WRT the OP’s original request:
Keep the streamer part separate from the DAC discussion. Companies selling integrated streamer + DAC are doing just that: integrating two different functional components and related processing in one box. The streamer piece is an appliance (as stated in your referenced post) and it’s largely a commodity: getting data ’over the wire’ is a well-understood process, the data is digital, and the error correction at the receiving end is well-established and stable technology. "Audiophiling" the streamer is just the latest in the long-standing industry tendency to mystify and ’subjectivize’ a measurable process that ultimately has little to no measurable impact on the sonic result. For profit.
Profit is fine. It’s necessary for most businesses. Just don’t mislead or otherwise bullsh!t along the way.
"Pease [sic] comment on validity"... yes that commentary is all pretty much valid.
Keep the streamer part separate from the DAC discussion. Companies selling integrated streamer + DAC are doing just that: integrating two different functional components and related processing in one box. The streamer piece is an appliance (as stated in your referenced post) and it’s largely a commodity: getting data ’over the wire’ is a well-understood process, the data is digital, and the error correction at the receiving end is well-established and stable technology. "Audiophiling" the streamer is just the latest in the long-standing industry tendency to mystify and ’subjectivize’ a measurable process that ultimately has little to no measurable impact on the sonic result. For profit.
Profit is fine. It’s necessary for most businesses. Just don’t mislead or otherwise bullsh!t along the way.