For the digital output, I suppose there might be some value in it, if the DAC used does not have an internal clock or any noise filtering. Why would one use such a DAC is another question. For anything else, results would be indistinguishable from a RaspberryPi.
Granted, it looks nice, and aesthetics are important, too.
HQPlayer is a dedicated signal processing app, it can use GPU hardware acceleration, and do many more things. It certainly can apply digital processing that Roon does not have.
But it is digital processing. Either it works, and you get the output, or it does not. Any CPU that is fast enough will produce absolutely exactly same output. Of course with a faster CPU or specialized hardware you can do more things, but with digital processing there is no degradation in quality.
Delta Sigma DACs upsample to DSD internally. Upsampling in the computer is assumed to be superior to that in the DAC and usually provides additional functions and filter options as well as taking load off the DAC.
Sorry, what could “taking load off the DAC” possibly mean?
Upsampling in the computer may provide additional options and features (which may or may not be good for SQ) but by itself it is not superior to the one in DAC. Without those extra features it most likely does absolutely the same thing.
Also, do not underestimate the power of dedicated hardware. Just like a CPU can’t do 3D graphics as well as a dedicated GPU, a well designed chip that does nothing but upsampling, say, could run circles around a super-powerful general-purpose computer. It wouldn’t really do anything else though.
Upsampling for me has made zero difference in any DAC I have owned. I know some swear by it on some dacs, these tend to be NoS dacs that don’t oversample themselves. Then some do it to the RME perhaps in NoS mode but when I have tried it to my own RME I could not hear any perceivable difference and not one worth investing in another pc to run HQPlayer or use extra CPU cycles in Roon.
Upsampling in Roon always seemed to deaden or flatten the music some for me, esp to DSD. Perhaps due to the headroom adjustment needed. Of course, if one has an overly bright or glare-y system (which I suspect too many do) that might be preferable.
I think where perceived sound differences come into play with servers is the power supply, particularly if one has it in the listening room with the analog output devices (and if one spent the equivalent of a car on a server I’d want it up front and center too). That’s most likely due to less backwash into the mains affecting the other gear. Otherwise it’s down to digital enhancement due to processing ala HQP. Or better USB implementation if using that as the output direct to a DAC.
For Microsoft as well. No socialist Linux that’s not optimized.
Have you addressed the listening room first? With the cost of that equipment perhaps you have, but the money would go a long way if put in perfecting the space.
My next move may be towards HQ player (if I can understand how you make it work; truly a nerdy technical thing). When I win the lottery jackpot I might consider Taiko 
I just started with HQP, with the most friendly version on Mac, from roon, same drag and drop as usual. And slowly move to the technical understanding. (the trial is very nice with HQP, you get 30minutes and after that you have to restart the app and get another 30 minutes, and so on)
I wish you win the lottery as I also want a new pair of speakers 
So still no feedback from Taiko on Roon’s invitation to comment?
They are now selling 6k+ network switch and card.
Milled from a solid block of copper
Weight: 15,7 Kg / 34.61 lbs
The provided connectivity is one in and one out
Some “switch”
But, but, it’s made with -
I’d happily take a Taiko server at home I take it that all of you wouldn’t want one…
If I was given one I would not grumble but not sure where I would put it.
One born every minute…
Shame that leaves me out, suppose a can of krylon could fix it.
That price is in Yen …….right?
As a gift, yes. Paying 30K is what’s the insane part
I spend my summer in a different house. My system always sounds majestic when I get a night at home.