They are like any other product on the market. If you have any DIY ability, you can get pretty dang good results. For example, you can get a Raspberry Pi streamer going for under $100. Fancy up the power supply for a bit more. Then add your preferred DAC and choose one of the many available operating system/player software programs (many free), add the DAC of your choice and you're off to the races. Bryston even thinks enough of the RPi to use it as the basis for their $1,500 streamer.
If you like pretty boxes, and high-end names on your gear, then you are going to pay a lot more. But that is also true of most of the non-audio products in the world. You can usually find a pretty good item that does a good job at a reasonable price, or you can go high-end for a lot more money.
If you like pretty boxes, and high-end names on your gear, then you are going to pay a lot more. But that is also true of most of the non-audio products in the world. You can usually find a pretty good item that does a good job at a reasonable price, or you can go high-end for a lot more money.