Streamer Recommendation.

I'm in the Dinov camp, you can see my streaming system details in my house of stereo system. Another HUGE variable that no one here is talking about is what device do you want to use to control your streamer. I personally want to use exclusively my android phone since it is a perfect remote. That right there eliminates auralic immediately since they don't even have an android app. Aurender and Lumin have much worse reviews about their android apps or phones than bluos. I keep hearing they are fine with a tablet, so not for me. That leaves Innuos as a potential candidate but I am so happy with the sound of my upgraded NODE 130 setup that I see no reason to move on from it. It is so good that now I listen to streaming 80% of the time vs. vinyl and CDs and those systems of mine are of excellent quality, even way more expensive, also shown in my system. How you want to control your streamer is the most important part of deciding on a streamer and I am always dumbfounded no one talks about it. Weird, it's like everyone has an ipad...

....android apps on phones...

@rbsaudio should you follow through on the mesh wifi recommendation, be sure you do not place the mesh node too close to your music rig!

By definition a mesh node, or any wifi extender for that matter, generates RF which can interfere with your system. When I acquired a mesh node for my living room I originally made the grave error of putting it in the same cabinet as my gear. My moving coil head amp was unusable! I wound up putting the node in a book case across the room and running some good quality Cat8 to my Node2. The improvement in sound quality using a cable vs wifi, even that close to the node was immediately discernible.

Maybe give that a try before $pending thou$sand$ of dollar$? 😉

Happy listening.

PS: I still have my Node2i...

+1 for LUMIN if looking for streamer only. I have a U1 and it is very reliable, firmware is updated over the net, excellent sound quality. Is Roon ready but LUMIN software is as easy to use as BluO. I prefer Roon for a variety of reasons related to search capabilities, but sound quality of LUMIN software is just as good if not slightly better to my ears

Would agree with those suggesting spending some of your budget on Ethernet wire to the LUMIN. As others have suggested, add mesh wifi at a minimum. The mesh units have an Ethernet port for the streamer. Linksys and Eero make reliable units I’ve owned.

Happy listening.

I had an Ethernet cable run about 75 feet from my router to my listening room for $600.  Much better idea than the mesh router path.

If you’re handy, you could do it yourself for under $100.