repost, maybe I put it before in the wrong place.
I like computer audio.
"I can't tell anyone the best way to assemble a computer for music. We all have different needs, budgets and levels of absurdity. Like most here on YC, I like to do things cheap and have them work like expensive. The best "out of the box" computer music player might be a cheap laptop with a few changes to the software. Here is a great site for cheap computer junk. Check it for a couple weeks and you will be amazed. It keeps up with sales from the major retailers. A low end laptop can be the start of better computer audio."
That is from a thread of mine on yardcraphome.com, feel free to join, read and enter the discussion.
I built my own very tiny computer tune server and it is quite good.
It really gets down to how anal (how much fun) you want to have. That is true of all HiFi.
I slide slightly towards asshole and count on friends to pull me back.