A high end streamer is built from the ground up to meticulously deal with every parameter that impacts the sound quality. Each aspect is considered by design, part choice, and location. This certainly includes processing, power supply, physical vibration. My streamer weighs 45 lbs… because of the massive case to dampen vibration, isolate interference, provide absolutely clean power (the audio circuits while playing are battery operated). Every minute detail is dealt with as if someone’s life depends on it.
The amount of design, testing (the effect of each sub component on the sound quality), and manufacturing effort is enormous, with the result being of vastly superior sound. As a consequence models are not turned over every year like some design sent over to China for a manufacturing run. Somewhat like luxury cars… meticulous design and construction and years between fundamental design changes. Performance works like that as well… you get stunning performance which cannot be bested by inexpensive units because of the superior parts and design for many years.
As a consequence of above, a high end company will not put in a new, untested or experimental interconnect type. The first thing that would happen is someone would plug it into something that has substandard sound and their streamer would be associated with inferior sound.
I have owned and compared truly high end and good quality and budget audio equipment for fifty years and the bargains are the truly high end equipment that get you the very best performance a decade ahead of the more budget equipment and sound great far into the future as the budget and middle of the road stuff slowly get better.
