Would this be a good starter system for streaming?

Op there are a number of ways of building a great digital front end.

Part of this discussion is what is important to you and how you are planing on using the system.

You have two options one is to buy a great dac that will elevate the sound of the system signifigently, really great dacs are in the $2-3k price range and really amazing ones are about $5k and above.

If your budget is eaten up by the dac then you can use a laptop to get you started with streaming and then circle back and move into a much better sounding server such an an Innous or Aurender at the next go around.

Or you can look at a really good streamer/dac with or without the addition of a server, you only need a server if you want to store a CD library or have to add streaming music sources such as Tidal or Obouze to a dac that does not have a network streaming card.

Most streaming dac's will play Tidal or Obouze, Spotify and similar popular sources via an app.

There are a few very good affordable streaming dacs, the Teac NT 505 and the Lumin D2, the Myteks,  the next class up is the Lumin T2 and a few others on the market, then the uber class dacs like the new Bricasti M3 which is quite extraordinary but with a streaming card would be more expensive than your stated budget, we don't sell the Auralic but they also make a good dac/streamer.

Our advice would be to purchase the best dac you can first, use a laptop for now or get a really good streaming dac like the Lumin. 

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Lumin, Mytek, Bricasti,

Has anyone tried the new Bryston BDA-3.14 Streamer / Dac.  This one is close to the budget and provides the combo streamer now.  I am thinking myself to compile a system described above.  Some good options posted.  Thanks.  SB

I have heard a Bryston integrated with built-in streamer. That sounded very good with Orangutang O/93 speakers. I assume their separate streamer sounds as good or better.

I would otherwise look st something like Volumio Primo as streamer and spend more on a dac. Streamers are still betting better.

I’m in a similar spot as the OP. But I’m having doubts as to whether my CD collection is worth ripping because some may not be in pristine condition and most of my recordings are available by stream.  
I’ve been able to compare specific CDs to Tidal streams.  I found that when the recordings were excellent there really isn’t that much of a difference in sound.  Otherwise, sometimes the Tidal stream sounded better than the CD and sometimes the reverse. Not sure I want/need an iPad screen with multiple choices of the same song.

The Aurender 10 is a simple, elegant, and  expensive solution to ripping and storing.  However I am uncertain about the value proposition.

I think I’m heading in the direction of a really great DAC and an adequate streamer that may be upgraded in the future.

Any thoughts on Denefrip DACs as a value solution?

Elfedone, 

As you can see above we are recommending the best dac in the price range. The Denefripps is supposed to be a great dac, however, for the same price as that Dac,  there is  T+A DAC 8 DSD which is outstanding and if you can run DSD 512 via a computer server running Roon,Jriver, or HQ player  will beat most $10k dacs.

The new Bricasti M3 which is just amazing, and it is made in America and it has a host of great features including a pure analog volume control a streaming card option and a headphone option the dac is mind blowing completely raised our expectations in great digital that is in the 5k price range according to Bricasti the M3 is 80-85% of the sound of their reference M21 for 1/3 the price.

The Innous servers which start at a bit over a thousand bucks also streams and rips so you can get a great ripper/HD storage system that is not so expensive.

We are not saying that the server doesn't make a huge difference the servers do just if you have to get started you can use a laptop first and then replace that with a dedicated server.

Other considerations are do you look at a real marvelous streaming dac like the Lumin T2?

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Lumin, Innous, Bricasti, T+A dealers.