I am a big ZSTAGE fan, having used one to drive my Taboo and LCD-2 cans. But when I brought the Taboo home for headphone use (keeping the Cavalli Liquid Fire at the office), and used it with the Ultra preamp, I no longer needed the ZSTAGE. I am donating it to a fellow Decwarian.  

There are, of corse, different versions of so-called computer audio approaches; some use a PC or Mac, others a server. At my office, I use a Mac mini for my file server with Audirvana as my player, into an Audiophileo M-1 and modded PS Audio Digital Link III. All that feeds the Cavalli quite nicely. Not as lush as the Ultra/Taboo but very very nice.

At home, my approach was to dispense with disc-swapping and archive my disks at the same time. A network storage device seemed ideal, and the PSA eLyric Music Manager does the trick pretty well. So, I have my discs all stored in their cases in a safe place, but all the music is instantly retrievable. I think Lon and I have always understood the different psychic approaches we bring to playback, but in theory, we should be hearing almost identical things. His PWT does what my exact copy ripping does: extracts the music from the disc and uses a lens to solve the clocking challenges. My PWD Mk II and network bridge contain their own lenses and sound just amazing.

I understand Lon when he says he doesn't want the computer in his audio room. Makes sense to me. In my case, I love the instant access via iPhone or iPad to over 15,000 tracks.

Occasionally, I play Blu-Ray audio and SACD discs (the ones that I cannot rip for one reason or another) through the Oppo BDP-95, but it ain't a PWT.

Pale:

"dispense with disc-swapping"

I didn't know you were into disc-swapping!