A Mac can be the server, the local native player or both. Quven provides signed and notarized packages for Intel and Apple silicon, with a Bundle for combined use and Server-only for a machine dedicated to hosting the library.
Bundle or Server-only
The Bundle keeps the server and native desktop application in one lifecycle and is intended for a Mac that also acts as a viewing device. Server-only removes the local desktop surface and suits a Mac mini, a shared machine or another always-on host reached from native clients elsewhere.
Native playback and media tools
The desktop client uses the native full-fidelity playback path for compatible files, including track selection and formats that browsers often force through a conversion. The server includes its media tooling and can use VideoToolbox where the active codec and hardware support it, with a CPU path available when hardware acceleration is not the right fit.
Current release evidence
The public macOS packages are Developer ID signed, notarized and stapled for both architectures. Package and Gatekeeper validation is complete. Runtime acceptance is tracked separately for each architecture and release shape, so package availability should not be confused with every current hardware smoke being closed.
Before choosing a Mac as the permanent host, verify that its library volumes remount with the same paths after restart, the service identity can read them, and sleep settings do not interrupt remote clients. Keep first-install acceptance separate from update acceptance: open the installed application through Gatekeeper, play representative media, then verify a later update through the coupled lifecycle you intend to use.
A practical host choice. An Apple-silicon Mac mini is attractive when low idle power and a quiet always-on host matter. Check the formats your clients actually play before buying hardware solely for peak transcode capacity.