Critical elements for hi-rez music streaming?

Thanks, Rich, for your thorough information. The transporter I had borrowed for evaluation unfortunately had a problem with its AES/EBU output and so I could not try to connect it with my NBS Professional AES/EBU cable with the Audio Synthesis DAC-2 external D/A converter (with AES/EBU input) that I am currently using for my Forsell Air Reference MarkII transport. But going through two cycles of D/A conversion defeats the idea to stay in the digital domain until the processor.

As digital S/PDIF cables I use Meridian, NBS or Transparent Audio cables which have declassified many other contenders.

Do you have any insights in the sound limitations that are caused by elements before the transporter? I thought the transporter with digital in and digital out is not likely to negatively influence the sound quality, but the elements before are.

Thanks, Rich, again for your time to dive into this.
The two D/A conversion cycles occur when the Audio Synthesis DAC-2 converts the digital signal from the Forsell transport to analog, sends it as analog to the Meridian pre/pro which in turn converts EVERYTHING that goes in into a digital signal. The Meridian then converts the digital signal with its 24bit/96kHZ dacs to analog for amlifier/speaker output. There is no analog pass through the Meridian pre/pro.
When I use the Lg Transporter passing the digital signal from the Ethernet cable/network (this is what I called 'digital in') to the Meridian digital input, the only D/A conversion takes place in the Meridian for its analog output.
Re the 'aged' Audio Synthesis DAC-2: Sorry, but age alone is not a reason for lack of performance with Redbook CD material (16bit/44.1kHz). I have "challenged" the old Audio Synthesis with most modern DACs in the price range up to the $4,000 (the original price of the DAC-2) me and there is simply no reason to retire it at this time. The combo Forsell/Audio Synthesis DAC-2 just declassified in my system the ultra-modern highly acclaimed PS Audio PerfectWave transport connected directly with the Meridian pre/pro. I did not test the transporter DAC though (I explained earlier that the XLR port of the transporter was defect).
So what about the influence of the router on the sound? Is bandwidth not an issue for streaming hi-rez audio files to the transporter? What about the optical drives in our PCs? Does it matter? Why does the same CD ripped and played through the transporter not sound as good as when its played on the Forsell/Audio Synthesis combo??

Shazam, thanks for the hint with the ModWright Truth. I am already in touch with David to discuss modifications that improve the digital path through the Transporter. Great suggestion.