Digital Audio Players for Linux?

[Billy McCarthy]

While people are talking about music, I have a question about home audio.

I want to set up a file server and a separate machine as a dedicated player,
for now just a wimpy thing to play music.  The key is, I don't want to do MP3,
most likely FLAC, for quality and therefore want a rather nice soundcard.  I
was thinking about going the USB route, since that would avoid signal noise
from inside the computer and all of the stereo amps I've seen don't take
digital inputs, only RCA.  

I looked at some of the Pro-Audio/Musician equipment, but they all seem to be
designed to get sound into the computer not out, so I wasn't sure if they would
be any good for what I'm trying to do.  I've also heard that the Creative
equipment resamples the audio internally, which is really sub-optimal and lame.

thanks for any advice

-- 
Kindly yours,
Billy SG McCarthy