Based on the OP’s desire for simplicity in how to stream, incorporating Roon or a stand alone streamer with its own app / software are key. I’ve had a BS Node 2i, tried around 5-7 different DAC’s, streamed via a streamer, all in one boxes, used those as a streamer to an external DAC, Roon, streamed directly from my laptop to a DAC.
I didn’t realize prior how important the software / App is with a streamer. OP - I to didn’t like the Lumin’s app originally, found it clumsy. But in my system using the Lumin app sounded better to my ears than Roon. So, over time and based on trying other apps, found out the Lumin app is pretty darn good relative the competition, especially when you match it up to the hardware. Bluos App is the best I have run across but it’s hard to find higher end streamers that use it, the Node does. I haven’t used but have read a ton and the Auralic Lightning App gets high remarks, continual updates and has been very inclusive in developing their software to allow the largest list of streaming services I have seen.
If you are looking for ease of use, build quality and best sound quality in your budget, Lumin or Auralic would be great places to look. Lumin’s build quality / engineering / components are top notch, they are far bigger in the commercial space, they use that know how to build their streamers, DAC’s. Trying a BS as a streamer from a vendor that offers a 30 day trial is a no brainer, even if you had to sell it the loss would be minimal. There is a camp of Audiophiles that subscribe to the theory that the DAC and all the other components have a much bigger influence on the SQ. If you could AB the Node and another streamer would be ideal, then you’d know for yourself in your own system. If you liked the Node you’d save some money and be tied into the best software / app that likely will always be supported.
In my search the most experienced, technical people I have talked to lean toward the streamer being the least important. They all say you need a quality streamer but that you can get one for a small investment, anything spent beyond that is going to yield very incremental improvements and cost the cost for those to be noticeable is substantial. I myself am still looking to upgrade my streamer potentially, I currently have a Lumin but it’s not a stand alone streamer. So I’m not really taking their advice.
