Recommendations for music network player

I was very skeptical when I purchased my Bluesound Node 2. First, I really was put off because I had many digital files ripped with Itunes which were a little hard to set up with the Node 2. Additionally, the artwork integration by which Itunes does a horrible job of getting album artwork for files. Once I got these bugs worked out, through the great help of the guys at Bluesound customer support I really liked the versatility of playing my files from my Iphone and NOT USING MY COMPUTER OR ITUNES. I have a separate HDD setup with Western Digital’s My Cloud in another room that the Bluesound picks up via my home wireless network. The best surprise of all was when I started investigating Tidal’s MQA on the Node 2. I was floored by how good it sounded. The Node 2 was the best $500 I have spent on my stereo.
BTW with the Vault 2, one would be skipping all the technical integration problems I had and serve as the HDD for your music. The Vault 2 will rip all your CD’s and find the artwork. It will also stream music, just as the Node 2 does.

2psyop - I am still on the fence about the Node 2.  I may soon have enough credit card points to get one, but some of the reviews have criticized the Node 2's sound stage as too narrow and not deep in comparison to somewhat more expensive DACs.  Care to comment on that?  Thanks.

@bonmanp Not to jump in for 2psyop, but I'll second the Bluesound Vault/Node 2 as being good, idiot-proof products with an easy to use app with sound quality that is surprising given the cost (particularly the Node 2).  I hope those reviews aren't from Bo, who apparently likes to jab me with how 2d and genetically corrupt Bluesounds are.  I use it for Tidal hifi and to pull ripped CDs from the Vault.  I usually run them through digital coax to more expensive (non-MQA) DACs, and, yes, IMO it's better that way, but the gap isn't as great as I would have thought.  On some Tidal MQA, it can actually be a very close call between the Bluesound running full MQA v. through 24/96 into the separate DACs.

I'm sure things like the Aurenders and Lumins are better, but the Bluesound is no slouch for the money.  I'm considering a Cary DMS500 for the primary system, but I don't know if it is actually going to be any better than the Bluesound through a Cary200ts that I'm using there, now.  My biggest hesitation is that I already have too much Cary stuff.  I guess TAS liked the Cary, for whatever that might be worth.

Yes the Bluesound is that good..... for $499. We are in a place and time in audio, whereby people spend $20k for amps and preamps $10k for source components, $50k for speakers and $25k cabling. So lets keep things in perspective. I like the Node 2 as a budget component that delivers above the bar for it’s price range. Sounds better than my CD player to my DAC, better than my older Logitech Squeezbox and much better than any source digital audio component I have had when playing albums in MQA.
As always YMMV....

I concur with 2psyop, the Bluesound is an incredible value.
If you couple the Bluesound with an Ayre Codex, or a Schiit Gungnir or Yggy, you will be spending a reasonable amount of money and getting a killer combo.
IMHO
Bob