Point of higher priced streamer?

Me too. I hear difference in some stuff, and nothing on some other stuff. I just move on, and decide that’s just not for me. But I am totally aware of the possibility others may hear differences in stuff I don’t. It’s pretty simple, no need to get worked up on that.

Case in point, tried a Mutec Ref10 SE-120 to clock my DAC. In two-three weeks I had it, I struggled big time to hear any difference at all, OK maybe some small stuff, I was not even sure it was for good or bad. So I returned it. Meanwhile, several people I know, including two friends with the same as DAC as me, swear by it. Go figure! It is what it is, probably my ears are not sensitive enough to such changes. So I move on, but, I don’t go and call my friends, and people who own it, suckers, or stupid. 

Any non digital aspects coming from a streamer to a DAC like distortion or noise would show on the analog out of the DAC if it is bad enough. If not  the DAC is capable of dealing with it. The point is not are there differences but are they audible. Every streamer I tried was with the same DAC and speakers. I didn't do blind tests so they are just my subjective opinion and I present them as such. I heard no or minor difference in SQ . You say you can hear differences in IC pretty clearly unless you used some level of control for bias then your assessment of IC is no better than mine of streamers. I understand  bias can influence our perceptions, our other senses can as well. 

Why use a dedicated server? First, you have to ask yourself, why use usb input on the dac?
Once you decide to use a network interface and not usb, then your requirements change. If you use a network interface on the dac, then you can use a OS X or Linux server to run Roon or Audirvana. Never use a server in your audio room. If you decide to use usb, then you should use a music server that has the best usb link, then you have to buy other accessories to help usb sound decent. Years ago I demoed many music servers and found the Auralic Aries the best, over Lumin and Aurender, and their DS Lightning software was in a different league over its competitors. If you want to go cheaper, then find a Aries mini, much better than the bluesound.

You are distorting reality to suit your desired outcome. IF there were packet sized dropouts in audio due to UDP/WiFi then you absolutely would hear clicks and pops and breaks. If that happens you know you have a problem. It’s not a matter of well maybe my WiFi does not sound as good. It works or it does not.

Actually I'm not distorting reality at all, you are doing so by completely failing to address anything I've stated in any comprehensive way. Again. my entire point was, that if @yyzsantabarbara was considering WiFi for a Roon endpoint because of purported SQ differences (not my claim, but is claimed by Auralic owners and other Roon endpoints owners with WiFi connections as indicated by @yyzsantabarbara ) not to mention a supposed "better" connection to the LAN, and he is already using a hardwired connection - he should ignore using WiFi and stick with his hardwired connection precisely to avoid what you describe above - packet loss, audio dropouts, pausing of the stream by the renderer/endpoint, etc., all of which can and does happen to all sorts of different products depending on the application and environment.

My comment comes from years of experience with this stuff and so if you want to continue arguing about minutiae while ignoring the actual content of my post then I'm happy to continue providing you with an education.

Noise in chipsets is just noise in this discussion.

Again, your lack of comprehension with respect to how wireless radio-wave based transmissions occur and the potential to cause unwanted noise or interference in other devices has no basis in reality.

I'm sure there are plenty of people who have experienced the phenomena of mobile phone tower interference causing bursts of audible noise through poorly designed audio equipment. And most of the devices I've experienced this with didn't even have an aerial antenna of any kind.

From a pure data standpoint, again I won't belabor the point that the data arriving at the WiFi chipset itself is somehow changed or affected by the noise, but the noise generated by a WiFi chipset with aerial antenna can certainly affect other devices in the component itself or in other components in the overall system. 

If you had a dropout you would have clicks and pops just like your have stuttering on video streaming or block artifacts from incomplete data. It is very obvious when data is lost.

Thank you for yet again confirming my point. This is precisely my reason for recommending not using WiFi if you can avoid it, and use a hardwired connection if it is available. I have had plenty of experience with end users of a myriad of different wireless streaming technologies and this is exactly what would happen to them and why they would be looking for help.

I laugh at your comment ironlung, because you telegraphed the thinness of your knowledge and position when you said you switched out WiFi for wired due to DROPOUTS. Not a perceived loss of quality but DROPOUTS.

Who is laughing now? I think it's plain that it's your knowledge which is quite thin and your thought process and analysis of my comments needs to be checked.

It's apparent you have very little if any real world experience with the stuff, I simply cannot comprehend why an individual would continue to insist to counter my advice to @yyzsantabarbara with respect to this topic. 

It's like you want him to increase the complexity and undermine the integrity of his current configuration just to prove a point. It's foolish.

Coming from Auralic Aries femto to LDM Server. It's a huge jump. I even tested two different firmware of LDM intensively for a week to compare between the two. Apart from the server itself, the firmware also plays a big chunk of the audio journey.

With my LDM connected to Lampizator Pacific Dac balanced version, the 1st firmware projects an unbelievable depth of stage, ample bass and stunning pinpoint. With newer firmware, it becomes wider and stage, but less depth. With my room character and my listening preference, I really need to go back to the 1st firmware. 

It gives me the best combination from the LDM server to Lampizator Pacific.