First Streamer...

Simaudio 280D is a excellent DAC and has DSD and MQA if that is important to you, AES, XLR, RCA, USB, BT, WIFI.....

Can be had for under $2500.00 used. 

May know of one for around $2100.00

Check it out.  High Quality | 280D Streaming Best DAC | Audiophile | MOON - Simaudio

"you’ll get the usual DAC is everything advice. In my opinion @ghdprentice provided you good counsel. The quality of the streamer is important and will definitely impact the sound quality"

DAC first doesn't suggest that the streamer isn't important.  In my system I put DAC first and use an iFi Zen Stream with iFi's $250 power supply, $50 to use fiber optics to filter out ethernet noise and it all sounds very musical.  I will replace the iFi when I have the money, but I'm happy with the iFi.

Like some here I have the Bluesound system. I have a Node 2 in one HI FI system and a Vault in another.. I have ripped all my CD’s to the Vault. Interesting note, if one has a hard drive with music on it, like I did with CD’s ripped to Itunes, the Vault can accept all that music without re-ripping CDs.

I have been happy with the sound by using external DACs with the Bluesound devices. Unlike others here, I have both Qobuz and Tidal and I think Tidal via MQA sounds better. I have also upgraded the Power supply on the Node 2.

I have found the customer service from Bluesound to be stellar. I think when other audio brothers here compare Bluesound to other streamers (which do sound better) they compare the Node which is often 1/2, 1/4 or even 1/16th the price of the better streamer. I, for one, cannot spend $6K on a streamer. It’s a budget option that sounds good, maybe not great. It’s performance jumps up a couple notches with a better DAC. My only negative is that it works better connected wired on a network with Cat5 cable to a router then it does wireless.

In my system I put DAC first and use an iFi Zen Stream with iFi's $250 power supply, $50 to use fiber optics to filter out ethernet noise and it all sounds very musical.  I will replace the iFi when I have the money, but I'm happy with the iFi.

This is terrific for you if this arrangement makes you happy. Certainly there are alternative solutions and beginning with a higher level streamer is one of them. iFi will be sufficient for some listeners and not for others. Individuality/case by case , YMMV etc.

Charles

Charles..

Agreed..