My endgame system I think

@ronboco The EtherREGEN is in the audio path for any music you Stream (eg. Qobuz, TIDAL, Spotify) or any music you may have locally ripped that resides on a computer or hard drive that's on your home Ethernet network.  The EtherREGEN isn't in the audio path for any CDs you play.

I can't believe your dealer didn't let you know the 866 has a great builkt-in Streamer.  Below is a Q&A re: Streaming from the Boulder website.  The mConnect app isn't the greatest but the 866 is also Roon ready as you can see here, 

“Can I stream Tidal or Quobuz directly to the 866?” Currently there is no way to directly stream to the 866. But you can use a 3rd party app like mConnect, JRiver to stream. We also recommend using Roon for streaming, as the 866 is a Roon endpoint and will stream both Tidal and Quobuz and music stored on your home network.

@cycles2 

I asked the question the same way you posted. I wanted to know if I could connect the Ethernet cable from the router right to the Boulder. My dealer said no but  did bring up Roon.  I felt like Roon was more than I needed and I was already comfortable using the BluOS app so I went with the Node. I am going to check out the EtherRegen though. Thanks 

@ronboco

Not to complicate matters further, Roon ready (endpoint) devices like your Boulder still needs a server like Nucleus to stream from Qobuz or Tidal. Be careful with Roon implementation, you can easily end up with a maze of accessories and devices, both Etherregen and Nucleus requires LPS (linear power supplies) to perform at their best.

I would add a passive filter from Network Acoustics for next level improvement before you venture into replacing the Node 2. @grannyring has direct experience with ENO and latest MUON filters. I have moved on to Telegartner M12 switch which in my opinion, has no peer and substantially better than ENO but at 6x cost once you factor in cables and linear power supply.

@lalitk 

That is another reason I passed on Roon. The server needed and a subscription to Roon. Just seems like too much going on there. The filter is something I think I’m going to try though. Thanks ! 

@ronboco I strongly suggest using the 866 for streaming as it's better than the Bluesound Node.  You're also not taking advantage of one of the main reasons to own an 866, you only need a single power cable and no interconnect cables, other than connecting a CD player/transport.  You don't need Roon, I don't have it and won't get it since they added DSP features and screwed up the SQ. 

You can download the 866 Owners manual from the Boulder site. Starting at page 4-14 are instructions to connect the 866 to your home network.  You'll need an Android or iOS mobile device to pair your mobile device to the 866.  That's all you have to do to access and play songs from Qobuz, TIDAL or other music services. Note - once you've successfully paired the 866 to your home network, you may want to use the mConnect HD app to access music services as it's easier to use than the Boulder Controller app.. mConnect HD is available on the App and Play Store.

If you need assistance, the great folks at Boulder will be glad to help.

BTW, shame on your dealer for not knowing and helping you with this.  May be time to find a different dealer.