Start with Upgrade to DAC?

As for the streaming service, I like convenience, so between Tidal and Qobuz, is one more convenient to use than the other?

I used to be very anti Tidal due to their higher pricing and absurd MQA requirement for hi res, but both of those things have changed so music selection may now be the biggest differentiator between the two. I will say as a Qobuz user I find their search function subpar. It works, but often I search for things I know are there and they still don’t come up — very frustrating. I’ve since learned how to work with it, but it’s an unnecessary weakness that Qobuz frustratingly seems unwilling to improve. It’s not a huge deal and overall I’m very happy with Qobuz, but I mention it because you’re asking about convenience and this is one area — along with playlists if those are important to you — that you might want to pay attention to as you compare the two.

I totally respect your rationale for wanting to avoid PRC products, and I think you’re on the right track with the Zen Mk3 especially if easily ripping CDs is important, and you’re also getting their excellent Sense app and customer service that are very significant pluses. And of course sound quality is among the best in your price range. Hope this helps, and best of luck. If you do get the Innuos I’d be very interested in your thoughts as I’ve also got a Zen Stream and am also strongly considering the Zen Mk3 as an upgrade.

Honestly though, my views are in the mainstream.

@mdalton If you think that your view that all streamers sound the same is in the mainstream you are seriously delusional. The vast, vast majority of people here clearly hear differences between streamers, and those differences are significant and not at all hard to hear so your inability to hear these differences is absolutely in the minority and most certainly not in the mainstream. No serious or experienced reviewer uses a $400 streamer in their reference system, so if all streamers have no sound as you maintain then according to you they’re all wasting their money or are kidding themselves. Likewise go to any audio show and you won’t find a sub $2000 streamer in the building — why is that if they make no difference? Face it, your position is in the extreme minority, and you come here telling people they make no difference and sadly some people may buy your story and not even try a better streamer, and that’s where you potentially do true harm here. People who have ears and use them, you aside, have heard the significant difference a better streamer can make and have voted with their wallets, and though you try to hide behind some tech theory to support your inability to hear those differences it doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority absolutely hear that you’re an outlier. Thankfully most people choose to use their own ears and will find their own truth despite your continued determination to tilt at windmills.

Jesus I hate when this crap happens, let’s talk audio

@vthokie83 I agree and initially just stayed silent while he spewed his crap, but when he belittles someone here who’s sharing an honest experience of hearing an improvement with a given streamer just because he doesn’t understand why and it doesn’t fit his shallow model of how things should work according to him, then that’s just lame and deserves a response IMO.

some other dude - with whom i do have a history - piles on with ad hominem attacks on me, presumably for making logic-based points?
 

@mdalton To be clear, you made a snide response to someone here who merely shared his actual listening experience with a streamer, and you took it upon yourself to try to tell him he didn’t know what he was talking about when he heard what he heard with his own ears.  Incidentally, I’ve received emails from other posters here supporting my response and saying that you were off base with your unnecessary comments.

I believe I deserve special credit for linking to a thread where an OP, against my recommendation, spent a ton of money on a streamer, and seems very happy with his decision, which is fine by me

Special credit for giving bad advice that streamers don’t make a difference???  Ha!  And that OP, BTW, is not just very happy but is thrilled with his new Aurender streamer to the point where his streaming setup is now on the level of his vinyl source no thanks to your “advice.”  Not that you’d understand that since according to you streamers don’t make a difference.  Give it a rest dude — you do more harm than good here. 

@mdalton There’s no “capeeshing” necessary.  You very sadly can’t hear differences in streamers, which makes your opinion on the topic no more useful than a deaf person’s opinion on speakers.  Capeesh?

@mdalton You can’t hear differences between streamers anyway, so your input as usual is utterly useless and pointless on this topic.

@mdalton It’s clear that @stevebohnii actually heard significant improvements in going to the Neo from the Zen, so you arguing some individual parts here are there is really pointless gibberish because in the end it’s about the sound and clearly found the added expense was worth it to him.  He expressed his opinion based on his actual experience with the product in question here, which is perfectly valid, while you continually come in here telling people there’s no difference in sound between streamers — now that is gibberish.

I’d look at a LAiV Harmony DAC that offers a trial and an Innuos Pulse Mini with something like a Teddy Pardo LPS.  A little over your budget but well worth the stretch I’d think.  Best of luck.