Need tips to better my sound



I’m not computer savvy and enjoy the convenience of streaming.
Right now my router goes to my smart TV by ethernet cable. I stream Spotify app on TV through an optical cable to my dac (old parasound zdac) to yamaha integrated(a-s500) to Revel tower speakers.
Would the best Improvement be to get a dedicated streamer such as a blue sound? I heard blue sound doesn’t work with Spotify but maybe I could get Tidal? I have music stored on an external hard drive, but my computer is slow, old and crappy. I enjoy streaming and seeing my music choices on my TV screen. Do I need a computer to utilize a dedicated streamer? I don’t know how to go about improving this budget (ghetto) set up that I’ve got. The only brick-and-mortar store around me either wants to sell me tons of crap  I can’t afford, or Best Buy tells me "sonos".
suggestions? directions? thanks.
128x128labguy
Given where you are with your components, I recommend holding off on millercarbon's recommendations (for now).


Right, only David_ten forgot to add, "and forever". Because for guys who never experienced or don't understand the value of these things the sad fact is the right time is never. They always want you to do something else first.

But hey, don't take my word for it. Ask him. Ask him if not now, when? I recommend Orville Redenbacher.

So here you are, not a lot of stuff, none of it anywhere near the top of its class, and not a lot of money. So what do "they" recommend? Spend what you can afford. On what? Something hardly any better than what you have. Worse, most of what they're recommending is stuff that however good they think it is now within 6 months, a year tops, something better will be out and their hot pick will be stone cold, long forgotten. That's just the way it is with digital, and solid state. Sooner you get used to it, sooner you start actually making progress instead of running on a treadmill going nowhere.

So what's the alternative? Trick your system out to the max with Cones, fuses like Synergistic Orange, contact enhancement like Total Contact. Read Mahgister, and me, and Frank and Pritchard, and learn to understand that big box components aren't even half the battle. 

Oh sure, you will tend to feel a little funny sticking little Synergistic Research ECT on your laptop, HFT on your walls and speakers. Your friends will think you weird, and you will never get the approval of the wanna bees of which there are so darn many around here. 

This funny feeling won't last long however. First you will notice all the same guys now pushing Bluesound are saying Red is the new blue get Redsound. Or Black. Whatever. Same Schiit, different day. One day when you are moving your BDR Cones to go under your new component it will occur to you this is like 5 years they've been killing it, and still are, and oh yeah same for those ECT, and the HFT work just as good in my new home as they did in my apartment.

Try imagining any of that happening with any of the stuff these other guys are recommending. 

The Japanese have a saying: The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is today.

Choose wisely.
@millercarbon 
I have tweaks all over my system, it’s fun and I enjoy the results. Other than power cord, what tweaks do you recommend for a node2i

andrew 
Do not listen to these people who shill for tweak companies. First there’s the black fuse then the blue then the orange you’ll go through the whole freaking rainbow. Look for a streamer you can afford then research it, you mentioned Bluesound it might not be the end all in streamers but it will make a bigger difference than changing fuses or playing with paste and magic mats.
I like my Bluesound Node2i, does a great job with a good amp and speakers, I’m not sure spending four times the price for a Lumin etc would deliver four times the improvement or an improvement to justify the spend, order direct and get an home trial.