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Best standalone music server?

So I am considering dipping my toes into the full digital world and was wondering what people here may consider as the best standalone music server, and here I am going to be specific.
I do not want to consider a home pc or mac based type of system at all!
Looking at adding one of the standalone models like for example the Wyred4sound ms1 or cocktail audio.
High on my list is ability to rip my cds directly at the unit itself, access to internet radio and other music apps (Pandora etc). High quality built in dac would be nice but if not then high quality digital out to run to an external dac. I will not be needing to access music files stored on another pc as my home pc is pretty old but fully functional for my simple needs. The only music looking to access from it right now are ripped cds and internet available music in whatever form.
So if it worked out well, yes it may be a replacement even for a cd player completely

Thank you
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xuberwaltz
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audioblazer
321 posts
 
Check out fidelizer-nimitra 
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hickbone
20 posts
 
Not sure of your budget, but Aurender N10 or higher priced W20 are fantastic pieces. I auditioned the N100 and bought the N10 ONLY 'cause the W20 wasn't in my budget. No need to listen to the CD player anymore!
ctsooner
2,104 posts
 
Hick, in the beginning of the thread he said that was out of his budget.  That's why he went with the Bluesound Vault.  As for the W20 and N10, the difference in sound is only if you use the balanced output of the W, otherwise the N10 will sound virtually the same based on my auditions.  He also wanted an all in one so most of the higher end units didn't work for him.  Nice units though, that's for sure.
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uberwaltz OP
4,946 posts
 
@juke4u
I may have gone one better in comparisons...lol
I actually own two genuine cd discs of one of my favourite bands( counting crows).
So i was able to compare both my cd players (mcintosh and esoteric) vs tidal AND the vault rips, makes it easy to instantly switch between them, not just rely on memory of what a track sounded like 5 minutes ago.
My preference order, and this is just my opinion

1/ vault
2/ mcintosh
3/ esoteric
4/ tidal

now tbh they are ALL really close and 3 and 4 are probably more a tie
we are talking points of a percent apart really

I still buy odd cd,s ( still some stuff not available on tidal yet) but the first thing i do is rip them to the vault and listen to them from there!

I see Pandora is starting up their full streaming service next week for just $9.99 a month, hopefully as a present Pandora user they will offer a free trial as well. Be a nice comparo to Tidal
mahler123
633 posts
 
For those of you concerned that the Bluesound Vault 2 may not be high end enough for you, I suggest that if you already have a DAC that you like, play it through the DAC and call it a day
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