Fairly new to streaming. Where to start?

Streaming is digital music from the internet or a hard drive played with a “streamer”, computer or even phone. Thus the need/want to use a DAC. 

Better said a streamer is a network music player. 

So you have the steamer that streams music files. There’s a trout, Kilgore. 

The streamer I use also recognises a hard drive on my home network. So I’m sourcing music files from the hard drive or internet. 

Most stand alone streamers work with many different software interfaces as well as their own. Thus the verbiage that XYZ streamer works with this or that software or music service. 


Like any thing in this realm the more bandwidth and file size/depth the better the sound. 

Clear as mud?


I often will explore in my given tastes artists/albums I don’t know and save some new and wonderful something I don’t or didn’t know of or listen to a re-released High res album like John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”. That’s what high res streaming Is all about. Immeasurably worth the expense to me. Haven’t purchased any more CD’s.  The music services have so much to offer. 


Pardon typos I’m on the phone. 

Hi, I’m new to streaming as well, but I’ve got a solution that has worked out pretty nicely. I chose Qobuz for their hi-res-only library (esp. good if you like jazz and classical). I stream it wireless from my desktop/router to a Bluesound Node 2i, then bypass its dac and into my Schiit Yggy GS model, and out to my analog stereo system wired with vintage Kef 104/2 speakers. I think the sound is amazing. Just the Node and Yggy GS will put you a little over your $2k limit, so to stay within it, look at the Gumby, which is getting nice reviews and costs half as much as the Yggy GS. The Qobuz app works well enough from my phone, but I may upgrade to Roon on an ipad for a nicer experience, when I get around to it. Good luck!

Lumin T2 review:

https://www.stereo.net.au/reviews/lumin-t2-network-player-review

@uberwaltz

I think majority of members here who refer to streaming really mean accessing an online music service over the internet.
Like Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify etc.

I believe you are right. I've been in the analog realm for so long I don't know the terms which are generally used by the streaming people. Add to that That my initial thoughts have been transformed . Its a form of Audiophile culture shock. I get the hang of it though. 

fuzztone

you are right, I'm not serious about streaming in my music system. hooked it up, easy, played Pandora for Donna, left the room, never tried it again, forgot about it, disconnected it, happy that no more thought about it is needed. 

I was asking what the logical steps were IF someone wanted to move up from such a simple setup, I thought the answers would be good for others following the thread as well as my curiosity.