Need your streaming expertise!

I’ve recently built a pretty nice HeadFi rig and had one of those wonderful/awful audiophile “Aha” moments. I’d been streaming with Qobuz using my iPhone/iPad and had been pretty happy. Then IT happened. I brought my Oppo transport up from my big rig and played some of the same CDs as I was listening through Qobuz. No comparison! My humble Oppo running into my DAC versus through my WiFi-connected device’s was clearly superior to my i-devices specifically in terms of imaging and soundstage dimension and depth. It’s NOT a subtle difference. And, I’ve tested this across many tracks and artists so it’s not limited to what may be different recordings from the same artist. To get some details outta the way, I’m using high-quality cables all around, so let’s leave that conversation for another day. These differences are bigger than that.

So, to cut to the chase, for those of you who have used WiFi through their I-devices and switched to a dedicated and maybe hardwired streamer, what have your experiences been and which streamers did you end up using? I’m really only interested in people who’ve used WiFi through I-devices and switched to dedicated streamers and not so much interested in just which streamers are best. So please, PLEASE, anyone who can help me dig out of my streaming conundrum, MUCH APPRECIATED. I don’t wanna break the bank on this, so I’m trying to keep the budget to $500 plus or minus. My first instinct is to go hardwired (and hardwired is an option although it’d be nice to still go wireless if possible) to something like an iFi Stream, Pro-Ject Streambox, etc., but before going down that rabbit hole I’m hoping desperately to benefit from the wisdom of the anthill and from those who’ve gone before me. At this point, I’m relegated to listening to CDs because nuow that I’ve heard the limitation of streaming wirelessly through my I-devices, I can’t un-hear the shortcomings. Sorry for the long post, but this is a pretty specific problem so wanted to provide a lot of info to get the responses of fellow ‘philes who may have also faced this exact dilemma. Thanks, and Happy/Safe Holidays to all!!!