Ok this is clearly going to be a controversial topic - but I’m coming from a place genuine curiosity and desire to listen and learn. And I’m very much interested in this forums vast collective experience and intellect on this topic. So the exam question is - why bother with a dedicated streamer, when you can just use a computer instead ? To be clear I’m not talking about all one units here - I have and love my Uniti Atom and Muso 2. The huge advantage of using a computer is there’s no (or hugely significantly less problems) with software updates and licensing issues - when compared to a dedicated streamer. So if you have a top draw DAC - isn’t it just best / most reliable and cost effective to use a computer as your streaming source ? BTW I do use a ND5XS2 as a streamer in my AV system (it’s better than my Arcam AVR31 - which isn’t bad to be fair - but I got it mostly so I could create home wide streaming system). I was also was interested in the comment from the founder of Rega who stated that computers did as good if not better job than streamers when asked why they never made one. Ok he does mostly make turntables but also obviously amps. For my music room I have - ATC SCM 11’s, ATC P1 power amp, Chord TT2 fed by an Apple MacBook Air. I did do an A/B test swapping out the MacBook with the ND5 XS2 in the music system. I couldn’t hear any noticeable difference in SQ as I swapped them over a few times with different music genres. In fact the time I did hear a bigger difference in SQ was when I compared my MacBook vs an iPad as the source - with the MacBook being clearly better in all aspects. So the question - why bother with a dedicated streamer if you can use a computer? Looking forward to learning from this discussion!
Having spent a fortune on streamers and dacs I can say that it depends on what you are trying to achieve. Just as any other electronics, noise and sound signatures can be generated by the streamer as well as by the dac. If you can’t hear the difference with your chosen amplification/ speaker combination, then it doesn’t exist. If you can hear a difference then its just a cost evaluation exercise. Is the additional cost ( often eye watering) worth the ‘cleanliness’ of the better sound ( often only marginally better).
To keep it short and simple: yes, they do make a difference.
In fact, a bewilderingly big difference!!! 
Unfortunately… that difference comes at a price.
Cheers,
Thomas
Just read your question to Mrs Q and her response verbatim was…
“In one word YES!… next question”
This is the only opinion that matters as it’s your system, speakers, room, ears, etc.
Naim like to separate everything out, as a general principle, for best sound quality but don’t do this now when it comes to streamer/DACs - whether this is a business decision or for sound quality reasons I don’t know but it’s their current approach.
For me I have seven black boxes already in one system so appreciate the integration from a convenience and aesthetic perspective.
As with most things in hifi there is no definitive answer just what works best for you.
@Ant-1 i went from an ND5XS2 to an NDX2 to a NC 333 and found a significant difference. The NDX2 and 333 had associated power supplies. My system changed considerably over a two year period, so I cannot say the changes were due solely to the streamer changes. Costs were significant and I had no regrets as to VFM. Others may feel differently. I also a proponent about brand uniformity regarding amps, pre-amps and streamers, whenever possible.
This, I think, is where the misapprehensions begin. I struggle to imagine anything less true.
Whether you hear a difference between your streaming sources and your macbook may be more to do with the signal you are feeding them from your network than the capabilities of the streamers per se. Honestly, you won’t realise what streaming without electrical network noise sounds like until you hear it and if you can’t hear a difference between your ND5XS2 and a macbook, you should treat it to some network TLC.
As to Mr Rega - well he would say that wouldn’t he? It’s very much in his commercial interests to keep people thinking inferior streaming set-ups are as good as it gets.
Ok this is clearly going to be a controversial topic - but I’m coming from a place genuine curiosity and desire to listen and learn. And I’m very much interested in this forums vast collective experience and intellect on this topic. So the exam question is - why bother with a dedicated streamer, when you can just use a computer instead ? To be clear I’m not talking about all one units here - I have and love my Uniti Atom and Muso 2. The huge advantage of using a computer is there’s no (or hugely significantly less problems) with software updates and licensing issues - when compared to a dedicated streamer. So if you have a top draw DAC - isn’t it just best / most reliable and cost effective to use a computer as your streaming source ? BTW I do use a ND5XS2 as a streamer in my AV system (it’s better than my Arcam AVR31 - which isn’t bad to be fair - but I got it mostly so I could create home wide streaming system). I was also was interested in the comment from the founder of Rega who stated that computers did as good if not better job than streamers when asked why they never made one. Ok he does mostly make turntables but also obviously amps. For my music room I have - ATC SCM 11’s, ATC P1 power amp, Chord Hugo TT2 fed by an Apple MacBook Air. I did do an A/B test swapping out the MacBook with the ND5 XS2 in the music system. I couldn’t hear any noticeable difference in SQ as I swapped them over a few times with different music genres. In fact the time I did hear a bigger difference in SQ was when I compared my MacBook vs an iPad as the source - with the MacBook being clearly better in all aspects. So the question - why bother with a dedicated streamer if you can use a computer? Looking forward to learning from this discussion!
