My base system summarized: Benchmark DAC2 + Benchmark AHB2 + microRendu + KEF LS50 speakers = $6200. Buying a used DAC2 and KEF speakers would get me to $5K for the base system. The listed items are super light and small.
My suggestion is an Benchmark DAC2 (with 2 analog inputs and volume control), the Benchmark AHB2 amp, a Sonare microRendu, ROON or JRiver music server software, TIDAL monthly subscription, a computer in a far away room, a mobile communication device (iPad, Surface, iPhone, Android). I think you will have many speakers to choose from with the AHB2 amp. I have my TV, XBox, and microRendu connected to the digital inputs on the DAC2. I have an analog tuner that I have connected to the analog input on the DAC2. I have a remote for the DAC2. I use the mobile communication device with a ROON app to talk to my noisy computer which is at the other end of the house. I have a direct Ethernet wire from my network router to the mircoRendu (which connects to the USB input of the DAC2). You can also use D-link type of wired connections (or even wifi via some device) for the computer and microRendu but I prefer the reliability of the wired connection to my DAC. Notice that I have a noisy computer, it does not matter with the microRendu.
