music server setup questions

DB,

You can do it either way and compare.

A wireless network cnnoection helps isolate music making streamer and DAC elctronically and physically from often noisy general purpose computer. Its an insurance policy against noise or other computer artifacts degrading the sound. Squeezebox is essentially a computer designed for high quality music streaming. General purpose computers often are not.

Plus I can vouch for the sound quality of the Squeezebox architecture. Cannot do the same for most commercia l computers out there or how well the USB connection to external DAC will perform case by case.

When it comes to music servers and the like there is no such thing as being "thick" ... computer audio is just another mystery of the cosmos that everyone is trying to figure out :-)

Least expensive to get started:

Your DAC has AES/EBU, RCA and Toslink inputs. The simplest way, depending on the outputs of your computer, is to use the RCA or Toslink directly, or a USB-to-S/PDIF Converter to connect the USB to the RCA.

Playback software: Foobar (free)
Ripping: Exact Audio copy (EAC)(free)

What I use:

I have a Slimdevices Transporter feeding my DAC (Audio-gd Master 7) through the BNC coax. Playback software is Logitech Media Server. I prefer LMS because I can easily setup playlists on the fly, and don't need access to the computer; working through the remote and Transporter's screen.

Ripping: dBpoweramp. I did all my initial rips with EAC, but I do all the new ones with dBpoweramp. This is because it allows me to easily embed album art in FLAC files; not a need I anticipated when I ripped my CD collection many years ago. Many devices and especially DLNA servers have a tough time picking up album art for flac files unless it is embedded.

I don't know much about the Sonos etc. as I have been perfectly satisfied with the Squeezebox stuff, and it is still generally available used.

"Your DAC has AES/EBU, RCA and Toslink inputs. The simplest way, depending on the outputs of your computer, is to use the RCA or Toslink directly, or a USB-to-S/PDIF Converter to connect the USB to the RCA."

I haven't seen one of those in a while, but that DAC may have ST instead of TosLink. You'll probably have to use one of the other connections if that's the case.