Suggestions for a streamer only (I have a great DAC)

@naperaudio - " I have heard of people not liking the Auralic software music management (Lightning?). Do you like it?"

I have not used it for many years, because recent versions run only on iOS, and I use Android devices. I would buy an iPad for this if I needed to, but there is no need. I use Auralic’s Web interface for managing the Aries G1 and other software for playing music.

As to people not liking Lightning DS, that is unsurprising. Name any audio product here, and you will find some people who don’t like it. I also have heard from many people who think it’s superb. But the Aries G1 hardware is not tied to Auralic’s software exclusively.

Now I am using Roon to play music. It’s easy to use and interfaces with Tidal and Qobuz simply. There is a recurring small cost and also the cost of a computer to run it on, but it runs very well with the Aries G1 (which is "Roon Ready"). If you own dCS gear, the cost of Roon isn’t likely to bother you.

Other apps I’ve used to direct music to the Aries G1 are BubbleUPnP, which runs on Android, and Lumin’s software, which I think is available on both ioS and Android. Of course, if you are willing to use an iPad for this, you can try Lightning DS, too. All of those can play from Qobuz and Tidal, as well as from local files.

+1 for Innuos Zenith MK3. 

OP, 

Yes, today a top notch streamer is at or above the level of a high end CD player.  In fact my streamer performs at the level of my vinyl rig (also not shabby, see my UserID).

We are taking about full wide and deep soundstage. Instruments suspended I’d space, mid-range bloom, incredible detail with dead quiet background… low noice floor. But with a nearly infinite music library. But like all other pieces of high end audio, you want performance you have to pay. Alternatively you could go the N10 route. About half the price. But given the quality of your DAC you should mate it with something appropriate or streaming will just be a way to find music to then purchase a CD. When you could be experiencing as good or better sound all the time.

Lightning DS is not great but functional for music genres except classical. Roon is better but still not great on listing classical albums. Only Idagio comes close but it is solely classical. On balance there are worse apps than Lightning DS and from my experience not that many better - most are about on par.

I heard Wolf with a T+A DAC today at the Florida Audio expo, sounded pretty good to me!

but at home I have NAD M50.2