Next step into Digital Streaming

Yes, many streaming/server companies allow this type of networking. If you’re happy with Bluesound, you can get a Bluesound Vault and use that in your dungeon to store and serve your files. Your Node can go upstairs and act as an endpoint for that stereo. 

Depending on the type of investment you have in your system, you may consider other audiophile streamers/servers. Aurender for example has its own networking capabilities and performs at a much higher caliber than Bluesound, delivering improvements such as clarity and soundstage size. I am an Aurender dealer that used to own a whole house full of Bluesound gear, so those are the two I have most experience with. That said, there are lots of other options on the marketplace, such as Roon and Roon-enabled devices, etc.

Thanks for the tips. Roon isn't really a viable option for me as I am away for sizable blocks of time so don't want to get involved with subscriptions that will sit unused. I'm currently satisfied with the blue node, I choose it as I was unfamiliar with streamers so didn't want to dump a load of coin on something I wasn't sure I was going to benefit from. I've pretty decided to stay with streamers and pull the tuner and I can only see more convenience with a server option. I am considering an aurender as they seem to be universally accepted as a step up from bluesound, however there is a big price jump? Another consideration is compatibility, will aurender and bluesound play nice together or do I have to have 2 stations with the same name?

I have a standalone hard drive connected to my router via USB that we have music on. My node had no problem finding it. Understand SQ wise it’s probably not ideal, but demonstrates it is easily doable. 

I’ve done exactly that with both Plex and Roon. Roon is more expensive but delivers a more complete user experience as well as better sound quality at home.

A lifetime Roon license costs <$1000, so in the same general cost ballpark as many popular home audio streamers and less than most audiophile gear in people’s homes. It’s a good investment for any home hifi and music enthusiast.

Plex is better at remote streaming than Roon so Plex makes sense for a cost effective solution using everyday consumer computing devices that can do it all including good quality remote streaming via CarPlay, headphones, etc

The Bluesound Vault would be a convenient option, since you already have a Node. I'd probably lean toward a general purpose computer instead.  You can get a Mac Mini M2 for less than the price of a Vault, and it will do more.  You could set it up as a music server with Roon Core or Audirvana, or simply store downloaded/ripped music files on its hard drive then expose them as a shared Bluesound library to the Node. 

Some people favor a dedicated music server (such as Small Green Computer's sonicTransporter, an Aurender, an Auralic Aries, or a Roon Nucleus.)  I'm sceptical that these devices deliver any noticeable sound quality improvements. They tend to be much more expensive than a Mac Mini or a NUC, and usually don't support a wide variety of music-related applications (like the HD Tracks music file downloader, Apple Music, or REW). I do have one, though (the sonicTransporter i9,) in addition to a Mac Mini.

You don't necessarily need to buy anything new, if you happen to have an old computer lying around.  Whether it's a general purpose computer, an Aurender, a Vault, a NAS, etc., basically what you're doing is setting up a network-accessible storage device to expose your music to one or more networked endpoint device(s) attached to your HiFi system.  There are many ways to do this.

You can set up a NAS plugged into your router and access it from any where, That’s what I did and it has movies and music loaded up as a media server.

See:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JKM0ES2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&amp;th=1

If you are getting a second streamer stay with the Bluos OS, either Bluesound or NAD products. I have a Node and it is OK, the NAD C-658 is a big step up in SQ and has Dirac room correction too. I would put the NAD in the dungeon and move the Node to the secondary system. If you have questions on setting up the NAS just post.

I have been streaming and serving digital for years, and I can tell you that typical NAS or network drive solutions do not deliver the fidelity that an Aurender unit can when serving a file from its internal drive. I cannot fully explain technically why this is the case aside from the local file within the Aurender benefitting from a robust linear power supply, well isolated components, and quality clocking. I’ve built my own audio server with caching memory capabilities, investing thousands into my own Roon core in a fanless chassis with good Farad Super3 linear power supply and I have still found Aurender units to deliver much better quality streaming and local file playback. That server, sans the power supply, is now just my movie and file server, and I won’t doubt Aurender again. Just my two cents.

Thanks for the suggestions and recommendations, they are all appreciated. I have had my computer set up as a network server for several years already but it is inconvenient as I have to run downstairs and start it up or leave it running all the time? Maybe it's my imagination but I found the sound quality to be considerably better from the node than it is from the computer server? As luck would have it a used vault 2t dropped in my lap for less than 1/3 of new price so I jumped on it. I heeded the advice to match the products, I'm thinking a node and a vault should fill my needs for now and make a good entry level set up for now. If it works out well I'll move on up the line as so many of us do. With only $700 invested for the node and vault and can't see going to far wrong. Thanks again for the help and willingness to pass along your experiences.

Streamers should sound better than computers, which are noisy due to the non musical functions that they perform, and also because since playing music on a pc is an afterthought the hardware dedicated to ot is low quality.  The Bluesound line was the first multi room streaming line with high end pretensions and sound much better than PCs.  My problem with them was durability, with a lifespan of about 5 years, but not every owner here has had that issue.  My tip would be to decline to do their numerous updates, as the units tend to get hung up during them and can only be restarted with difficulty, if at all.