System consisted of Magico Q5's, supplemented with REL subs; all Spectral electronics, dCS source, some esoteric turntable, all in a room initially custom designed (by the same guy that did Mike Lavigne's room) but since modified by the owner of Tube Traps. One of the very best 2 or 3 two channel rooms I have ever heard anywhere. Ever. We also had another server there ( it was mine) and was built by qSonix who has since folded. The qSonix server did not outperform the dCS transport, but was easily equal to it, and did cost a bunch less.
No magic to our testing methodology. All of his equipment is in a separate room behind his listening room. Both the servers (both of them) and transport were connected to different inputs on his dCS up-sampler/DAC. We had a disc in the transport and the same music available on the servers. The guy operating the equipment would randomly play one source or the other, and then the same music on the other source and then the other source. The listener's job was to note their preference and why. Music was changed to include many types. Each of us, not knowing what the source was, ALWAYS chose the non qSonix server as our preference over the transport. ALWAYS. The server (Music Vault) was built by Sound Science. For this test, it was a loaner from the company. We both bought one as a result of this comparison and it is still what I use. Are their better servers available now? Probably, but I am perfectly happy with this product as is the guy who owned the system we used for comparison purposes.
Conclusions: All servers are not created equal and can equal or exceed the performance of some of the best transports.
