Recommended streamers/servers?

Hello,
Its all about the DAC. If your DAC is good then you are good to go. I use the BlueSound Node 2i as the streamer. I want to upgrade the power supply because I heard it takes the BSN to a whole mother level. You say why spend the money?  The BlueSound OS is really nice. Plus they offer other options to add on to your whole house music system. I tested the Ayre QX-8 DAC a few months ago and I thought it was really great for a five thousand dollar DAC/streamer. 

All Streamers do the same damn thing. What's key is the DAC that the Streamer is connected to. Your Internet Service Provider and the downlink speed is more critical. Don't get me started on the Fibre Optic Crowd (unless you have 100's of feet to run between you Streamer and you ISP's modem). 

I run a Bluesound Node 2i for AmazonHD only (no more Qobuz for me) & my PCM files into a PS Audio DirectStream DAC Sr. My DSD files are played back via Audirvana or my DLNA connected (wired Ethernet) Sony UBP-X10000ES via I2S Adapters into the PSA DAC.

Spend your money on the DAC, and have at least 90 - 100mbs from your modem (ISP) into your streamer for dropout free listening. Stop the insanity !

“All Streamers do the same damn thing”

All cars, watches, door to door salespeople do the same thing too. But all streamers, record players, systems and rooms do not have the same SQ. 

Stop the insanity.

I echo the comments of people who say you don’t need to spend loads on streamers *for most people*. I’ve found the Auralic Aries G1 to be of very poor value against a Bluesound Node 2i in a review, used in a system it should fit into. 
The new 2021 node is great. Streamers as transports are one area in hifi most people don’t need to go crazy with, which I just wish was mirrored into the content of reviews which make out pricey streamers to be much much better. They can yield improvements in premium systems but diminishing returns are high. Mostly in hifi you don’t need to go crazy on streamers, unlike you can with your amp and speakers at any level, to get bigger changes. Spending on the DAC is much more worthwhile to the streaming transport and I like reviewing mainly the budget streaming transports since these are so good for what you get.
These are some videos I’ve done that could be of help.

https://youtu.be/ReE4wrTRoC4

https://youtu.be/dE_iSJM5h9w

I can only speak about the streamers that I have heard, and they range in price from a $200 (Logitech, SHM) to $3500 (Bryston).
I currently use a second Generation Node in two mid Fi systems, and in my 2 channel system, a Melco N100 and CA CXN2.  The DAC in the 2 channel system is a Bryston DAC3 and every streamer mentioned has been paired with it at some time.  I also have played files using the Network Function of an Oppo 105 and 203 in all systems.
  The cheapest of the streamers sounded a little thin compared to the pricier ones.  I can honestly say the Melco and the CA sound as good as the Bryston (they all sound really good, the Bryston OS was terrible).  The Node was perhaps 3/4 of the way closer to the pricier streamers.  I heard the current Node at a dealer a few months ago and it was very impressive.
  I haven’t heard Auralic, Innous, Naim, dCS….
  So my conclusion based on my experience is that into the same DAC, the point of diminishing return was around $1200, roughly what Paid for the Melco and the CA.  Any can do whatever they want to do with their money, but for me, the only way I would buy a new streamer is if it had some feature that comes down the pike in the future that can’t be added by a software upgrade.