High end streamer/server profound choice

@jumia - I also came to the same conclusion to simplify rather than have all those boxes and cables.  However, I'll still get an audiophile ethernet switch for the sonic uptick.  

You can spend big money on a lovely streaming/server box with great user experience and great sound potential, but unless you invest significantly in optimising and cleaning the Ethernet feed to it, you won’t hear its full sonic potential.

My own server is many box, but if a good one box solution is in your budget, I could see that being very worthwhile.

A long time ago, as computer audio was heating up around here, someone said they didn't want to import computer headaches in their audio room.

That's always stuck with me; while I absolutely don't regret going down the computer audio road, the computer grief -- eg, going to listen and needing to reboot everything -- is serious aggravation. Enough at work!


Do the one box solutions substantially mitigate that?

So the brands to choose from are Aurender, Auralic, Lumin, Antipodes, PS audio, Naim, Bryston.  All make pretty boxes. Working with $10k to $15k range to get a player/server, and dont want to burden box with an embedded dac.

am leaning to Antipodes, K50 or K30,  like their hybrid power handling approach,  player flexibilty is nice, separation within box, still trying to better understand clocking and all the connections  offered. 

It all comes down to tradeoffs and picking your poison. One box solutions provide elegant simplicity for a use case at a point in time. Separates sacrifice some of that simplicity for flexibility as your needs or technology changes.
When dealing with the same questions I found that separate NAS for file storage, separate linear power supply & optical isolation for the streamer/network player and separate DAC all were significant factors in the level of sound quality at any given price point. That and the control software UX that keeps it a joy vs. burden is where the rubber meets the road.
IMHO, the research phase you're in now is most of the pain you'll get pursuing separates. Once you have them, it won't be an issue.
Network stability, interference, software updates from Apple,etc. messing up what worked great yesterday, etc. are where you're find your aggravation.
Cheers,
Spencer