Best streamers WITHOUT a DAC

many excellent sounding options out there, all more expensive, for very high resolution systems where one can hear the nuanced improvement...

innuos

aurender

auralic

sotm

sonore

lumin

SBooster makes an  adapter for Lumin that allows you to hook up a LPS.  I upgraded the power supply on my Node 2i and it made lots of improvement.  I used a PD Creative board.  They also make Power Supply improvement for U1 mini.. Might affect warranty.  Just food for thought. . 

@daledeee1  SBooster makes an  adapter for Lumin that allows you to hook up a LPS.  I upgraded the power supply on my Node 2i and it made lots of improvement.  I used a PD Creative board.  They also make Power Supply improvement for U1 mini.. Might affect warranty.  Just food for thought.

Yeah, I'll certainly be doing the SBooster thing before long.  As for the rest, I'm quite satisfied with the Lumin at this point.  Obviously the Aurender stuff has a lot of very passionate advocates, but upgrading the SFD-2 just doesn't make sense as long as it works.  To be clear, it's the MKIII version which is vastly different from the others.  It also went back to Parts Connexion a few years ago for further and fancier upgrades.  Detail is mind boggling and it's not at all a weak link.  In fact, at this point I'm hard pressed to find any weak link in the system that wouldn't cost a fortune for only miniscule improvements, if any.  In any case, thanks to all.   The Lumin has greatly improved my life.

Next project:  retweaking speakers.  After fixing/recapping the preamp the bass was "fixed" too.  I'd forgotten what it originally sounded like.  That's all a topic for another thread.

OP,

Congratulations! It’s a great feeling isn’t it? There is always the anticipation and fear after spending all that money. But that is why there are $500 through $25K+ streamers.