Need help selecting a streamer for a beginner.

Blusound Node 2 is the way to go. 

@pipebro,

As you can see favorable responses for Bluesound Node 2 or 2i. If I were you, I would order the newest Node and not consider the Node 2 and 2i (now discontinued). The newly released Node ($549) offers two very important upgrades over previous generations, 

1) At the heart of the new units is a next-generation, quad-core ARM Cortex A53 processor operating at 1.8GHz. Compared with the previous-generation Node and PowerNode, the new processor has eight times more processing power and four times faster memory speed, leading to faster response times and more efficiency.

2) Another key upgrade for the Node is a new DAC that operates at 32-bit/384 kHz with a differential output and supports audio resolutions up to 24-bit/192 kHz. It also boasts a lower signal-to-noise ratio of -113 dB (down from -110 dB) and THD+N of 0.002% (down from 0.005%). And the Node’s back panel now sports an HDMI eARC input for connecting a TV. (The PowerNode 2i V2 already had this feature.) If you already have a DAC you like, a future BluOS upgrade will activate a USB audio output, bypassing the internal DAC while maintaining all the streaming and BluOS functionality.

Thanks for all the feedback. Bluesound Node it is!

@pipebro,

If you have not already, read up on this thread so you know what to expect next :-) 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/new-bluesound-node-first-impressions

+1 for Innuous and you can easily and very fast rip any cd’s you have.