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

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.

I just want to thank Mahler123, Neal, Jeff, Josh, Ryspyder and everyone else who responded with such helpful and patient advice to my questions. I will further research all of your suggestions. This makes much more sense to me now. I truly appreciate your time, thoughtfulness and generous collegialiity. 

With kind regards,

Mark Hubbard
Eureka, California

I am working in audio for almost 19 years of time. The knowledge in music and in how music sounds in real is a lot less than it was in the past.

When I speak to my clients and the things we hear from dealers and distributers is that digital audio is in many situations not the quality people hope to find or hear.

I sold my Meridian 800Daxv4 in 2012 (over 20.000 euro new) and I wanted to buy a networkplayer/streamer.

But....everything I auditioned had almost no diversity in sound. I a period of about 6 months I auditioned a lot. At the end there was not even one I wanted to buy. I thought, if this is the quality it offfers I prefer not to buy any streamer/networkplayer.

Now in 2017 it is not a lot better. Many shows we visit have demoes that all systems have no diversity in sound.

When the people who buy audio have no idea what diversity in sound is and what it does, they have no idea what is missing.

So What is missing?

The most important part to create emotion for all human beings is DIVERSITY. This is the layering in sound, what influences our emotion for the biggest part.

I wrote with people who develope and create dacs and streamers. They said; USB is not a great choice for audio. The facts proof that the level in diversity is very poor.

When people who work in audio have no idea what diversity is and does they can easily sell digital audio without diversity.

When you let people hear the difference between digital audio with a stunning level in diversity in sound and with almost no diversity in sound, I can garantee that no one will choose any digital source with a low level in diversity.

Music is all about emotion, most dacs/networkplayers are not able to reveal the emotion of the music. This is F. insane that it is even being sold. The emotion is only inside the music.

What audio needs is to show people how music works and sounds in real. And to show what diversity does to our emotion.

Bluesound is like Senseo coffee. But when you want the full emotion and taste you want and need an italian coffee. This will give you so much more flavor and intensity.

When I would sell Bluesound to my clients, it would be time to look for another job. I see it as my task to create and sell emotion. And give people a system what sounds like how music sounds in real.

And never sell any kind of digital audio without diversity. The facts proof that people will rather stop after a matter of time using their audio system.

People need quality and you need to give them emotion. Most digital systems are not able to reveal the emotion the music possesses.