£350/$450 to spend on a Pi/Tinkerboard music server....where to start (help)

[gfx_1]

I`m also considering a Pi3, but except audio playing I`d like to use some internet browsing also, can I do this with a Pi dedicated audio OS?

You can install raspbian (desktop or lite) and add the audio stuff from the apt repository.
I have a raspberry pi 3 with in a simple case with a digital out (optical and coax) card (card and case were less then $20)
I run mpd as audioserver (like volumio and moodeaudio) mpc for quick testing via ssh and cyp as webinterface.
I played around with the desktop version of raspbian on the pi 3 and it has made a lot of improvement from the raspberry pi 1 days...

 

[Martin]

A 2GB Raspberry Pi 4 in any case of your choosing running Volumio plus a Topping d50s DAC should run you around $315 total. If you want to save another $90 you could get a Topping E30 DAC.

I use a 2GB Raspberry Pi 4 in a Miuzei case running Volumio to feed my Topping DX7 Pro. I have over 1,500 hours of music on my Synology DS918+. I stream wirelessly acrsoss my Linksys Velop mesh network. I control Volumio using the iOS app and surf the internet on my iPhone XS Max while listening to music. Works great.

Martin