Thinking of taking the plunge.

You mean 2000.00 all in? Or just for the streamer?

• iPad running Spotify
• 1/8” to RCA connector.

A bit more than $1, but it will get things going.

Are you looking for a streamer that has a built in DAC, or just streaming capability?  I heard the Volumio streamer, but it was feeding a separate DAC, and it sounded quite good.  I was surprised that the streaming device sounded considerably better than the Sonos streamer, with both fed from the same source and both feeding the same DAC.   

There are lots of choices with that budget. No specific recommendations on brands/models, but I suggest for a budget that size you get a separate a DAC and streamer, versus integrated. 

I have a Wadia 26 DAC, no USB port. It is older technology but still sounds good fed by a transport. 2000.00 all in is the most I can afford

A good way to get your feet wet with streaming is with a Bluesound Node 2i. Available for $400 or less used. HI-Res DAC built-in, uses NAD BluOS (which is stable streaming software) and it’s easy to use. You can obviously get a better DAC and/or Streamer later but its a good place to start.

Three general ways these days:

1) Smartphone, tablet or computer to hifi

2) Media streamer like Roku as the source

3) dedicated audio streamer......Bluesound is the popular place for many there.

@argee  - If you just want to dip your toes into the streaming waters, you can start out very inexpensively since you already have an external DAC. I'm a pretty frugal guy, but have considerable money in my vinyl setup and vinyl media. Because of that, I've stayed on the budget side of digital music streamers (so far).

At the moment I have 2 different streaming platforms. 1). DIY Raspberry Pi3 based music streamer running Volumio OS (about $100) .  2). New Wiim Mini Streamer (currently $89 on Amazon).

Both of these work well and sound very good streaming to the DAC in my Rega Saturn-R CD/Transport/DAC. The Wiim Mini is basically plug and play and very inexpensive. Works well, controlled via the Wiim app downloaded to my iPhone. The Wiim Mini only has toslink optical digital output for connecting to an external DAC, but you should be covered with the Wadia unless you're already using that optical input.

So, for $89, you could be streaming literally tomorrow. I stream Spotify Premium (it is not Hi-Res) and Radio Paradise. I'll likely be doing a trial of Qobuz. I had Tidal for a year and didn't love it, but honestly did not really give it much of a chance.

Anyway, costs almost nothing to try the Wiim Mini or a RPI based DIY streamer. If you love it, invest more into a great streamer, or maybe a great streamer and a new DAC.

Best of Luck...

You can get really cheap with a Raspberry Pi 4 solution, such as

Yep. Raspberry pi endpoint, subscribe to Roon and Qobuz, Run roon core on your main computer for now.  And put the rest into the best DAC you can find.  Schiit DACs are good value for the price. I have a Bifrost 2 I'll be selling that I haven't listed yet, I'd give it a good bang for the buck rating although I've obviously taken it out of service for something better.  --JErry

I for sure recommend Roon as a organizer, and QObuz as a music library 

buy quality Ethernet cables, as well as usb cables ,  hardwire noticeably better the wifi,  get a good Ethernet hub like uptone audio Ether regen.

The world has gone Blue so should you.

They resell fast if you decide you need more.

+1 on the Bluesound stuff, easy setup, easy to use and you get it all in one box. Not the absolute best of course, but plenty good, gives you everything streaming,  and it's exactly what you need to get started and understand Streaming. By the time you really get use to it, you'll know if you want to spend more or maybe not. The Bluesound stuff lasted me over 3 years before I felt the need to spend more money. Well, maybe it was wanted, rather then needed even.... 

Hope this is helpful. Let us know what you end up doing and how it went.

Bluesound is the way to go for all the reasons stated. I use the 2i feeding into a NAD c368 which I use as a preamp feeding PSAudio power amp.  I feel the NAD is essential. Anyway a great place to start. And he prefer Tidal MQA but Qobuz is okay. It is a sound preference thing as those two services do sound different. The z Bluesound app is great.  Not a huge fan of Roon. See how fun your streaming journey will be. 

@reubent  .. +2

Spot on. Great place to start. Unless you know your gonna love streaming (you are by the way) then cheap and quick intro and your hooked. Then, spend some months reading (while listening to ANYTHING &EVERYTHING) and a little educating, and then you will spend your $2000 with confedence. The Node 2i is a great option. So to the  Audiolab 6000N. Both sell like hot cakes, which means you see a lot of used (testing the waters streamers) for sale on Audio sites like this and others.

