Suggestions for a streamer only (I have a great DAC)

There are some good thoughts here.  I’m generally in agreement with @ghdprentice in that a well optimized streaming setup will surprise you with how good it can be.  You might never want to spin a disc again if you put some effort into it up front.  The rest of your system seems to warrant this effort. Yes, there is a world of difference going upstream. Contrary to what some claim, going upstream in the quality of your streamer can yield substantial - and readily audible improvements.  

I will offer a few other things to consider:

1) There’s seems to be some consensus that Qobuz generally sounds better than Tidal.  To my ears, it sounds a lot better. The libraries are different, both are vast.  

2) Auralic’s lighting DS is more than fine.  I actually like it as an app better than Aurender’s conductor app (I had Aurender for several years and then moved to Auralic’s Aries G2 which I found Iiked better than Aurender’s N100 and N10. I haven’t heard the W20 SE which @ghdprentice has but understand it to be spectacular.

3) the Bluesound app is also fine but frustrating at times. I have a Node 2 in a kitchen system.  Candidly, Auralic Lightning DS and Aurender Conductor provide a much better experience and both are seamless with Qobuz and/or Tidal.

4) Roon provides the best user interface by far, but in my experience there is a sonic penalty to using it. Of course, it may be that they’ve somehow worked this out and others may disagree.  But it’s a fairly common observation if you do some reading. To me, Auralic via LDS sounds substantially better than the same stream via Roon.  Since digital music is data played back via software and hardware, this is not too surprising. In any case, for those looking to optimize streaming performance, the native apps might give you a better experience. 

5) Pay attention to your network hygiene.  It’s not that bits are lost or that jitter is introduced. Parasitic noise is, however, and you only really notice it when you hear it without.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

Based on the OP’s desire for simplicity in how to stream, incorporating Roon or a stand alone streamer with its own app / software are key.  I’ve had a BS Node 2i, tried around 5-7 different DAC’s, streamed via a streamer, all in one boxes, used those as a streamer to an external DAC, Roon, streamed directly from my laptop to a DAC.

I didn’t realize prior how important the software / App is with a streamer.  OP - I to didn’t like the Lumin’s app originally, found it clumsy.  But in my system using the Lumin app sounded better to my ears than Roon.  So, over time and based on trying other apps, found out the Lumin app is pretty darn good relative the competition, especially when you match it up to the hardware.  Bluos App is the best I have run across but it’s hard to find higher end streamers that use it, the Node does.  I haven’t used but have read a ton and the Auralic Lightning App gets high remarks, continual updates and has been very inclusive in developing their software to allow the largest list of streaming services I have seen.

If you are looking for ease of use, build quality and best sound quality in your budget, Lumin or Auralic would be great places to look.  Lumin’s build quality / engineering / components are top notch, they are far bigger in the commercial space, they use that know how to build their streamers, DAC’s.  Trying a BS as a streamer from a vendor that offers a 30 day trial is a no brainer, even if you had to sell it the loss would be minimal.  There is a camp of Audiophiles that subscribe to the theory that the DAC and all the other components have a much bigger influence on the SQ.  If you could AB the Node and another streamer would be ideal, then you’d know for yourself in your own system.  If you liked the Node you’d save some money and be tied into the best software / app that likely will always be supported.  
 

In my search the most experienced, technical people I have talked to lean toward the streamer being the least important.  They all say you need a quality streamer but that you can get one for a small investment, anything spent beyond that is going to yield very incremental improvements and cost the cost for those to be noticeable is substantial.  I myself am still looking to upgrade my streamer potentially, I currently have a Lumin but it’s not a stand alone streamer.  So I’m not really taking their advice. 

@antigrunge2 I have not spent much time with any Innuos products and have not heard their server playing their software. Last I heard one was a statement running Roon. The only thing I know about their software is that it is supposed to sound great but was a bit unstable on release. I assume Innuos worked diligently to correct those issue as it is a big point of differentiation for them.

I have spent a lot of time with a Nucleus and Bricasti items. I agree that a Nucleus as a player and renderer is mediocre. It is also relatively modestly priced.  Strictly used as a server sending a signal to a separate player, it is far superior to using it as a single source connected via USB. I cannot answer if Nucleus/Bricasti combo is as good as Innuos as I have not tested it but Nucleus/Bricasti is much better than Nucleus alone. Nucleus alone is MUCH better than dedicated PC/Laptop/Mac Mini.

No one claims that Roon is best sounding software. Pretty universally Roon core with Squeeze as a front end is deemed one of the best sounding options. HQ Player is very, very good. I have heard the Innuos software is supposed to be better and Pink Faun’s native software is arguably the best of them all. There is a big difference between not being best sounding and sounding bad. IMO, Roon sound is very good and when one considers the UI, it is not shocking why it is so popular.

The OP is looking for a simple solution that will sound good and is easy to control from a tablet. I stand by my recommendation against those parameters. Innuos may be an excellent alternative.

Check these out

1 Baetis

2. LUCAS audio

3. Wolf Audio

All 3 are in the price range matching your DAC

I recently purchased a Baetis

The level of customer service with all 3 was outstanding in each case you deal direct with designer/builder.

I was very happy with my Baetis /TotalDAC combo

flood gates officially open now... he he

bs node

lumin

auralic

innuos

aurender

pro ject streambox

ifi zen stream

grimm

cambridge cxn

sonore rendu

sotm sms200

metrum ambre

stack

lindemann

spin the wheel and pick one!