streaming DACs around $4k

You'll be surprised to know that you CAN find a DSD w/ Bridge II within your budget, or slightly higher!

Take a look at Cary DMS-600. I used to have the DMS-500, and it was excellent for the money. Sounds great, and has an awesome display!

I'm in the same mode as I'm currently using an Oppo Sonica that only gives me Tidal and Spotify access. I'd like to have Quobuz and Roon availability. The GUI app has to be very easy and effective to use.

Audiotroy...  Can you compare the Lumin T2 to the T1? 

+1 on PS Audio. The software upgrades are free. My father-in-law has the Jr., and I have the Sr.  Both are excellent. 

The Lumin T2 is burning in nicely and sounding extraordinary, for an all in one streamer we have never heard anything better. The T2 just sounds so three dimensional it is intoxicating and it is so smooth, just beautiful.

Personally we feel that the PS audio software upgrades are a total gimmick. Lets get this straight Ted Smith spent years developing his software and then boom every year he seems to come up with a radical new version, doesn’t make sense, most engineers spend years developing their software and filters as mature technology with very little change unless hardware opens up new avenues.

We are not saying that the PS audio doesn’t sound good it just seems awefully weird that their genius designer is always changing his filter designs, and a guy like Rob Watts of Chord only upgraded his same filtering techniques only when hardware changes allowed for a more precise version of the exact same filter.

With the Lumin you have a fantastic native app built in Airplay and the ability to upsample of not, some people prefer PCM which tends to have a bit more top end clarity, vs DSD streaming which tends to be richer, with the Lumin you can choose how you want your files to sound, with the PS all filles are converted to DSD and then upsampled.

If someone cares so much about upgradability, we would recommend an Aqua Hifi Dac and a separate streamer, the PS offers firmware upgrades which is true, however,

Aqua makes a totally modular design which features 7-8 completely separate circuit boards, then boom in a few years you can be listening to a completely different set of hardware in the same chassis, that is way more powerful then by just tweeking software alone.

Compare the build and design of the Aqua Hif Lascala a $8k dac

https://www.google.com/search?q=aqua%20hifi%20la%20scala&newwindow=1&client=aff-maxthon-maxt... Notice there are seven boards each one is changeable

vs:

The Direct Stream Dac with Bridge Board $6k

http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=213909.15

Here you have three main boards with one being the Bridge Card, sure you can upgrade your firmware but howabout the freedom to completely evolve their product.

Aqua is making terrific analog like tube based dacs, for $4k the new Lavoice is making waves all over Europe as one of the best dac’s in that price range.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Lumin and Aqua Hifi Dealers