Why are so many people spending so much money to build “perfect” streaming system?

Charles,

I believe better SQ can be expected with higher end (in price) streamers. However, there is a diminished return as you know and the poor men like me is trying to find the sweet spot. Based on what I have seen/read from the reliable reviewers / Audiogoners, IFi ZS seems to beat BS Node and even streamers 7-8 times of the price. So I am sort of settled down there with ifi zs and enjoy it.

I have not used NUC previously so I had no experience with the SQ playing from NUC. But I could attest that, relative to MS-window based laptop and the fanless Macbook, the dedicated quality streamer like ifi zs defintely renders noticeably better SQ. I have been there and there is no turning back (unless wifi is out).

@lalitk i'm more-or-less out of vinyl these days--my last vinyl rig was a technics 1200 with a garden-variety ortofon cartridge and  a rega fono preamp and/or an arcam integrated. sounded fine, not transcendant, but i was never committed enough to upgrade.

as for the skeptics of the wiim mini, i do not suggest that it's the SOTA or that there's no justification to spend more. howsoever, as per @lanx0003 there are diminishing returns in this game and, purely subjectively, the wiim is the (dirt cheap) point at which sonic improvements become more marginal. just my opinion.

I have a decent system that I’ve built (and rebuilt) over years and am happy with the sound. Via trial and error the streaming aspect has evolved to a streamer-only device and a DAC, both relatively low-cost (iFi for both, but I also found that a Topping E50 would do a great job; BTW, I’d definitely choose ethernet over wifi). By separating the two I got a streamer with a wide range of service compatibility, and the ability to try different DACs to optimize the analog signal for the rest of my setup (always using a USB DAC for widest range). I’m using Qobuz but not paying the full price (every Black Friday season you can get a better deal on an annual subscription), and I decided to purchase Roon (figuring I’ll live long enough to realize the financial discount of ownership) because it’s the closest thing I can get, right now, to the database system I’d write, myself (I feel it pays for itself in the tree-related connections to artists and music I’d never have heard of, otherwise, as well as its recognition of sub-genres and its hardware optimization and zone coverage). And that’s the "budget way" I’m doing it.

Of course, the benefits are relative to how much you enjoy music; my preference is for having a system I like that can withstand the test of time, and doesn’t come between me and the music/performance. I’ve got what would appear to be an expensive system (other than the streamer & dac) - I grew it because of the sound and design philosophy, not because of any bragging rights - but have paid relatively little because I’ve been patient. If you’re in the last half of your life, I’d suggest you give it a try; it doesn’t have to cost a small fortune.

howsoever, as per @lanx0003there are diminishing returns in this game and, purely subjectively, the wiim is the (dirt cheap) point at which sonic improvements become more marginal. just my opinion.

No question that there are diminishing returns with regard to audio (Or just about anything for that matter).  Determining what this point is will vary on an individual basis. Each one of us has their own level set points of performance/value ratio.
 

I was pointing out that some would make the case that the Wiim is  “bit perfect” and thus cannot be bettered. Anything purportedly better is wasteful spending and there’s nothing to be gained sonically.

Charles

Back to the question of why are people spending money (or "so much money" in the words of the OP) on streaming. I suppose the question is, relative to what, in the sense of why do people spend lots of money on anything? But to avoid going down that wormhole, let's just confine the question to spending on streaming versus spending on other source components. To that extent, I'd suggest that people are spending money in order to get an improvement in the quality of reproduction - probably with reference to other analogue and digital sources they own. In my own experience, whether it's CD, Vinyl or digital delivered over ethernet there is huge scope for improvement and, unfortunately, it usually costs money. In my own experience, streamed music is just as susceptible to improvement as CD or Vinyl.