Ufguy - I am in a very similar situation looking to upgrade my DAC / streamer. I haven’t used a CD in probably 3 years and use Tidal HiFi and masters.
in terms of sound, for an all-in-one unit, the Linn Klimax 3 with Katalyst DAC is very good. The DSM version also has volume control and HDMI pass-thru so can also work some A/V scenarios vs just audio. It runs in the low $20s. I auditioned the Linn against dCS Rossini and I felt the Linn beat it (for my taste). I also auditioned the Klimax vs the Linn Akurate, which is next tier down for Linn. It took all of 5 seconds to hear the difference between the Klimax and Akurate (maybe $8-9k). The downside with Linn vs others is likely on formats they support. My understanding (others in forum who are deeper jump in or correct) is that Linn does not support MQA (masters). So, before you pull the trigger, it’s worth doing some diligence on formats and your music choices on the streaming service you choose.
I have been trying to audition the Aurender A30 ($19k), Lumin X1 (13k I think) and MSB Premier with renderer module, which allows it to stream ($19k for the DAC and then add-on pricing for the renderer module).
it is a PAIN to find a dealer that carries all of those lines. MusicDirect is an online option that gives you 60 day money back to try it. They carry Aurender and Lumin
good luck
in terms of sound, for an all-in-one unit, the Linn Klimax 3 with Katalyst DAC is very good. The DSM version also has volume control and HDMI pass-thru so can also work some A/V scenarios vs just audio. It runs in the low $20s. I auditioned the Linn against dCS Rossini and I felt the Linn beat it (for my taste). I also auditioned the Klimax vs the Linn Akurate, which is next tier down for Linn. It took all of 5 seconds to hear the difference between the Klimax and Akurate (maybe $8-9k). The downside with Linn vs others is likely on formats they support. My understanding (others in forum who are deeper jump in or correct) is that Linn does not support MQA (masters). So, before you pull the trigger, it’s worth doing some diligence on formats and your music choices on the streaming service you choose.
I have been trying to audition the Aurender A30 ($19k), Lumin X1 (13k I think) and MSB Premier with renderer module, which allows it to stream ($19k for the DAC and then add-on pricing for the renderer module).
it is a PAIN to find a dealer that carries all of those lines. MusicDirect is an online option that gives you 60 day money back to try it. They carry Aurender and Lumin
good luck