I took the easy route:
Started streaming in 2019 with a Bryston BDA-3.14 streamer/dac which sounded really good to me, I have no vinyl so no comparo to do.
Had some problems with rasberry Pi based streamer internal to the piece. Talked to Bryston and they (at the time) couldn't get the streamer board.
So, we agreed that I will trade-in the 3.14 for a BDA-3 brand new, zero cost to me, I mean zero, no shipping and a return label for the 3.14. That my friends is customer service.
Then purchased a Nucleus+ w/2TB drive installed.
Hardwired ethernet to Nucleus and then USB to DAC. The DAC reclocks the digital input anyway and buffers around 10 seconds of the feed.
An Apple Macbook pro running Roon. Streaming from Qobuz.
It sounds amazing to me, particularly DSDx2.
Could it be better? Sure.
I'm with @mike_in_nc on this thread, nothing really fancy going on! Audience balanced cables to ARC pre, Audience 10ga power cables on all the front end.
Total all in ==> ~$7k.
A'gon should add a "Streaming" category!
Regards,
barts