I agree Bluesound Node is the best bang for the buck. Simple, overall great app, Roon endpoint. The newest Node’s onboard DAC is better than the 2i’s was. You will get a bit better performance from Node running coax out to a DAC, but overall for the $ and ease of use, the Node is hard to beat.

Adasdad, the OP already said:

"I have a Wadia 26 DAC, no USB port. It is older technology but still sounds good fed by a transport. 2000.00 all in is the most I can afford"

I have to agree with the Bluesound recommendations. 

Good sound quality, stable and intuitive app and good, quick resale if you get the bug for an upgrade. An upgrade might get you slightly better sound but chances are it won't give you as good a UI or software.

You have a nice DAC, so you can use the Bluesound DAC or compare it to your present DAC...and go with whatever sounds best.

If you start with an iPad, use the digital out and go into Settings to select hi res.

‘The iFi zen streamer has a lot of fans and costs less than Bluesound.

Also agree with bluesound node. I got one and was surprised at how good it sounded. The interface is amazing. My wife uses it sometimes and enjoys it. I later added a Schiit Ygdrassil and that really opened it up. You already have a nice external DAC so you'll be in a good place I'd imagine. 

+??? Newest Bluesound Node 2

I hate to say it again, but I will  - Bluesound!

This for $179 is all you need. I’m using an external dac with mine (musical fidelity v90 dac). It is the Best bargain streamer available, plus it has screen. It has hi res capability (although I have no need for it) bluetooth, built in internet radio, pandora, iheart radio, and Amazon Music apps installed, digital coax and analog outputs, a remote control, easy to use, and stays connected via wifi. It can be connected via ethernet if so desired. Back in stock now.....there is no need to spend 3 times more for the bluesound.....I’ve had my Grace digital link for a year now, no issues whatsoever.

Thank you @mwinkc for correcting me.

If you use Amazon HD for music Bluesound seems to be the only one featuring that service. That's why I purchased the Node 2021 model and currently using the coax output only. 

I currently stream via Amazon HD, solely R&R, loudly.  I have a windows based laptop, (2.0 driver installed) USB, to a Benchmark DAC3B, to a Benchmark LA-4 Line amp to an separate amp.. Have a 20' wired connection (2.0 cable) from my DAC to the laptop, at my listening area. Overall a very good system, speakers etc. Around 14k. Other than the attached cord, The streaming is fabulous, sound to me GREAT. Laptop with Amazon  HD sits on table right next to me and I navigate withe a wireless mouse. Only real cost is the HD service and the separate DAC. No need for expensive server, plus with the exception of the NODE unit, No one else supports Amazon HD service, Yet. If you don't mind the cord, it works effortlessly.  Robert TN

Streaming AmazonHD and Roon from iPhone and iPad to Airplay. My WiFi is on Windows computers with Eero Mesh Wifi. Easy to add Airplay to the wifi network. Mini plug to RCA can send analog signal to your preamp; a $7 adapter allows Toslink cable from Airplay for digital signalaling.  I used an Airplay Gen1 1274 adapter. $20 used on eBay. Got started streaming for less than $30.

I have  BlueSound Node 2i.  I wonder if anyone has done a blind test to see if you can hear a difference in comparing a more expensive streamer?  If so, I wonder what you would hear that would motivate you to spend more?  So far, I don't see the value in spending more money.  Also, I would be curious about how many have given up MQA by using digital cable to connect to their amplifier.  How many use Tidal?  How many can hear the difference when playing MQA?  The salesman from The Cable Company suggested giving up MQA and use the better DAC inside my ARCAM.  By doing so, do you give up a significant amount of detail by playing music at a lower resolution.

+1 on the bluOS. 

For AmazonHD There's the Echo Link.  

https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Link-Stream-stereo-system/dp/B0798DVZCY

Or one of the small I5 fanless PC with Windows.  Windows OS has the RemotePC app built in so you can control it from your laptop, Tablet or phone.  I liked it better than the Link because I can also run Foobar to play stored music.

For non AmazonHD users the RaspberryPI and Volumio is a great option.

I'm mostly into vinyl, but I have a Bluesound Node 2i that I find to be quite good.  I use it mostly for background, but also to check out new and new to me music.  I haven't had the urge to go with a separate dac yet, and I dealer I trust very much, when asked, advised me that it was pretty much unnecessary to go with a separate dac.  When listening to it in his demo room, he simply said "Why, do you hear anything you don't like about it?" and pointed to the node.

