For those that have separate Streamers & DACS

For servers, no rendering except for those with optimized usb, I2S or SPDIF ports, meaning no direct connection to motherboard and isolated power supply. Also like servers with two network ports such as Antipodes or custom atx builds.

Streamers, large variety of good ones, this is where to do the rendering. Personally, I prefer optical post server, Sonore OpticalRendu with quality external lps or Signature SE with built in lps.

Streaming dacs are also good way to go, less complexity,  greater assurance dac/rendering interface optimized.

@lordmelton Yes, while your usb is relatively good compared to many, yuur I2S has greater optimization, don't doubt your fine results. And yes, your partially optimized Aurrender usb would benefit from external usb renderer via any number of streamers, the OpticalRendu being but one.

@lordmelton  Your setup is an example of topic I raised above, You prefer your 005 with I2S vs usb, and for exactly the reasons I stated. While your Aurrender does have somewhat upgraded/optimized usb, it is not 100% galvanically isolated, does not run off dedicated lps (I may be wrong here, believe you mentioned it does have separate transformer, this with switching power supply?) , and the usb board itself does not contain a dedicated power supply (this would supply filtering,perhaps voltage regulation), I"m not even sure of the quality of the clock on that usb board. the best rendering streamers and/or server/streamers do all this. Its not hard for me to believe you prefer I2S vs usb with 005 while I prefer usb with my superior usb rendering via OpticalRendu (which has every optimization mentioned above) with 005.

And this is with an Aurrender model with superior usb rendering vs most of what I see in server/streamers.

@verdantaudio +1 Server/streamers you mentioned are indeed the cream of the crop, add Wadax to list. These designers/engineers understand highest quality rendering, minimize noise and maximally diminish jitter. Far too many lose full potential of nice dacs with mediocre rendering.

I always get the feeling many here don't get the difference between servers and streamers. Servers per se don't do rendering, its the rendering capability built into many servers that is actually the streamer, many companies call these servers, really kind of misnomer, I'd call them server/streamers. Many have found internal streamers within these servers lacking, thus, the external streamers becoming more ubiquitous. Prior to this burgeoning streamer market, various usb or other filters were seen as solutions for the rather mediocre rendering within these servers, over time we've seen the streamers taking over, the full rendering capabilities are certainly superior to both filters and internal rendering.

I still don't get it with all the recommendations for some of these servers/streamers with lame internal rendering. Why spend that kind of money for what many relegate to server only duty. Most have relatively low processing capability, forget about running any good dsp, and slows down music software processing, thus, spending more time within noisy environment. They also require a switch of some kind to integrate external streamer, more complexity means increased risk of mismatched clocks and/or RFI entrances. I could also add duplication of services, why pay multiple times for duplication of services, I could make good financial case for Taiko Extreme, Wadax, Pink Faun, Antipodes K50, custom atx build, or any custom build vs. these servers combined with all the add ons. Get the top line server/streamer, connect directly to dac, decrease complexity with top flight rendering, what's not to like!

If this route not financially attainable, build a diy server with dual ethernet ports, use as server only, spend the bigger bucks on nice external steamer, stay fairly simple (server>streamer>dac), with relatively high sound quality at sane money. If one can't diy, plenty of guys out there doing custom builds, some at pennies on the dollar of the commercial builds.

@cleeds  Only saying streaming dac CAN be good choice.

I do like the NUC servers, if only they had two network ports. There are some builders out there supplying various atx motherboard builds with customer requested options such as optical ports, optimized rendering ports a la usb, spdif. two ethernet ports with all of them. Also choice of Linux, Windows OS. Costs all over the place depending on build. Biggest issue with any atx build is power supply, atx boards require multiple voltages, big money for the good lps, probably reason for rare off the shelf examples. 

Extremely experienced streamers at audiophilestyle.com using either diy or contracted custom builds based on atx boards; or servers in Taiko Extreme, Pink Faun echelon. Ultimately, I believe in going the ultimate server/streamer route, no external streamer necessary. The all in one unit will have been optimally integrated with clocks and power supplies, result, likely less noise and jitter than mixing and matching various components from different manufacturers.

@badgerdms I'm not familiar with Briscati dacs, but verdantaudio has good advice. Let us know if both Briscati and Innuos showing up on network at router. If you've never accessed router, go to 192.168.1.1, your router should show up and show devices connected to it, sorry if this seems dumb, I don't know how familiar you are with networks. I can't think of a reason it wouldn't show up assuming you only have Innuos and Briscati in streaming chain post router.