Owww - fabulous - just what I wanted - my assumptions challenged ! Please Expand @mikehughescq !
Agreed @glos_olly - just thought an interesting and thought provoking quote that just made me think - what does better than computer streaming look like? Do tell me more about reducing electrical noise reduction . I am full disclosure currently having to use wifi at the moment with that system as it’s in my loft office. But aside from getting a direct line into the main router - what else should I get looking at ? I appreciate to a degree this is likely a case of marginal gains. Or perhaps not !
Because it sounds immeasurably better. 
From a purely functional standpoint, an old Mac or PC, or even Raspberry Pi, will do the job perfectly well. 
Ultimately, it all comes down to where your priorities lie.
Cheers,
Thomas
Thanks @Thomas . Priorities with this system are transparency, clarity, separation, and details (maybe said twice when I mentioned clarity !). I’m upgrading the 11’s and the P1 to the ATC SCM 20ASL’s (so active speakers) and will still be using the Chord Hugo TT2 for DAC/preamp duties. So just need a streaming transport that will do this system justice. The main components are brutally transparent. If you asked me the non technical thing I’m looking for it’a the holy grail of ‘band in the room’ sound.
@Ant-1 For years we did not even consider streaming. Streaming over WiFi was just too unreliable for us. It was only when we wired Ethernet to our router, which was not easy given distance and construction and added a dedicated streamer that we discovered the joy of streaming.
Well for me it’s obvious that software updates on a dedicated streamer are far less than on a dedicated computer and, unlike on a computer, you’ve full control. No background updates you’re not aware of. The latter has far less of them. Their full purpose is clear.
Licensing? Sorry, but I’ve no idea what you mean? It sounds like something someone told you once. It sounds semi credible but I seriously doubt you’ll find mention of licensing in any other discussion of computers versus dedicated streamers anywhere on the net.
Friend of mine has had a Mac Mini for a long time as the front end of their streaming system. Amp is the Nagra 300B. DAC is TotalDAC. Has asserted for a long time that the MM was almost impossible to beat. Even a second generation Innuos Zen Mini beat it to a pulp.
Agreed @glos_olly - just thought an interesting and thought provoking quote that just made me think - what does better than computer streaming look like? Do tell me more about reducing network electrical noise reduction . I am full disclosure currently having to use wifi at the moment with that system as it’s in my loft office. But aside from getting a direct line into the main router - what else should I get looking at ? I appreciate to a degree this is likely a case of marginal gains. Or perhaps not !
If what you’re after is ultimate transparency, absolute faithfulness to the recording, and all the audiophile qualities that flow from that, then you really have two options : the Wadax Atlantis Reference and the Taiko Olympus XDMI (with its I/O)
As things stand today, you simply won’t find anything better.
But, as said previously, it comes at a cost.
Cheers,
Thomas
That it definitely needs doing is not these days so controversial as it was not so long ago, but there still seems to be a lot of variability in outcomes.
I also can’t easily have a wired connection to my streamers and I would make the following suggestions as a foundation.
Adopt a mesh wi-fi system and hardwire a satellite unit to your streamer.
Use an iFi (or similar) low noise power supply on your router and on the satellite unit.
Don’t have anything with a cheap wall-wart power supply plugged in near your hi-fi.
It won’t cost you much and maybe be a wi-fi upgrade into the bargain. See if that makes a difference to your ND5XS2, hopefully it will.
Next ground your router, if you’re streaming to your TV(s) you should get better picture quality too.
After that, the ethernet cable you use to connect the streamer will make a difference, a switch or a filter between the mesh unit and the streamer will make a difference, grounding your streamer or the mesh unit will make a difference - some more noticeable than others, unfortunately it seems it is necessary to experiment until you find the combo that works best for you.
@Jaybar interesting! I did when demoing the ATC20 ASL’s I’m about to get ….sadly not till late Jan now - do an A/B with the Hugo vs the 222. Noticeable difference in colouration - 222 surprisingly a tad warmer, and especially softer round the top end. Altogether less immediate.
Wonderful - thank you @glos_olly - I’ll try each of these things you suggest. In my AV system I do have a Isotec mini sub mains conditioner. But not the music room system .
Although be fair I’ve never done an A/B test to see the difference of the Isotec - It’s always been there !
As a psychologist’s - I’m all about testing hypotheses / assumptions . And this game of ours is soooooo subjective.
I have a lingering and potentially unfounded concern that’s, to a point cabling, is snake oil. Does a four figure cable give you so much better signal / SQ than a double figure or even three figure equivalent ? I guess, you’d end of giving a psychologist response to such a question ….’it depends’….eg on the system / room and what you want in terms of sound. But I’m convinced and there’s plenty of good evidence out there that the speaker placement/support and the room itself matters way more in terms of affecting SQ than an expensive cable ( and indeed components) But I guess that’s a whole other controversial topic I’ll dive into in the forum I’m at a later date 
