Focus on the DAC and pre-amp.
Maybe consider a wireless connection from a music streaming device like Sonos to computer music server to help isolate computer from music making gear. At this point in particular, what else you do with teh computer should not matter much.
At this point, maybe consider adding a tube DAC or tube pre-amp for that type of music in particular if still not clicking.
I use Logitech Squeezebox via Wifi currently to SS mhdt Constantine DAC which is a fantastic sounding bargain. DAC as well as phono for comparison goes to ARC sp-16 tube pre-amp.
Squeezebox is a thing of the past now though, so a newbie is better served starting elsewhere perhaps, though SB system is fantastic still in every regard.
There are android based devices available as media streamers these days, some with digital audio out to feed a dac. PLEX media server can run on these. I have an Amazon FIre TV box that can work this way with PLEX app but have not tried yet. I am testing out PLEX currently for mobile access to my FLAC files, and that is working out well to-date. THis is alongside Squeezebox at present for in-home streaming, but I will eventually need to move on so prepping for that.
Maybe consider a wireless connection from a music streaming device like Sonos to computer music server to help isolate computer from music making gear. At this point in particular, what else you do with teh computer should not matter much.
At this point, maybe consider adding a tube DAC or tube pre-amp for that type of music in particular if still not clicking.
I use Logitech Squeezebox via Wifi currently to SS mhdt Constantine DAC which is a fantastic sounding bargain. DAC as well as phono for comparison goes to ARC sp-16 tube pre-amp.
Squeezebox is a thing of the past now though, so a newbie is better served starting elsewhere perhaps, though SB system is fantastic still in every regard.
There are android based devices available as media streamers these days, some with digital audio out to feed a dac. PLEX media server can run on these. I have an Amazon FIre TV box that can work this way with PLEX app but have not tried yet. I am testing out PLEX currently for mobile access to my FLAC files, and that is working out well to-date. THis is alongside Squeezebox at present for in-home streaming, but I will eventually need to move on so prepping for that.