Fairly new to streaming. Where to start?

You won't get a consensus on the importance of the streamer. IMO the DAC matters more but in your case you're also dealing with a server could be a computer, NAS, or a streamer/ server like the vault. Just have your music shared and the Node2i can access it, the thing with the Node2i is the DAC is the weakest part of it, the app  interface and streaming capability is pretty good. 

@artemus_5I have not been able to a/b them directly and am going on others comments. However this weekend I listened to an Innuous Zen Mk3 playing on a much more expensive system than mine and I thought OK, but it not that much better. It did not knock my socks off and it was streaming Tidal while I listen to Spotify. I have a/b'ed the internal DAC of the Yamaha with a Topping D50s DAC playing externally on the Yamaha and there is not a huge difference there either.Recently I bought some hi res recordings from Channel Classics and Blue Coast. I guess I've begun to appreciate that the quality of the recording is more important than the player. That is not to say I think you can't do better than a Yamaha wxc-50, not at all. Just that it is a pretty good entry point that can take you a good distance. The Musicast software that comes with it is very versatile and once set up, pretty easy to use with almost any source you could want. Here is a thoughtful review of it:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovrS88tddmo

@electroslacker  @djones51


Here's what I am trying to decide. I have a hifi shop here in town who services  my equipment when needed. They are good & honest and been around for a long time. I've known them for a long time as well. They have been trying to sell me a Yamaha WXC-50. It gets good marks from Hans Beekhuyzen who reviewed it as well as others. Just a bit below Node 2i in sound quality.  I have heard is and it sounded good.   I will need to upgrade the DAC for the Yamaha or the Node 2i. But the Yamaha is $200 cheaper. They also  suggest JRiver ($60). So the question...will the Yamaha send the 1's & 0's to the DAC as good as the Node 2i? I haven't bought anything from them in a while  and I need some more equipment to be serviced which would keep me on their good side (if that makes sense)
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_022WXC50DS/Yamaha-WXC-50.html?awcp=&awcr=309983056457&awdv=c&awkw=%2byamaha+%2bwxc+%2b50&awmt=b&awnw=g&awug=9013327&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6sHzBRCbARIsAF8FMpWdUmwUmixMneDZl3N_G3KUNGjnbGnJhW8_-FZRUDpwFFoI_GDgaaYaAgSVEALw_wcB

IMO yes the Yamaha would work as well as the Node2i it might have a better dac as well. I am not familiar with the interface you would use so I can't comment on that but I imagine it's  easy enough to learn. 

Artemis, I agree with DJones, although I have no personal experience with either unit. The Yamaha seems a lot for a little, and a clever product. I can get caught up in exotic USB cables, but that aside, I bet the Yamaha with a nice DAC would sound great.  I didn’t see Qobuz listed as supported by Yamaha. I like Qobuz for $12/month, but sounds like that’s not an issue for you now. I’d try to listen to all the assembled pieces at the dealer if possible. Best of luck to you.