Anyone else feel like it’s the Wild Wild West?

@soix There is rep from Ifi who regularly contributes on headfi forum. I'd PM him at that forum, goes under moniker, IFIAudio.

I'd add vinyl is pretty much on par with streaming for complications or lack thereof. Streaming is different in that far more experimentation taking place at present, less mature technology.

Very astute observation by @blisshifi per ubs preferable when dac clock superior,  aes, coax if streamer/server superior clock. I'm expecting to explore this very thing with upcoming server/streamer audtions/purchases. Custom server in midst of being built and an off the shelf server will both have great adaptability in allowing all the above comparisons and additionally I2S, also ability for Roon and/or proprietary music software/player.

When a iFi Zen Stream has far more issues with operation and glitches than a $79 WiiM Mini streamer I think it is incumbent upon iFi to FIX their product or stop selling it to unsuspecting customers and wait until they can come out with a "MK. 2" version that works as it should. 

I keep looking at a Bluesound Node, but hate paying for a DAC I'll never use, even at the $600 price point.  Might look at the new Musical Fidelity MX - Stream as a solution in my budget for a streamer and the Denafrips Ares II as the DAC and call it a day. 

But the Ares II has been on the market now for a good while. Should I wait and see if any other DAC in the $1000 range would be better? 

@facten I use Bluesound, Denafrips Terminator Plus, Hegel 590, Wilson Sasha DAW. I am very happy. I have CD transport for CDs I owned for 30 years. Sound quality almost the same, very satisfying. Point is, no matter what your budget is, there is digital streaming system that can outperform a vinyl or CD listening experience. It is hard to beat top notch DACs with an invention from early 19th century. If you go to Chord Dave, dCS Vivaldi Apex, dCS Rossini, Weiss 501, presentation will beat any analog alternative. 

No, bits are not just bits, however, the OPs premise is flawed.

Digital is much easier, more productive, and more affordable to do well these days than vinyl. Digital done right/well (readily available out of the can these days)is the bees knees. Vinyl has some unique benefits, mostly due to the beefed up physical packaging often provided for a cost these days, but is a flawed though enduring century old technology at its core. Also, regardless of how physically delivered, digital mastering of recordings rules.

This is bad news for some who traditionally bank on selling costly esoteric tweaks to home consumers for a living. Not a business I would want to be in these days.

It’s not hard to buy very good digital gear out of the can that will thrill most people including most audio enthusiasts (save perhaps a few hardcore "audiophiles" who can never take a break from trying to forge ahead) for reasonable cost. You just have to make educated and practical purchase decisions, then still get the setup right (as always). No need to over-think or over-complicate things..which is good news for all!

Those digital related tweaks mentioned are not slam dunks as indicated.....some may help in some cases but the overall value for most is minimal, although some always seeking to try and do one better may still feel inclined to dabble and strike gold....but only if they really know what they are doing......not if they have to rely on sellers to tell them what they should buy.

@mapman bees knees! Copacetic daddy-oh. Made me smile.

You are right that many of the tweaks can be expensive and have incremental gains or ersatz ones. Non the less, I’ve found that taken all toughener it’s audible (how can blacker be audible?) for me. And many many many audiophiles love to tinker. I do. This forum is a gateway to getting equipment. N’est-ce pas, mes amis? Every thing counds better in french. The word for digital is numérique. Numérique. Oh lah lah.

Noise isn’t your systems friend be it from power or signal. Nothing wrong with going after it. For me the EtherREGEN was a stunner. Did I need the linear power, clock and fancy cables for it? Do cell phones need signal bars?