Help with finding a new streamer.

Despite the positive experience others have had with Aurender products, they should be avoided like the plague by the astute consumer for a number of reasons which I don't think I would be allowed by the forum moderators to elaborate on here.

Also, while the products may have streaming as a function, the architecture is very much a server. If Aurender wanted to market music streamers then they should have thought about what having a full blown OS, storage, and a glorified FTP server would get them.

To those who enjoy them - my sincere message is to find something different, there are plenty of alternatives which not only perform better, but are easier to deal with and offer a more flexible solution for just about any system. The people and product you are supporting has done and still does absolutely nothing to actually benefit the realm of performance audio, despite what the press and the internet have tried to reinforce for you. 

My suggestion to the OP would be to build a Raspberry Pi and run Snakeoil OS, with the money saved you can hold onto it and either purchase a proper streamer/DAC combo (which have a lot of technical advantages, and most outperform something like an Aurender) or eventually a better DAC and music server/streamer configuration. Heck, with something decent you might actually be able to share music between rooms, something which Aurender has never been able to do for some odd reason....

I have owned the the Node 2i (with a linear power supply), an Ifi Zen streamer, and now a Lumin U1 mini.

The Node did perform better once I added the LPS. I do think the Zen sounds just a bit better and for sure is a great value to anyone who already has a DAC. However, I think the Lumin was worth the upgrade. I got it around your budget used. 

The Lumin is much more holographic than the Zen, but it was close to 4X the cost of the Zen.

I recently bought an Innuos Zenith Mark III & use Qobuz through it as well as CD’s ripped into it. Sounds  excellent ! It appears to be a very well engineered & built product & puts the focus on the quality of the components over looks & fancy displays. I don’t see the need for any video display on a streamer when you’re controlling them with an iPad or phone & you  probably can’t read the display anyway from your listening seat. The Innuos app works well, easy to use & the unit rips CD’s in just a couple minutes.  I also use the Border Patrol DAC which I know is a controversial piece but the combo is great; tight, clean, dynamic with minimal listener fatigue like many other set ups I’ve heard. 

It’s good to hear from someone who has used both and feels the ifi is at least a forward move from the Node.  Your Node is a newer model and upgraded which makes me think the ifi could be a decent jump from my older, unmodified Node.  Especially when I factor in the improved usb input on my dac that I’m currently unable to use. The Lumin mini is very appealing to me, but still uncertain if that’s the best way to spend my funds.  I believe my power distribution could also be improved, and have to take into account spending some there as well.  I know it can be hard but where do you think the ifi would land on a scale with the Node being a 1 and the Lumin being a 10? 

I think the Zenith is at least double my budget, even used. While I’m sure it sounds great not really an option for me. If anybody wants to let one go for 1,500$ pm me.