Try one of these Orchard Audio. I use a PecanPi with Roon.

+1 to BluOS and the Node - as everyone has already mentioned. For myself, this is the streamer that re-engaged me back into listening to music.

The Node not only sounds great at its price point, but it has quite a bit of features: Subwoofer output w/ crossover setting, digital outputs, Roon Ready, Tidal and Spotify Connect, MQA full decoder if that’s your jam, and solid UI that allows you to set presets and favorites from various providers - Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, etc. I’ve also found the TuneIn streaming stations (which can also be assigned as a presets) wonderful for passive listening and music discovery.

@larry5729 I’m not as critical towards MQA as others. With this said, and not to entirely derail this thread and OP’s question, I have found MQA to run certain tracks a little hot at times, in addition to perhaps some EQ in lower and higher frequencies. Pure SQ, I prefer Qobuz. UI and algorithm to discover new music - Tidal is preferred IME. In lieu of this, definitely hoping the above doesn’t start an MQA debate.

The Cable Co. has only offered me good advice in the past. At the very least I’d spend a weekend using the Arcam’s DAC to see if you can determine a preference.

Bluesound Node2, Schiit Gungnir and a year subscription of your choice of service and you are right at $2000

Enjoy!!

A used Lumin u1 mini is a good option to consider.  No onboard dac.

Since you already own a good DAC there is no reason to get anything costlier than the Bluesound Node. 

Since you already have the DAC, is there any reason to spend more than $89 for the WiiM Mini Streamer?

Do it!!! I put off streaming and stored music files for way too long.  I bought a Bault 2i a few years ago and haven’t looked back 

I use my old MacBook for streaming, with a software program called Amarra Lux, which is compatible with both Tidal and Quobuz. I use the DAC in my amp, and the result is really good. With the money I save on a streamer, I can spend more on speakers and a turntable.

So if you already have a SPDIF coaxial non-USB DAC and you want to stream, I agree with the used BlueSound Node 2i. It’s reasonably inexpensive, only has SPDIF coax out and you can stream a multitude of platforms through it. If you want Roon, then do yourself a favor and build an Intel NUC with better than the minimum specs per the Roon ROCK info at Roonlabs.com. Buy the NUC, RAM and M.2 SSD on Amazon. Install Roon ROCK on it and try it out. That could be your Roon Core. If you want buy a linear power supply for it. Then get a one year subscription to Roon. You can use Roon remote on your phone or iPad. I suspect that you already have the headphone amp and or preamp/integrated amp and speakers covered. 

Larry,  I agree with your dealer that a better DAC will make more difference than say MQA v hi res on Qobuz. But I prefer the full MQA.  It is just my preference.   You really should try for yourself. The guys in Toronto at Audio Excellence Canada have some great YouTube’s on yodel v Qobuz and different streamers. And they agree that the dac in the new Bluesound is better than the 2i but the streamer is the same.      

Don’t minimize the importance of the user interface.  Bluesound is so easy to use right out of the box. Almost no learning curve. 

+1 on the Grace Digital Link.  It's a very good streamer for the price.  Amazon (U)HD has been a bit confusing on what it is streaming.  I've tried connecting my old Note 8 using USB output to my dac and bit rate is limited similar to the Grace Link.  24/44.  In the Grace+ app, I see MPEG4-ACC is being sent.  

I can Chromecast Qobuz to the Link with 16/44 (CD Quality) and sounds very good.  I have to listen harder to hear the difference with AMHD.  I've been trying to use 24/96 in Qobuz but not sure if it's my dac, Qobuz, or the Link causing the stutterring/static sound.  Grace Digital says it's not their device.  Qobuz says to increase the app cache to prevent stuttering.  The manufacturer of my dac is a bit responsive being an EU company.  

All in all, I would still recommend the Grace Link.  My next step would be to get a Raspberry Pi 4 since I've read that the usb out has significant improvement over the rpi3 where I wouldn't need the Allo Digione stack card.

I know in our hobby, 1's and 0's are bit different for us but working in IT I can't seem to spend the money on a $2k-4k streamer even though my DAC is $3k.  These new streamers are mini computers so I think a rpi4 would be just as good esepecially since I can use Roon or Volumio.