Moving up from a Node 2i

Regarding streaming services, do these streamer apps have Internet browser functionality? Specifically, the Lumin App uses TuneIn to list radio streams, but Radio Paradise requires direct interaction with their website to set your stream quality to FLAC. Would you have that navigation and interaction with these Streamer apps?

I'm not sure about Lumin, but with my Bluesound Node 2 streaming to my Sony headphone amp / DAC it shows the signal as 44.1 kHz which is CD / FLAC quality.

I'll be interested in hearing your impressions Ozzy.  I was leaning heavily in the direction of the Lumin, but decided to give the TEAC NT-505 a try instead.  It should arrive next week.  I'll share my impressions as well.  

I received my TEAC NT-505 yesterday and had a chance to do some listening last night.  Here are my first impressions compared to my Node 2, which was using my Auralic Vega DAC (via coax) instead of the Node 2's internal DAC. 

The NT-505 has a larger soundstage, better imaging, is more detailed, and is slightly warmer.  I know the Node 2 sounded better with the Vega than it's internal DAC, so it's a definite step up from the Node 2.  I have no way of saying how much difference the streamer itself made, as there's no way to connect the NT-505 to an external DAC, so I couldn't try it with the Vega as the DAC for a more "apples to apples" comparison.

I can't say that any of the improvements were "dramatic", they were all subtle, but do add up to a better listening experience, at least on first blush.  I can see myself spending more time doing "critical listening" while streaming.  Most of the time, I have used the Node 2 as background music, or to play music from my network.

Whenever I make changes to my system it usually takes a while before I notice all the little nuances, so I'm looking forward to spending more time with it. 

Is it worth four times the cost of a Node 2?  I think it will be over the long run, but that's up to the individual.

The Lumin software (I'm using that instead of TEAC's) was a little confusing at first, but I like that it just hooked up to the NT-505 right away, you don't have to go through the process of connecting to the unit like you do with the Bluesound devices.  I wish it had Radio Paradise, but other than that, I think it meets my needs.  It didn't take me long to get familiar with the interface, but I don't think it's as intuitive as the Bluesound app.  As time allows I'll play around with some of the upsampling features and may get the Master Clock Generator at some point.

I left everything neutral to start with so I can establish a baseline and will experiment in the coming days.

Thanks @kren0006 

I'm using the Lumin app with my TEAC NT-505. It's not as intuitive as the bluesound app, but it is fairly easy to use and syncs up with the streamer right away and I don't have the connection issues that I often experienced with my bluesound node 2.

So for those of us getting their first streamer and feeling a bit gun-shy about big expenditures, is the consensus that the Node2i does a decent job, in its class?

At its price point the Node 2i is a fantastic value. It has a decent DAC, does just about everything, and the Bluesound app is very good.

what we all are wanting to know is if the streamer itself, with the same DAC, can make a big difference.

Most streamers include a DAC by design.  As you yourself noted, the Lumin U1 Mini appears to be the only device in the $1K - $2K space that is a streamer only.  Let's wait and see what Ozzy has to say once he's had a chance to listen for a bit.  I'm willing to bet that the Lumin is going to sound better than the Node 2i using the same external DAC.

My TEAC streamer does not have a wifi option. I used one of these to create a wireless client which allows me to run Ethernet cable from the client to the streamer.  25 bucks from Newegg.