Please help with setting up a streaming system

Your iPad will work well as the controller for a Bluesound Node, that's how I stream Tidal in my living room system. I use an iPad Mini because the size is perfect for easy handling but with a screen large enough to be easily read. It also works well with a WiiM Mini streamer in my office system. The WiiM Mini is another excellent way to get started with streaming. 

https://wiimhome.com/WiiMPro/Overview

If the cat 5 isn’t sufficient

Cat 5 is fine

Everyone usually recommends the one they use,

I use five. The Bluesound Node for MQA, the X-Box Series S for streaming music videos on Plex TV, Qello Stingray, or YouTube, also for streaming Atmos music from Tidal or Apple music, The Sony UHPH1 for streaming DSD and SACD, and finally my Paradigm Link (which is very similar to the Martin Logan Unison I recommended and has ARC). I don’t own the Unison but recommended it instead of the Link because it has ARC and also does Airplay.

OP, most of these streamers limit what you can stream. If you want to stream a service not in the OS you are screwed. The Unison will work with Spotify, Airplay, the Play-Fi app or DLNA. This app has one feature that makes it the winner in my system. If you use a windows tablet or PC and use the playfi windows app anything you play on the PC is streamed. I like services not on most apps like mixcloud, soundcloud, and concert streaming services like wolfgangs.

That is why I prefer the OS. The reason I prefer the SQ is ARC, no other streamers offer that feature. Finally its 50% off, a winner.

IMO, a new or used Innuos, Lumin or Auralic would put you far ahead of of the Blue Sound.

I'd also strongly recommend the Uptone Audio EtherRegen switch (to get rid of jitter-causing noise) placed just before the streamer. since the rest of your rig sounds pretty solid.

You could probably do both for a total under $2k.

Then some day spring for a newer DAC.

"The Music Room" or TMR has an Aurender N100 for sale right now for $1500. I just got their email today.

@ghdprentice : Hello. In a variety of threads related to streaming, I’ve taken note of your comments revealing that your music streaming has caught up with/surpassed your LP playback. This interests me. With due respect to this thread, which is streaming related, I’d like to ask about your journey to achieve this end. I’m very knowledgeable about stereo equipment in general, but in the category of computer based generation of audio, I am not! I believe you have gone into some details in the past, but I wasn’t fully paying attention because I love the sound of my LPs, and considered streaming background music. I have made the decision to put some more effort into improving the sound of the music I’m streaming. You are one of the few here, who appears to have initially been committed to vinyl, who has written that their streaming has become as good as their vinyl playback system. We all have our own preferences, but I’m ready to explore streaming a bit more seriously… as others may be too.. if for no other reason than convenience. I hope this fits within the context of this thread… since I am, also, looking for some direction on how to get to a higher ground with streaming my music!