Hypothetically, though, anything that could run slim client could also run linux and, through that, foobar or some foobar derivation. There are already existing DIY USB dacs that could be built into the housing of such a unit, bypassing kmixer and other internal processing. You could find parts for this, everything but the drive, for literally free at thrift stores. Sure, a modern computer is 50x overkill, but people are throwing away computers that are 1/50th of the power of a modern computer.
The biggest problem would be fan noise -- old computers are loud, and quiet computers are pricy.
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