home audio system

[Matt Price]

hi folks,

every year or so I seem to start this project and not finish it, but I
am hoping to pull this one off in time for Xmas.  I want to build a
linux-powered home audio system, if possible organized around one or
more rap-berry Pi/beaglebone/whatever low-power systems that I don't
feel too bad about leaving on most of the time.

I've been thinking about this a bit and as I see it,there are several
parts to the system, and I'm not sure how many actual physical objects
are required:

(1) file server, that provides the actual audio files somehow

(2) audio server, that turns them into some kind of an audio stream.
should be able to handle mp3, m4a, ogg and flac, if poss. is probably
the same object as (1), above

(3) device that takes the audio stream and feeds it into 1 or more
stereos (I think actually 2 minimum, one upstairs in bedroom, one
downstairs in living room)

(4) client device that controls what stream is being fed to the two
stereos and optimally can also play a local stream.   (3), above,
potentially may also be a case of (4), but ideally there are also
clients that run on at least Linux and Android (iOS would be nice too
but isn't necessary and anyway my wife should switch!).

(5) I would prefer to use as much Free software as possible, but will
compromise to make something that my family can use easily.  They
enjoy XBMC, so I know it's possible to turn them from the Dark Side if
the interface is good enough.

Thanks as always,

Matt
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