Take a look at the Roku Box, I think it will do what you're looking for.

The Roku box will use your Wifi signal to connect directly to the internet on its own. Meaning, the sound signal doesn't flow through a PC. It can be controlled by a PC, a remote, or even a smartphone or tablet. There are Roku apps for most major audio sources - Pandora, Slacker, TuneIn Radio (for regular radio stations around the world), etc.

An added benefit if your TV is located near your stereo, and you don't already have the multitude of streaming TV sources available for watching, the Roku box will provide that capability too.

Yes, thank you snidely! That looks like what I am looking for, and at $90 for the top of the line, very affordable. How difficult is it to set up? One of my TV's is right next to my stereo.

Another alternative I didn't mention is to use a tablet or even an old smartphone to capture the streaming audio signal. The smartphone can even be disconnected and inactive in a mobile phone sense, it just needs to have wifi capability. You'd use a connecting wire with a 3.5 mm headphone plug into the little device and then two RCA plugs on the other side to connect as an input source into your stereo.

All of this too depends on how tidy or how messy you want the setup to be. If you use it all the time, a purpose-dedicated device like a Roku would be the better solution.

Connecting new devices like a Roku box (or even Apple TV, if yours is an Apple home) and figuring out how they work is harder for some than for others. I wouldn't worry about it. If you have trouble, there are lots of places to get help. Here included.

snidely, both of your solutions are along the lines of what I was looking for. The local Best Buy was trying to sell me a $350 Sonos. I think I'll go with the Roku - $90 is well within my budget. It turns out one of my sisters has one. From what she told me, I will have to hook it up to a TV in order to see what I am doing with it. Or not? Anyway, the TV is right there. Thank you for your input. Maybe I'll start to get rid of cable. On that TV I can save $10 a month on set top box rental. I have been renting that thing for seven years - $840. I can get PBS on the Roku and local stations with an antenna. If I can get TV Chile (for my wife) on Roku, I could get rid of cable entirely. That comes to $110 a month! As I am coming into retirement, any cut in expenses is welcome!

The discussion is changing a bit. If your main interest is TV content, the Roku is a good choice. If set up right, it will also allow audio content from the internet (as discussed) to be fed to the adjacent stereo system. Probably not both at the same time.

Sonos is a better choice if your main interest is audio for the stereo and you have a digitized (ripped from CDs or bought from an iTunes store or Amazon) music collection on a PC. But it doesn't do TV. It's not either or, you could have both.

It's my understanding (I'm 90% sure) that there's no need to have the TV on to control a Roku box if your using it for an audio stream and the TV is otherwise off. You can "see what you're doing" by using a PC, a smartphone, or a tablet. Call Roku and double check.

snidely, I am most interested in net radio and Pandora. TV would be a bonus. The wait time at Roku is too long, so I left email questions. Maybe I will hear back early next week. Sonos is way to expensive. For that price I could get a new receiver/amp with built-in Wi-Fi. Then, there are lots of Wi-Fi cell phones on e-bay for $12 to $15.

From your description, it sounds like a Roku box would fill the bill for you.

I just went to the Roku website, they have a 24x7 Chat Live service. Try that to get your questions answered, it's under Support - Contact Us.

I wouldn't buy a used smartphone from an unknown seller on eBay or Craigslist or any similar source. Maybe that's just me, but I'd much rather get (buy) one from someone I know, family or friend. Most people replace smartphones every 2 years, finding (or buying) a used one from a known source should be easy enough.

Be careful if you're thinking of getting an old Iphone or Ipod. When Apple revises the operating system, older models often can't be updated and are prevented from using the itunes store to download apps. The same can happen with Android devices, where an App requires a recent and not too-old version of the OS to work, but less frequently (in my experience). If the device you get is only a few years old, there should be no problem.

I mention this because to operate the Roku box from a device, there are apps you need to download/install. They're free. If you buy from a friend and find it doesn't work for your desired use, you can "return" it.

Roku's "live chat" had a 28 minute wait. Maybe it's a weekend thing. If Roku will work, even if I have to buy two, that would be my best choice. I would like having a remote. I am in no rush and will wait till Roku gets back with me. A cell phone would be my last choice.

Hopefully you understand what I was mentioning before -

You can use a smartphone on wifi as a controller for the Roku. No need to have the TV on to see what's happening, if your audio is connected directly to the stereo and not to the TV.

I finally got up with Roku. It is for connecting to TV only. I have an old cell phone with Wi-Fi, but it is difficult to use. What app do I need to receive net radio from my home Wi-Fi on a cell phone or tablet? TIA

Check yout email, I sent you a message about how to use the Roku box for this purpose.

As for using a smartphone, each sound source has its own Android or Iphone app. They're all free to download and free to use (with occasional commercials, similar to but less frequent than on regular radio). Pandora and Slacker want you to have a user number and password (which you can do in a PC browser window) and then input on the smartphone the first time you use it.

If you want to listen to Pandora, download and use the Pandora app

Slacker? The Slacker app.

Over the air radio stations from anywhere in the US and around the world? Use the TuneIn Radio app.

As I mentioned, be careful that the old smartphone you wish to use is current enough to be permitted to download apps from the relevent app store, either ITunes store or Google Play. If too old, it may not be possible. You can always check first.

Thanks again, snidely. I did get your email. You have sorted it out for me. Now I just have to make a decision which way to go.