Sound quality differences in streamers

I just went through the journey of demoing new streamers.  Your question is a good one and though the answer is counter intuitive, yes there are very discernable differences.  Even with the same streamer, different digital outputs will sound audibly different.  USB will likely sound different than SPDIF out of the same streamer into the same DAC.  Demo, borrow and listen to everything you can get in your room.  Take your time and find the piece that suits your tastes.  Good luck and cheers.  

While there are a few naysayers here who think streamers can’t sound different just like there are naysayers here who say cables don’t make a difference, the vast, vast majority here find significant improvements as they move up to better and usually more expensive streamers.  Suffice it to say it’s well worth your while to at least demo a better streamer and use your own ears to decide.  

Ah the old computer phrase “ It’s only X’s and O’s. The power supply makes a difference, the clock makes a huge difference, and there’s noise rejection. Even cables make a difference. I have a nice resolving Mid Fi setup and I can tell a huge difference. Being hardwired Vs Wi Fi makes a difference too. You can gain a little here and a little there , and it adds up to a big difference. If you get a streamer with a wall wart, a LPS is another improvement. I went from a laptop to a Project Stream Box Ultra II to an Innuos Pulse Mini with a LPS and I’m at the LOW end of streamer category. Happy Hunting , Mike B. 

I guess I will be the party pooper. You're using it as a streamer, so the heavy lifting is done by your standalone DAC @kckrs 

All you need is a streamer with a user friendly software system if it has one and one with good processing power is all and thankfully you can get one for pretty reasonable money and then connect you your DAC via any of the digital inputs and you're good to go.

Overthinking it and using anecdotes of people here and trusting it (including me) iṣan exercise in spiralling.

So yes connect the Wiim Ultra which has the best processing power of the Wiims and USB input on your DAC and you're all good

A Aurender music server paired with a solid DAC via USB audio, This IMHO is a solid high end setup, and it dosent cost any where near a DCS. a nice Aurender will be around $2500 new and a DAC would be around $1500 or so. Thats not bad for a very good sounding digital front end using Tidal or Qobuz.

And once hearing this ,you would never go back to anything inferior, its digital magic.

Matt M