Hi David
Before commenting may I send you to a post I made last week which received 9 likes
May I first suggest you start with a base reference point and install MinimServer on a Mac (or Windows) computer. As we all know this is dCS’s recommended UPnP server. Next connect your external hard drive to the computer and use Mosaic to play back your ripped/purchased/stored files.
Once a base line is established you can then bring in a third party server and connect it, preferably, to the network (ethernet not USB) so the file transmission protocol remains the same between the two different scenarios. Now you can evaluate how your ripped/stored files sound between two different sources.
As I quoted your post above, and linked to my earlier post,
“to have the stored music on the Server Transport SSD, to sound better than the Qobuz streams”
the only way you will be able to see if you are comparing apples to apples (and not to oranges) is to determine if the Qobuz stream of a song which you already have as a ripped/stored file IS THE EXACT SAME. As I stated in my earlier post - this is virtually impossible. You have no way of knowing if the track supplied to Qobuz is the same provenance, mastering, etc. as what your stored file is.
Part 2
As for comparing a Qobuz stream played back via Mosaic or Qobuz Connect
vs.
the same stream played back via a Innuos streamer and their own proprietary software
I will maintain (subject to your testing) they are the same. I will even say that perhaps the Innuos stream may be the same…….or even inferior….compared to a Mosaic or Qobuz Connect stream.
Please keep in mind if the only way a Innuos can be connected is via USB, you will not be able to make a like for like test (as Mosaic and Qobuz Connect connect to your DAC via ethernet), AND, please remember once again that dCS states Ethernet is the superior and preferred method of connection to the DAC
As always your mileage may vary 