[Optichammer]

Okay,
So I was an early adopter. I have had ROKU SoundBridge(s) running (5 total) throughout my home (and garage) since '03. I'm using iTunes as the interface, with Scott Nixon DACs at each device. 3 out of 4 are M2000 devices. (Bummer these are only rarely available.) I have 2 external drives storing all of my music (uncompressed .wav files.) All of the units are connected wirelessly.

I want to move on. I'd like to manage the media somewhat more reliably, and be able to "backup" other large batches of audio to my drive and actually play them without needing the actual disc to import the tracks into iTunes. I would like to think there is a CPU independent version of a music server, running directly from a drive, though not mandatory.

Folks, I'm an audio snob. If its not vinyl, I prefer the sound of my uncompressed LAN/WiFi audio to most "red-book" disc players that I could ever justify. You all know what I mean. Will you help me? I haven't had to chase the technology for a couple of years. 1.999 kids later, I just flat don't have time to read every thread on every board and risk trashing my system because I did it wrong.

[EchiDna]

welcome

really it depends on your interpretation of "CPU-less" music server - every squeezebox and every NAS box has a CPU built into it of one type or another...
if you mean not requiring a full computer to run a SB3/duet network, well this is easy, you just need a NAS box like a readynas NV+ that comes with slim server built in. Stick it on your lan somewhere (I assume you have a lan linking up your Roku's?), upload all your existing files and away you go... http://www.netgear.com/Products/Storage/ReadyNASNVPlus.aspx
or if you are a bit more adventurous, build you r own NAS with freeNAS out of old cpc components http://www.freenas.org/ (sort of kills the 'no CPU' rule though).