@patrickdowns I have heard the QX-5 directly into Ayre reference mono amps and it was very good. I run mine into the AX-5 Twenty.
Ayre is about ready to ship my QX-5 to me after upgrading the USB and adding their new Ethernet board. Ayre is very excited about the streaming board and I can't wait to hear it.
Until now, I primarily used the QX-5 as an outboard DAC for my Ayre disc player; other streaming options were a distant second. I have a Node 2i as a way to use Apple AirPlay into the system. And I did occasionally stream Roon/Qobuz through the ethernet port, but it was lackluster. Given the setup is far from ideal, and streaming was somewhat better through the Node. Neither was anywhere close to the sound I get from the disc player, my primary source and features the best power cord and interconnect.
Once the new Ayre ethernet port is in, I'll work to upgrade that source with a better interconnect and more.
All of this is to say that the Ayre is a wonderful product, amazing sound and a bargain given that it can be upgraded as digital develops.