Audiophile quality streamer/server-in-one without a DAC. Does this exist?

@thiefoflight  glad to hear that you are happy with the Bluesound. what did you have before you had the Bluesound?  

@cyanii Naim makes both streamers and servers but not one combined.  Which is the criteria for my search.  

@rspyder:  Thank you for the suggestion.  I have heard of them and they are generally out of my price range but maybe I'll be able to find something used.  

@ mark_hubbard.  For me, computer audio is really all about convenience.  When portable audio become so popular music quality went down.  However, more and more good online content is now available (Tidal, as an example) and higher end audio companies are making stuff that optimizes online (think streaming, like your netflix reference) and computer based audio (think server, files stored locally on your hard drive).   To have multiple systems throughout your house, putting all your music onto a server that you can access from all your systems without having to carry the same CD from one room to another could be a fun-er way of doing things.  If carrying CDs and Vinyl around the house doesn't bother you and the sound you get from your systems cranks your cheese-wheel then no need to dive into this.  

I will say this about computer audio.  Because it is more convenient, and the quality is quite good I find that I listen to more music.  For me, that's a win.  

Aurender W20 
simply awesome 

Three years ago, I had no clue about computer audio. I got a used Benchmark Dac-2 with a USB input, and set to work doing research. There is a learning curve, but it really isn’t hard.

I would find a local dealer who sells Aurender, he can explain it all to you, help pick out the right model, and show you how to use your laptop for ripping, and transferring them to the Aurender.
Don’t buy anything that does not do hi-rez and DSD, you will find music that is only available as downloads, or by buying the download you are able to get the higher rez version. A good example of this is Jerry Garcia Band Volume 8. I was able to get the 24/88 download. That is just one example

Aurender, Antipodes, or one of the Brystons would all be good choices. Beware of small niche companies, if the owner dies, that might be the end of the company, so no more support or firmware uprades.
I have seen and heard the Music Vault, although in an unfamiliar system. I thought the operating system was more like a PC, than a strict music player.
If you are not in a hurry, PS Audio is working on a music player that will output I2S to their DACs. I don't know  about price, but it should be a very good piece, and I think it will include a transport for ripping.

If I read correctly you have four systems, are hoping to play on all of them? That would require a network accessible player. Do you move the laptop around to the other systems?
If not, an Aurender in the "100" series will be ideal.
I would buy an Aurendert, or wait for the PSA player, if my budget allowed.

With with due respect to our dealer at soundscience, and to others that think a music server sounds better than a CD player as a transport, I think most of the sound will be determined by the DAC.  I use 2 DACs, the Mytek Manhatten and the Bryston BDA 3.  The Bluesound and the Oppo 105 sound equally good in both DACs.  There are  slight difference for both DACs between the 2 sources, but not enough that I care about.
   This of course depends on the DAC manufacturer devoting equal attention to the respective inputs.  I have had some DACS that have poor sounding USB inputs compared to the other inputs

@joshelston Before I had Bluesound I used to have a 2012 Mac mini that would run JRiver as a server. I could then use my iPad or iPhone with the JRiver app to connect and stream my music. Doing that, though, I always felt it to be a pain to add files since I didn't have a monitor for my Mac mini. I would have to use Remote Desktop to get in, and boy, was that slow.

With the Bluesound, I wanted to start with the Vault II to centralize my collection. I love that it finds artist files and album covers and rips cds automatically. I then wanted to buy a Bluesound Pulse II for the kitchen so I could enjoy music around my apartment. That led to a Node in the bedroom, another Pulse II in the dining room, and now I can hear music around the house when I need to walk around while being interrupted from a serious listening session. It also makes my library accessible in other rooms even when it's not a serious listening session.

To be honest, I'm not sure why people pay so much more for streamers and servers like Aurender. I feel like you get so much more innovation, quality and improved user experience with Bluesound. It does play MQA, streams lossless files up to 24-bit 192Khz with no downsides, and extends to other applications like Spotify, Tidal and a ton of others.