s DAC.  I also coincidentally have the OP Silverline Monitors.
  OP is correct that this can be accomplished using Computers only.  Network players are basically Computers whose OS is specialized for the functions required.
  I’ve done both the Mac&DAC route and the Network player—first the little Logitech Squeezebox, now Bluesound.  The advantages of using a network player is that it is a dedicated Audio component, not a Computer being made to function as an Audio Component.They run quieter and work better, but your mileage may vary

@stfoth: You don't sound like a fanboy to me. Thanks for the more detailed explanation! 

@ghosthouse: Yes; Cocktail Audio X40 looks like another possibility. 

@stfoth: You mean the Vault requires an ethernet connection for streaming, or to simply play ripped cd files stored on Vault ??? Probably a dumb question, but this is all new to me. 

@stfoth: I just took a quick look around Computer Audiophile. . . yikes! Seems to me there's an awful lot of do-it-yourself building and/or modding of gear over there. I'm a music lover, not a hobbyist (let alone, trained,) engineer!  I have no desire to wade into that morass, so what you say about the Vault not requiring a computer and being "idiot-proof" is very much closer to what I'm looking for. If you can't tell the difference between the ripped file from the disc, that's significant. Thanks for your input. 

Hi  ghosthose. I checked and it is possible to bypass internal DAC in BlueSound vault2. I've been reading some reviews of various servers and apparently the server does affect the sound fed to an external dac, so I have to decide whether I just want to go ahead and jump in, inex-pensively, or wait till I have more to spend. For now, however,  I will definitely try what you suggest with a laptop. I'm not in a big hurry-- I haven't even settled on a DAC, yet. (I already use  Seagate for storing photo files, so that's one recognizable element in this otherwise alien landscape). Thanks!

Hello Stu - Check out Cocktail Audio.  They might make an all in one like you are looking for: rip, store and play back.  Don't know if the DAC is by-passable.  Dunno about pricing.  Audio Advisor carried them and has other offerings that might be pertinent.  I'm using an Auralic Aries Mini to play back ripped CDs and stream Tidal, Spotify and internet radio.  It has an internal DAC that can be by-passed.  It can house hard drive storage  (separate purchase) but I'm using an externally connected 2TB Seagate Hard Drive.  

I rip CDs to it as ALAC files using an Apple Superdrive and iTunes.  ALAC is compressed but lossless.  Some people say they can hear differences between ALAC and WAV (lossless, uncompressed).  I can't, though I can hear changes associated with wire.  You'll have to decide how far along the Audio-OCD continuum you want to travel.  The Aries comes with Auralic's proprietary Lightning DS app/software that loads onto an iPhone or iPad.  Roon is another more highly regarded alternative, though last I knew the Aries was not Roon ready.  

LOTS of different options out there.  Computer Audiophile is a useful resource.  Easiest way to get your feet wet is run a USB cable from a laptop into USB of the DAC and play some downloaded files or CDs ripped to your drive.  You can try free versions of Tidal and Spotify though their respective premium versions that require subscriptions definitely sound better.  Not saying Laptop vis USB to DAC will give you best sound quality but you can get started that way.  Might be surprised how good things sound - maybe....