Soooo many choices.

Maybe what's getting in my way here is that I'm kind of from the school of thought that I want a system that produces the most accurate reproduction. If a component changes the sound in any fashion then it really doesn't fit that desire. I understand that some recordings aren't what we would maybe want to hear, I'm fine with that.
Most of what I am striving for will come from cd's until I get situated with a HD stream setup of some sort. At first the streaming will be for convenience. As such I don't know what bit rate, sampling rate, clocking speed, or any of these other tech terms mean. I'm still of an analog thought process, trying to learn.
Power and IC cables are in the plan, as is anything else that comes to mind that is the weak link. Of course it will take quite some time to do with the funds I will have available. In fact one of the reasons I've thought of upgrading the pre and amp is the fixed, small, oe power cables the current pieces have.
Your comment about your Pioneer and the Biifrost is exaclty why I'm looking towards a DAC, along with my picking one with USB will bring in the Pandora streaming that the wife is into.
I'm sure I'm not close to making a decision soon as I has way too much I want to learn about it still.
So, another question to get me closer. What does bit rate have to do with this?
Names Loren by the way..

Loren - Bit -rate - as it applies to internet radio streaming is the speed at which the radio station transmits at - higher the bit rate the better quality music.

While on the quality topic - an example of the audible difference as it pertains to bit depth and sample rate e.g. 24/96
- a 24 bit depth file should have better dynamic presentation than 16 bit
>>> drums should sound as though they have more punch
- a 192 kHz sample rate should have finer details than 44kHz rate
>>> I tend to notice sibilance sounds more detailed and smoother on a couple of higher sample rate files I have

Alas - The higher the bit depth/sample rate - the bigger the file

Re: your knowledge - I hear you - I'm still learning every day and had several failures, but I learned a lot.

Everything in this hobby is a series of choices governed by budget. -
- Investing in a dac will give you the ability to get into streaming later and give you the enjoyment new kit brings :-)
- a streaming device will be another learning experience - I hope Pandora works for you.
- I started with an Apple tv since it was affordable but soon learned it's shortcomings, so research your streamer
- I now use my iMac because it is available - I think using some kind of computer may be the best way to go because it appears to be versitile in that it's controlled by software and can grow with new development
- you don't need a very powerful computer either, but ram helps - 4 gig is good.
Take some time to research cables - there are many good ones out there and price does not dictate quality.

Re: cables...
If you can make your own you'll save a bundle and have quality cables.

If you are not DIY inclined I have found DHLabs has great quality cables at reasonable prices. They also sell bulk cable for diy projects

Re: the attached power cables
- if you can find a technician that can install an iec socket that would give your gear an extended life and allow you to upgrade power cables

Alternately - good sounding gear that is reasonably priced and performs very well with good cables is Cambridge Audio - there are many others to choose from

Don't be put off of integrated amps - there are extremely very good ones from companies like Naim and Cyrus that are loud for their modest rating and produce high quality audio.

Ihave a Naim 5i mkii that is 50 watts and bloody loud. Sound quality is very good.

Hope I answered your questions

loren personally I'd forget i heard anything about rates. if you digitize your plain old cd its 16/44. if you download some high definition stuff its mostly 24/96 with some 24/192. not sure any even is selling any 32 bit stuff, same with DSD. if you have 16/44 material and upsample (which puts bits in where there are none, using some algorithm, it will use up more storage space and may not sound much different. I have 2gb of music and none of it is beyond 16/44. im waiting for the wonder 64 bit system personally. that one will cook your breakfast in the morning as well.

I did what someone above suggested. my local dealer had my speakers (I was going to bring them anyway) and i had him put on his cheapest decent amp and let it fly. I had the ayre qb9 added to provide a "high end" dac for comparison. Not perfect bu you can drive yourself crazy. take your best shot, listen to what you can and dont sweat rates and dont look back.

Loren - Paulsax is right about rates - I have a hard time telling the difference between 16/44 and 24/192 with a decent dac - I would not consider 24/384 - files are just too damn BIG!

Will 32/384 out perform 24/96? - to my ears it would be very hard for me to tell the difference. If you played 32/384 track in its entirety, wait a couple of minutes then played the same track but a 24/96 version most people would be hard pressed to determine the difference. Most of the difference would be in the dynamic range - but again there would be very little difference to many peoples ears

I certainly would not let it effect my enjoyment of the music. But then I listen to vinyl with all its pops and crackles

I set my upper limit to 24/192 once I saw the file sizes.

Many download site have multiple sample rates available and probably will do for many years to come.

If you think that by choosing a dac with a higher sample rate you are avoiding obsolesence - think again - within a couple of years there will be some other technology to knock it off its perch.

Nice thing about the Schiit - they have designed it to handle upgrades as technology change - will they have a 32/384 upgrade at sometime? Who knows - it might take a whole new model

Again - as Paulsax says - take your best shot and move forwards.