Looking for "perfect" streamer....

Perfect, surely you jest !!!!! 

@tpreaves- I did put it in quotes didn't I? LOL.  

@steakster - Wow. Those look great but maybe I should have put a price limit on them. The off-ramp is $1,299 and I didn't see a price for the other.  

How about something under $1k?  :-)

@soundchasr,

Most of the streaming component apps won't have all of the same features as the native streaming services app.

Like the Node2i, the DCS Mosaic app for my Network Bridge also does not have the Deezer thumbs up/down.  But, I use the Deezer app on my iphone all the time when I'm walking, working out, or in the yard - so I use the thumbs up/down feature there.  When I go to use Deezer with DCS, those recommendations are there.  Life is compromise I guess.

But, Sonos was the first company to integrate with Deezer like 6-7 years ago.   Their Deezer implementation does indeed have thumbs up/down from the Sonos app.  I verified on a Sonos Connect I have in the house.

You could get the new Sonos Port streamer.  It won't match the Node 2i as far as streaming quality, but it is upgradeable by Wyred 4 Sound.  I did their upgrade on my Connect and it was a significant difference.  Well worth it, IMO. 

You can purchase the upgrade Sonos Port Directly from Wyred 4 Sound for $850.

If you're fine using your laptop all the time, you could also look at the new Dennefrips Iris.

I think I want to get away from my PC if possible.  Right now I have system sounds coming out of my stereo which annoys the crap out of me so I have to toggle between the sound card that provides system sounds and the Codex which is just for music.  

I run roon nucleus + into lumin U1.  I'll upgrade the power supply to their flagship model,but I'm very happy with this.  I use a jcat usb cable to chord blu MKII and DAVE. Very pleased 

Cambridge CXN V2 is a good sub $1K streamer/DAC with a proprietary app thay interfaces with all the streaming services and your networked storage. Apparently Roon ready too. Lots of positive reviews online, and retains most of its retail cost in the used market. Can't think of much outside the McIntosh cult that you can say that about.

@kairosman - was just thinking about that one.  Looks pretty awesome.  Plus, it has USB input for connection to a computer so anything I can't get through its streaming service I could send via the PC USB.  

The only question I have (that I haven't found an answer to) is whether there is a Windows application.  I like to control everything from my PC.  

All Streaming devices I’ve heard are sensitive to EMI/RFI picked up in the Ethernet cables. When you’ve settled on the right device for you, in terms of functionality, the sound quality can be enhanced further with an in-line passive filter. This ‘ENO’ is excellent www.networkacoustics.com In my system it makes my Streamer indistinguishable from the original CD.

Buy a Jcat net card sir streaming it blocks the garbage from the computer and isolates and has a excellent afemto clock,
slso for computer files the Jcat computer card  .these are the most 
well thought out cards out there and excellent results.

Simaudio 780D V2 OR 680D V2

@cdamiller5 - seems like a steal at $15k.  Lol.

i@soundchsr
Paid $8500 for 780D worth every penny
p