I agree with @Daz_Davies that a dedicated server running Roon OS will provide the best experience. Some of the advantages over using a general purpose operating system (Microsoft Windows or Apple macOS) include:
- Makes more efficient use of hardware resources by minimizing other background tasks
- Very little effort to keep running due to appliance-like behavior. No need to fuss with updates.
- Runs “headless”, so no display or keyboard needed. Just connect power and Ethernet
- Uses very little power…typically under 10 watts
- Boots and shuts down extremely quickly (seconds), although you can leave it on if you want.
If you don’t mind using hardware that’s not officially supported by Roon Labs, this inexpensive and easy to set up solution may meet your needs:
CPU power is about 80% of my 11th generation Intel Core i7 NUC, so it’s fast enough to perform DSP operations on DSD64 and DSD128 files. Operating on PCM files at any sampling rates is a piece of cake for this device.
The cost of entry is minimal at around $140. You just need a USB keyboard, HDMI display or TV, and a spare USB thumb drive to set it up. In operation, again, just power and Ethernet. Tuck it behind your Google Fiber router and forget about it.