Discerning a difference between streamers is difficult...only me or common for all?

My initial streaming was with a MacBook Pro.

A perfect step into the world of streaming.

Upgrades of equipment and cables over that time. Realised the biggest limitation was the Mac. Considered a Mac Mini.

In the end, upgraded to a Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra. A definite step up in resolution and soundstage. Three years of happiness.

Still, knew there may be more I was missing. Upgrade needed to be a step beyond, not a small step up (or sideways).

Ended up with an Antipodes K21 server/streamer. While waiting for it, plenty of questions regarding my sanity in its purchase.

1000 hours in. Wow, is all I can say. So much more information. And more pleasure as well.

I recently upgraded from an Eversolo DMP-A6 to Auralic Aries S1 and I personally found the uplift quite remarkable. Much better timing, imaging and space around vocals and instruments, providing a less digitised and more natural sound. 

I purchased a Moon 280 D streamer with DAC, at $4K is Moon's least inexpensive streamer. I tested it against what I was currently running. A laptop computer running Tidal software through a Chord Qutest DAC. The Moon 280D immediately sounded more nimble and lively than my computer and the Qutest, even though I think the Qutest is a very good DAC for the money.

The store owner knew I was in his store to buy Sonus Faber Olympica Nova V speakers, not a streamer. But with the test against the Qutest, he'd reeled me in to buying a streamer. He then compared the inexpensive Moon 280 D with a $9K Linn streamer. Maybe I could have heard the difference if I'd spent an hour in the store listening carefully.

Bottom line, I'm very  happy with the moon. Also, if you are streaming from a computer through a DAC, and have the money, I would suggest comparing it to a one-box DAC streamer. I do believe something is lost--in jitter or the quality of the cable connection, or whatever--using a computer DAC combo.

@asctim

I’m not a software engineer so I can’t satisfy your need for an explanation. But I think if you actually look into different playback and operating systems, you will find that there are differences both in the way the operating systems control the clocks and CPUs, but also in the way the digital information is handled and moved about. Audirvana, for example, converts the file into PCM and preloads it into ram before playback. HQPlayer employs a complex variety of filters. Any serious digital audiophile will tell you that Roon sounds very different from Minimserver, even sans any direct DSP intervention. Even the more basic players, like Gmediarenderer, APlayer, Squeezelite, MPD--they all present different signatures, at least in my system. Buffers, caches, protocols--I couldn’t technically say what mechanisms are at work. But the differences are deliberate in that the designers of these various players are seeking to deliver digital music in the most convincing way. You say "working to spec." But what does that mean? Honestly, in terms of digital playback we’re waaaay past the "bits are bits" stage and well into how the subtleties of microprocesses contribute to converting bits into music.

No discernible difference that these old ears can hear between streamers, although some are more convenient to use than others…all are fed to external dacs and my favorite is the Teac nt 505 (dac/streamer), also have bluesounds and WiiM Pro Plus…all good