Does the streamer effect sound quality

@audphile1

I went from Bluesound to Bryston BDP3, and then to the Cambridge Audio CXN 60. Same DAC, and for a while I had all 3 simultaneously. The Bryston costs six times more than the Bluesound and sounded much better. I got rid of it ultimately because the software to control it was unusable. The CA also sounds noticeably better than the Node, much closer to the Bryston while lacking just that last bit of solidity in the midrange. It costs about 1/3 of the Bryston but is much more enjoyable to use because of the app, and the features are terrific, particularly Chromecast. So it is not just a lateral move from Bluesound, it’s a clear upgrade. Moving up the price ladder will get better SQ yet, but then the law of diminishing returns kicks in

I am being redundant, but I just can’t disagree more strongly that the CA is a lateral move from the current node.  I had several hours over a week of listening to do a direct comparison.  The CXN is a clear upgrade.  Is it bested by streamers that cost 3- times as much?  Yes, but not by a large margin.  For me it’s the sweet spot for price, performance, and features.  Never had the chance to compare it to a 10K+ streamer