Streamer opinion.. Pease comment on validity.

I agree with one part that if a DAC can’t clean up noise and jitter it’s poorly engineered especially those built within the last few years. I don't have extensive knowledge on tons of CD players but those I have heard recently running through the same external DAC using the player as just a transport have very little difference to me. I would think as you go up the chain streamers that use better parts have a better user interface will have improved sound where the point of diminishing returns sets in I'll never know as I can't afford an uber expensive streamer.

Maybe a couple of real world a/b’s between
Streamers hooked to the same DAC?

Yeah I just did this. Compared a Node 2i to a Lumin U1 mini. As good as the node is, the Lumin is better. More transparent and natural to my ears. I know it's 4 times as much, but the improvement was worth it to me. I don't see how you could hear both of them and say there is no difference. Now whether you are willing to pay for that difference is another matter completely.

Oz

Having done this test (different streamers into the same DAC), the differences are pretty easy to hear.  My experiences suggest that while the tonal quality will be similar, the better streamers are more “open” spatially.  I have a Node 2 in a system going into an outboard DAC. While it’s a killer device for the price, it sounds “flat” relative to my Aurender N100 and Auralic Aries G2.  Tonally they’re pretty close.  Spatially no contest.  And, I took them to the dealer who sold me the Node 2 - he heard the same improvement. Only way for the OP to know is to try themselves.

I should also add my DAC handles jitter just fine.  It’s a better than average unit.  The differences I heard were not due to a less than well engineered DAC.  When testing at the dealer, we ran through a well regarded reference level DAC.  Same result.  YMMV.
Best,

Idol ramblings of a recent purchaser of his first streamer
.
Following the lead of an A’gon poster I purchased a Node 2i from Brite Audio who sells the Node 2i for $500, less 10% for a first time customer, so $450, all in including shipping. It did take about 3 weeks to receive it, drop shipped directly from Bluesound.

I received the unit in December and like the sound much better running it into a modded Musetex Meitner DAC. The Museatex Meitner presents the music with a very pleasing sound stage, tonality and depth. Taking my DAC out the sound does seem flatter. Without having actual experience, I wonder if comparing different streamers with the same DAC will not necessarily show which is the better sounding streamer, only the streamer that has the best synergy with that particular DAC.

But at last, what I want to say is that pleasure of the world of music that this (or any streamer with such a great OS) opens up overshadows any possible deficiency in sound quality. Its like having the music equivalent of the Library of Congress at your fingertips. I haven’t even needed to experiment around, I put on the 60’s and 70’s music station and haven’t felt the need to tune to another station. It’s like whoever selects the programming is reading my mind. I will note that where I live in Vermont there is limited FM programming available, even with my DXing tuner.