I currently have my speakers connected to a small amp which connects to my desktop PC by USB (dual boots Arch & Windows). I also run proxmox on a mini PC with a bunch of containers for Jellyfin, linux iso acquisition etc.

I would like to be able to play music without booting the desktop PC, but not have to swap cables around when I do want to play games or watch videos on the desktop (mostly Windows). The amp has other inputs (Bluetooth, analogue) but I'd rather avoid manually changing inputs, for example if I have been playing a game but am now in the kitchen, I would like to put some music on from my phone without going back to the lounge. The desktop PC, mini PC, and amp are all on the same desk at the moment.

I think the solution is plugging the amp directly in to the mini PC, and then solving two problems

1. Setting up an audio device on Windows that pipes output to the mini PC
2. Setting up one or more containers on Proxmox to play music

For the first problem, ChatGPT suggested I install and connect pulseaudio on both proxmox and Windows, and a bit of Windows software I've never heard of called VB-Cable.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience that can offer suggestions or point out any gotchas, before I get into it? If I can pass through the USB easily enough, I would prefer to make a separate container for pulseaudio rather than installing and configuring anything direct on the Proxmox host.

For the second problem, what recommendations do you good folk have for the media playing container/s? I have a library of MP3s. I have a spotify account. I'd love to do both through a single container but this may be a big ask. I think most media servers are set up in a way that streams audio to a client, rather than what I am looking for which is to play music from the server, but controlled from the client. Perhaps the answer there is just to selfhost a spotify client, which I can control from spotify on my phone.

Edit to add sorry: I know the first problem in particular isn't really "selfhosted" per se, and thought about posting to r/Proxmox instead, but I don't think it's really a proxmox problem, and a bit more in the wheelhouse of some of your minds than a basic tech support forum.