What to buy....Auralic Aries, Sony Hap-ZES, or Auralic Altair?

same as Johnd, went from dedicated laptop to Aries mini and haven't had any issues at all

Some one on audiogon is selling NOS Squeezebox players for a song. :)

Auralic Mini is IOS only.  The Mini has the ability to act as both a Streamer and a Server.

Others to consider are BlueSound or Play-Fi.  Play-Fi is available from many manufacturers including Martin-Logan, Paradigm, Polk, Definitive Technology, etc.  On the cheap, there's the Google Chromecast2 that supports up to 24/96.  

I have 3 Play-Fi devices: One built into a Receiver, one built into a Processor and a stand along Definitive Technology unit.  The Play-Fi app is very simple and easy to use like the Sonos used to be.  

I have five Squeezeboxes: 2 Touch, 1 SB2 and two SB-Booms.  I use SqueezeCommander to control them and have a dedicated Gigabyte Brix music server.  

I have 2 Sonos units: Connect:amp and Play5.  The sonos App used to be soo simple but has become "crowded" as no features and services have been added. Also, don't waste your time trying to get the units to work on your wifi; very unreliable.  Buy a Boost and hang it off your Router.

I have two Google ChromeCast2's.  I use one to Cast in the Master Bedroom and for occasional music.  I use the other in the Garage plugged into a Denon table radio.  Real easy to use and it will also run off off any USB battery.

I've been wanting to get my hands on a Buesound unit.  They support up to 32/192, have lots of input and output options, and can be controlled by IR.

Off all the units I have, I listen to my heavily modified SB2 and SB Touches the most.  The Play-Fi devices are my second choice. 

I have the Sony HAPZ1ES music player/server and am very happy with it.  It has everything you are looking for and I have never, ever had any software glitches.  This is one piece of equipment I will be keeping for a long time.

Given OP's budget and "great sound" as a criteria, even if you love the Aurelic Lightning DS app, you're not getting great sound vs. the Aries with LPS within his budget. The LPS makes a big difference. Mini is targeting a lower budget and includes a mediocre built-in dac so it can be used in lower cost rigs without a separate dac. 
The Bluesound and Sonos mentioned IMHE aren't at the level of the Sony or Aurelic Aries sonically. The Sonore is head and shoulders above all of them and it isn't close. I have interest except spreading the word on what is IMHO a real game changer in this category. Read the 2 big reviews by Computeraudiophile and Michael Lavorgna and watch the video review by Hanz Beekhuyzen. They all come to the same conclusion I did. That doesn't happen too often. Cheers,
Spencer