The high end server conundrum...

[Rovo]

@Billy_SP

I am sorry to have to disappoint you. I am one that has taken the plunge of the high end server route ("heavy" HQPlayer upsampling). And I tell you that what Romaz, Austinpop, Nenon and others have writen is true. It requires a lot of perseverance (and money 😀), but the (end?) result is worth while. 

[Rovo]

I made the choice of getting the best out of my T+A DAC 8 DSD, so oversampling to DSD512. As Nenon explained some time ago, you can make different choices. Do you only stream, do you play only local files? And also important is your choice of DAC for what you need to do with your server(s). These choices will decide which path to follow. And what I said "I do not want to disappoint you", is that improving upon the path you have choosen is worth while. The improvements will be smaller and smaller, but at the same time be clearer to hear. So my advice would be to choose the path you want to follow and continue along this path as far as you want (still enjoy, have the money for it).