Unfortunately for you, have PhD in Physics and Math and play with audio (mostly diy) for over 30 years. So have something behind my back, not just simple theories…
Still, didn’t get your process of evaluating gear, equipment used, space/room used, etc…
Oh, for sure, everyone on the Internet is a billionaire brain surgeon with a Nobel Prize in physics!
My process is simple. Pick what measures reasonably well, then select the one I like the sound of in my particular room. Now, if I do evaluate whether certain thing makes a difference, I will do a proper blind level-matched test. You should try it once.
In the meanwhile I will try not to hold my breath waiting for your proof of those 0’s and 1’s not being 0’s and 1’s once they realize that they are encoding music, rather than your bank balance.
Having PhD has nothing to do with Nobel Prize, besides it goves you more comfortable approach how to investigate certain natural behaviours and properties of the matter from knowledge experience.
You see, I have listen to hundereds and hundereds of different digital and analog sources since cd started in mid of 80s, having and listetnig other people low to ultra high end systems and setups so can conclude certain aspects which equipment give proper timbar sound or not. For me the natural recreation of timber is fundamental when choosing certain audio component as do not accept any which gives false sound regardles of the cost. E.g. if I hear a violin as a synth sample, such gear or setup is not relevant for me and is not considered serious for playback reproduction from my criterias.
And, of course, there are many other criterias and system matchig how to build a proper system.
If we go today with ultimate digital playback sources companies like dCS, MSB, Chord (and many others) and their products (regardles of costs), unfortinatley they did not bring “digital” harshnes in sound to proper “analog” and natural reproduction levels. Maybe Audio Note Level 5 or 6 digital components can do that to certain extend but for sure not the others I’ve being listening thus far.
So if you can suggest something on that front please do as I would like to have matched both my “analog” and “digital” sources to represent the same sound timbar from the same original master they are build from. So far did not found a proper match on “digital” playback gears and components.
Regards
Uh huh 
Generally I’d say that you should ask for your money back from wherever you bought your PhD from, but apparently you do love wasting money so it’s all cool.