Seeking advice on purchasing a new streamer


Once again I turn to you guys for advice.  Thanks for all the input you've given to help me along the way

I have 2 systems and only one streamer:  A blue sound Node 2i.  I paired it with a chord Qutest and I love the combo.  I want to get another streamer so I can have one in both systems.  I am considering getting a streamer transport (no DAC) and using it with the Qutest in my primary system and using the Node in my secondary system by itself since the DAC in the Node isn't half bad.

My other thought was to get a cambridge CXN which has a built in upsampler.  Currently I listen to almost all CD quality (and I listen to a lot of red book CDs) so the upsampling feature sounds interesting to me.  Also the dual DACs sound like they'd be a plus.  If this solution improves SQ with CD quality recordings, then I would use this in the primary system.  Are there any other streamers with DACs that you'd recommend?

in summary, looking for possibly a transport streamer OR a DAC streamer

I'd like to spend around $1200 on a solution.  

Any thoughts?

thanks
adam8179
Have you considered a Marantz ND8006?  CD & Network Streamer that is Roon ready.  The Marantz software is awful so you will need to use other software...Roon, JRiver, etc... but this meets your needs and is on budget.   
If you can stretch your budget, the Lumin U1 Mini would be at the top of my list.

The Marantz also has a DAC and headphone amp that you're paying for.  I can't imagine it would be much, if any better than the Bluesound.  I had a ND6006 and the software was a nightmare.  When the Bluesound devices came out, I felt like I was lucky to have found a buyer for the Marantz.  Marantz does a lot of things right, but streaming... not so much.
Forget the upsampler, keep the Qutest as it’s a good DAC (until you can afford a meaningful upgrade), and save for a better streamer like the Lumin or Innuos Zen Mk3. 
I was in a similar boat very recently. I was using a Node 2i in my main 2 channel rig in conjunction with a Cambridge Audio DAC (Azur 851D). After I purchased a separate headphone system, I moved the Node 2i to that setup. I was temporarily using my old Apple TV in my main system as a stopgap streamer. 

Just like you, I didn't want to spend more than $1500 on a streamer. I considered several all-in-one options including Innuos Zen Mini, another Bluesound Node, Mytek Brooklyn Bridge (over my budget though) and TEAC 505. All excellent choices! But I reached the conclusion that I wanted the extra flexibility of separate equipment. I did some research, sought advice from a couple of members here, and decided to go in a slightly different direction. I ended up buying a Sonore opticalRendu bundle that includes the opticalRendu, PS, and a media converter. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a big difference, but was pleasantly surprised. The improvement over the Node is not subtle by any means. I'm noticing improvements across the board -- broader, deeper soundstage, more details, definitely a much darker background (something I had never experienced with the Node before), and the bass is definitely tighter and punchier, although not necessarily bigger/heftier. I can say without hesitation that my system has never sounded so musical and refined. I was planning to change the CA DAC earlier, but honestly right now it's sounding so good that I'm having second thoughts on spending more money on another DAC. If I do, it will be something different, like an R2R DAC. I do like the flexibility that a separate streamer can provide. 

I agree with @soix that your existing DAC (Qutest) is very good. Maybe try a different streamer and see if works for you. The opticalRendu comes with a 30-day return policy, and is definitely worth a try. At least in my system, and to my ears, this streamer is worth it. Of course, YMMV.



Sounds like another very good recommendation from @arafiq.  I neglected to mention that, in addition to streaming, the Innuos Zen is also a server with onboard memory so you can easily rip all your CDs into it and have access to all your music in any order (including making playlists) from your chair.  Plus, no more transport necessary.  Best of luck in whatever you choose.