Sound quality differences in streamers

@audphile1

Thanks so much.  

Regarding the erro 6+, all I can tell you is that it was a huge improvement with wifi from the standard DSL wifi.   I was only getting 2.5 ghz wifi at the Rivo+ location and installing the eero 6+ node behind the Rivo+ made the wifi fantastic.  With the eero 6+ node, it was easy to go to ethernet, and I wanted to turnoff the wifi circuitry in the Rivo+, so, I went to hardwired ethernet into the eero 6+ node plus linear power supply and response is also instantaneous.  Note:  I started out as a pure analog guy.  I have been slowly upgrading my Digital front ends with DAC, SACD/CD, wav files, dsf files, and now the Rivo+ and ethernet, filters, linear power supply, etc...  I am a total digital / Streamer guy now, and I am super impressed with Qobuz hi-res streaming and the Rivo+ with all the garnish.  5 years ago, I would not have believed the sound quality that can be achieved with hi-res streaming from an online streaming service. 

@hjdca thanks. Since I’m using the original eero I might not get any improvement with 6+ but will probably still get it for even better coverage. 
 

As to streaming…yep sold my analog setup. Went thru few streamer/dac combos and arrived at a streaming solution that eliminated the need to spin physical media be it vinyl or CDs. 
I just got a new DAC and am breaking it in. It’s looking very promising to be a one box solution. 

I was somewhat surprised on how good my Bluesound Node 2i sounded with a SmoothLAN filter running the Node into my uDDC and utilizing I2s into Denafrips Terminator 2. It doesn’t sound up to my Innuos Zen MK 3 level In the same setup, but the Bluesound held its own pretty well. This setup let the Bluesound perform at its best capacity and very listenable. It’s always interesting to me to test the capacity level of more economically priced gear with much higher level gear supporting it. 

Somehow I am thinking the lower the voltage and amperage, ie. 5 volts 3 amps required to run a dedicated streamer, the easier it is for the vendor to manage an extremely low noise floor.  In addition, you add in the requirement of an external power supply, and you shift some of the issue to the consumer.   So, maybe the convenience of integrated components, ie. streamer, dac, screen, server, etc..., which require more power, provide additional challenges for the noise floor, and the vendor has to increase the complexity of the design and the cost.