Why in some instances does changing streamers makes a bigger difference?

It depends on the DAC and connection.  The "best" DAC renders the streamer irrelevant.  IF you are using USB.  If you have bought into IIS the streamer, and the cable are critical because they provide the timing.

If I had a $20,000 budget for a digital front end, $18,000 would be the DAC, $1,500 the streamer and $500 for the rest.  Choosing a DAC where isolation was an important design consideration.

My own breakdown is (approx) $25,000 DAC, $3,000 Clock, $1,400 Streamer, $1,600 cables (include Cardas Clear Reflection Interconnect DAC->Pre).  Nothing for connection as it uses WiFi (no alternative).

@knownothing I am very familiar with that "YouTuber" & I've mentioned that exact video in a past post here about streamers. Many of his videos about the digital domain are fantastic & for anyone new or even old that is interested in better understanding something that you don't already know I feel that he does an exceptional job of explaining things in layman's terms.

He doesn't harp on objective data, or things like "all streamers & dacs sound the same" routine. His videos seem to focus on reasons why all digital signal components can be perceived differently. He did a video about a week ago on Dac topologies & after reading the comment section it was evident that his video helped a lot of people better understand some things. Not all of his videos are based around the digital domain. He's done talks on amps, speakers, & other subjects.

I don't know the guy, I'm not a patreon. I also don't know of any other YouTuber that tackles subjects the way he does. Good entertainment. I've watched a couple of his videos over the last year or so that left me rethinking some things. 

@retiredaudioguy great posts, I agree with nearly everything you wrote.  

One comment caught my attention however. “If changing your streamer affects the sound IT IS YOUR DAC THAT IS DEFICIENT.”

Maybe.  It could be that a better sounding streamer is generating so much less noise back into the mains, or is generating so little EMR that, depending on the juxtaposition of boxes and cables on your shelf, and the amount of shielding in the cables and boxes, that lack of electrical noise could improve analog output of the system regardless of the quality of the DAC and it’s resistance to electrical noise arriving via the cable carrying the digital signal from the streamer.

To me, one of the interesting inferences from the video is to reinforce the notion of system dynamics, and how electrical noise control is paramount for maximum quality audio output.  How everything matters, including how your gear and cables are placed relative to each other, how good are your power supplies from the wall and in your components, how good your cables are at rejecting ambient noise (analog) or keeping noise inside (digital and power), and finally the synergy of your components with each other.

Given this, bench top measurements for individual pieces of equipment are just a starting place, and can never stand alone in judgement compared to tuning of gear and cables together in your listening space. And that takes time, money, and a willingness to experiment.

kn

@mattw73 your previous post alerted me to this YouTuber.  Appreciate your bringing him and his video on this topic to our attention.

kn

I have a mostly Laiv Harmony system and love it, but as for a streamer, I have used both a BlueSound Node and an Innuos streamer/ripper (ZEN MK3) and I found that a DDC inbetween them helped the sound I heard. A line conditioner up front helped as well. But given my age, chronic tinnitus and inability to claim that a wine is bold yet unassuming, my opinion might be of less help here.