To those with Digital Libraries - Some Questions...

Wow.  Usually, I jump back into my own posts. Here, you folks provided so much information that I need to digest. 

With regard to sound quality, it does make sense that the less you are moving around bits/data, the better--potentially.  The more machines processing it, the more you increase the chances of noise/gear adding into the equation.  More variables. 

Owning music is a huge plus as well.  

My concern is over organization, process, adding yet another clerical element to my hifi hobby. And questions arise, will I be able to maintain this?  It may sound lazy.  

Owning digital intrigues me again.  I donated about 400 CDs in the 2013 era--kept my vinyl.  Now, I have purchased some discs back and enjoy a CD spin here and there. As wonderful digital streaming is for exploration, it feels impersonal to me and that plays a role in how I use, consume and keep music. 

I recently put some money into my digital side and do appreciate how different topologies and implementations make differences.  

Sorry for the rambling... just still soaking up your excellent responses. 

I appreciate the candor, as well, from those who discuss futzing with things.  I get it--any time you maintain something it takes time, money, engird, patience, and on some level virtue. 

The most important tool for me is the tag editor. MP3Tag is the basis of my library. Without it my library would be a jumbled mess of genre chaos. And I have 100K files on an 8TB SSD in my main HQPlayer Ubuntu music server, as well as on a NAS with Plex for remote streaming.

I mainly get files via downloads these days, particularly from Bandcamp and from Qobuz.

For ripping CDs, I use Foobar at FLAC8. For DVD-Audio, DVD Audio Extractor. For SACD ISOs, Sonore’S ISO2DSD, using Sony’s DSF so that the tags can be edited.

For Blu-rays, I use MakeMKV and start a journey reprocessing via the first MKV to MKAs and MP4s and up to 16-channel WAV-files with decoded ATMOS in them, using MKVToolNix followed by XMediaRecode (for MP4) and MusicMediaHelper, which in turn depends on the Dolby Reference Player for ATMOS into WAV. As a final ATMOS touch, I also like having the MLP files, which I crack out of the MKVs or MKAs via MKVCleaver.

All these except the MLP files go through MP3Tag in the end for tag editing.

Bandcamp is the best source of cover art for me, followed by Amazon (I check across global sites for the right version) and Discogs.

XRecode, with its stellar variety of output formats, including DSD, also should get an honourable mention.

And that is my music file toolkit.

99% of what is in my digital library was ripped from CD's, and I used a $30 external CD drive from Amazon into the Music app on my Mac Studio, and have it backed up in the cloud and in an external drive.

But I don't use it in my main system, which is CD's, LP's, and YouTube vids, only for my desktop system when working in Photoshop, and I just leave it on shuffle; connecting my Mac Studio to my Ruark MR1 V3 powered speakers via USB via PinePlay. Tried Audirvana, which sounded great, but Photoshop is too much of a resource hog and there were constant sound dropouts. 

I'm somewhat confused.  I have what I consider to be a good system that includes Accuphase components - A-48S, C2300, and my newly acquired DC-1000 DAC -  and an Innuos Pulsar Streamer. For 3 days my internet in rural Ontario has been down so I haven't had access to music as streaming is my only source for music.  

I was told by AI that Innuos recommends using WD Red SN700 2TB with a Sabrent EC-SNVE. FWIW, I can get both from Amazon.ca

So basically this is a high-performance solution for external music storage. It's my intention to formulate a local library of curated music. And when the internet is down I'll have music.  So how well does this actually work or should I just buy a CD transport and play cd's and basically start a CD collection.  

Sound quality is critical! I'm hoping someone with experience can jeep direct me.  Thanks

I have a vast collection of CD's and am still buying them, some new, some used, some old artists, some new.  I gave up on vinyl and my son now has my collection of about 400 albums or so.  I do use streaming but more so listen to my CD collection which is ripped to a Raid 1 NAS (2 - 8 TB drives).  I have the music also on my computer HD but only as a backup.  Not really needed as a Raid 1 is a backup system in itself.

I rip using Apple Music and store as Apple Lossless.  Could convert of FLAC but don't find it necessary.  

I have not purchased any digital files directly, so no experience with that option.

I have a Naim Uniti Star which is an all-in-one CD player/streamer/pre amp/power amp and I use the Naim software on my phone or iPad for playing my NAS library, CD directly or streaming.  I also have Sonos systems in other parts of my house and garage and use the Sonos App which can access streaming or my NAS.

I haven't found any difference between playing CD's directly vs from my NAS.  I'm sure others may have different experiences.