The range of products and opinions can be bewildering so I would start from a different angle. You want something to “complement” your other sources. What does that mean? Are you talking about a comparable sound? If so then that narrows your options if you can describe the sound you’re after. You might also want to re-examine your starting point. If you want to use streaming to discover music you might subsequently buy on CD then yes of course ripping and storage is pointless. If you’re spending up to 5k though it poses an opportunity to match or exceed your current source. Whilst CD ripping is slow ish - it took me 5 weeks to rip 2,000 - it’s also fabulously worth it if you get the streamer/DAC right. It’s absolutely not dispiriting.
Another person going digital and full of questions
I'm yet another new member trying to figure out the digital streaming world. I've been streaming Tidal and Idagio from my desktop computer through an RME ADI-2 dac and into various headphones for a while. Now I'd like to add digital streaming on my main system. I'm just looking for a source that would provide streaming services to my existing preamp (Audible Illusions) amp (Audio Research) and speakers (Wilson Benesch Act 1). I'm looking for something to complement my other sources, a VPI turntable and a Rega CD player and Benchmark 1 DAC. I don't want to rip my CDs or play any stored music files. So far, I'm learning that there are more recent and better DACs out there than the old Benchmark, and that I should consider a quieter box than my computer to connect to ethernet. But I'm lost in a sea of streamers, servers, reclockers, power supplies, etcetera, most with unfamiliar brand names.
I'd appreciate any suggestions. budget in the $5k range but can stretch a little.