Learn to live with that red light. 
I’ve now been using the Tubulus long enough to have a handle on its SQ. I was using a Purist Audio Design I2S cable ($300), which is good – very listenable, with decent details, slightly on the warm/analog side (which I like). The Tubulus is a step up in many ways: most significantly in natural, lifelike sound of instruments and voices; also in detail, instrumental separation, black background, and soundstaging. Not a gigantic leap upward, but clearly an improvement.
I think the Tubulus offers very good value in a mid-price cable. It’s possible that the high-end AudioQuest I2S cables are better, but I’m in no position to buy one now, and I certainly can enjoy my system with the Tubulus while I sort out the whole streamer issue.