Excellent post, Geoff. I completely concur
The problem with adopting the use of a streaming/file-based audio source is that you need to have some basic ability/understanding of using computers and the software/interfaces necessary (and how they all 'talk' to each other), in order to get the whole shebang to work.
I have to confess that if I hadn't had a friend, who was completely au fait with the whole process, come to my house and initially set-up my RPI/Moode system for me, with my router and associated NAS drives, I'd not have had a clue, and otherwise would've been unlikely to have embraced file-based audio.
So unless you have someone to call on like that, or possess an aptitude for such things, you really need the existence of a great sounding and affordable, 'plug and play' FBA source, with a user-friendly interface, which is piss-easy to operate (and maintain) for all 'non techies' [and I mean
piss-easy], and for whom 'getting jiggy with computer technology' is a complete anathema.
Is there such a device in the current marketplace? Not that I'm aware of... And that's your problem!
Marco.