Local network HiRes storage and player

You can go either way and get excellent results so I wouldn’t agonize about it.  I use a Melco N100 NAS for storage but it can also be a player, usb only.  I subsequently added a Cambridge Audio CXN 100 to the same system because I wanted the features it offered (Chromecast. AirPlay, and Internet Radio).  Occasionally I compare the Melco player vs the CA, using the  CDs and downloads that I have ripped to the Melco.  I prefer the Melco by the smallest of margins but the CA app is much better so I tend to use the CA as the player, and I can also play files from my phone without having to change an input.  I have used other HDs with both the Melco and the CA and the differences are trivial .

After looking into similar situation, I ended up buying a Blue Sound Vault. NAS’s are great but you must do all the loading via a PC, meta file editing, organising etc. There are programs that do this ok but still requires some effort and time. The Node is dead simple stuff a CD into it, and it does it all is self, it can also be backed up to a hard drive or NAS. Can read off a NAS or hard drive as well.  It’s also a good streamer if you use the digital out to your DAC. I found it hard to tell the difference to my other streamer at a significant cost increase. That streamer is now sold off. The Vault is a handy devise that organises and makes your digital music easy to use through the app. The vault can be set to store using FALC/WAVE etc. so basically CD quality if burning a CD for example. I do not know if it can handle hi rez recordings though as I don’t have any SACD’s. Probably though.

There are more expensive options that do the same, but I have to say the Blue OS is excellent (better by far then the Aurender app). The vault worked flawlessly for adding my 300+ CD’s (with more then half the space still avail). I used FLAC as its lossless and slightly less space needed then WAVE (Native red book CD). But you can pick either option for storage.

Why are you replacing the A8 and what specific improvements are you looking for?  What’s your budget and are you looking for new or used?

I'm interested in this topic as well. I am currently using a Brennan B2 with a custom power supply as my local music server with the optical output fed through a Theta Digital TLC Timebase Linque Conditioner into my MiniDSP Flex and then into my DAC. The Brennan is a Raspberry Pi based unit and presumably it is only reading 1s and 0s. I am considering upgrading to a Volumio RiVo but I have trepidation that there won't be a discernible improvement. I am curious of the community's consensus.