Aurender vs. Roon

Anybody else do what @rbstehno has done?  I'm interested in doing the same, as I have a tricked out mac mini and a PS Audio Direct Stream DAC with a Bridge II for ethernet connection.  The Mac Mini is mid 2011 with a 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 that I've installed an SSD, 8GB RAM and a linear power supply.  Is that powerful enough to run Roon?  What should I expect for sound quality relative to other options?  Thanks, Peter

The video is harsh, but I kind of get it. Much of computer audio is off-the-shelf standard parts shrink-wrapped for audiophiles allergic to computers. But those linear power supplies do make a difference relative to standard switching power supplies.

I’ve been using a i5 QNAP NAS to host Roon, connected by Ethernet to SOtM endpoints. One the greatest improvements has been to replace the motherboard Ethernet interface on the QNAP with a JCAT Net Card Femto PCIe board powered by an external LPS. The improvement is so remarkable that it makes me wonder if a noisy motherboard-to-ethernet interface is perhaps the weakest link in computer audio.

@grannyring If you still have Neil’s PC-based server, you might compare the Innuos to the PC with a JCAT Femto ethernet card and a SOtM or uRendu EN-to-USB endpoint.  Both JCAT and SOtM also make PCIe USB cards that may improve upon whatever was available when Neil built your PC.

I sold my Music Vault from Neil.  It did have many mods and upgrades including the SOTM usb card, linear poser supply, Audiophile Optimizer, Fidelizer Pro and SOTM usb reclocker. With the SOTM power supply.  

I loved this unit for years. Neil is great. The Innuos Zen III is just more musical to me.  I really like the Innuos! 

Audio Troy,
You mentioned your favorite streamer for sound quality is the Lumin x1.  However, I am considering either the Lumin T2 or an Aurender.  How would you rate the Lumin compared to the closest a Audender model?