Works wonders.. in the beginning you can immediately start getting neighbours to convert to you (4 torian & 1 arcanean worlds within first 2 years!)
As for starbases, which aliens can react negatively too, you dont really even need them for culture conversion.. except much later when there isnt more than you and maybe 2 others.
For my latest game I went saintly for the purpose of staying outside wars, and no bases until after 2210, yet by 2219 the galaxy had turned blue and almost all worlds had gone human without a single shot fired!
AI: Normal (all)
Other picks: pop growth & science+10 iirc
Galaxy: Medium, tight clusters, abudant worlds.
I do the same thing on masochistic and it still works well Just build up a military on a few worlds instead of constructors and you the comp will leave you alone as you slowly convert the galaxy and to be really mean I traded a bunch of techs for the other races starbases and gained even more influence.