Mmmmmm - not sure.
I'd say that is very much in the ear of the beholder - and I'm sure everyone will have their own opinion. I wouldn't say anyone was wrong.
He is very good though, yes. I certainly enjoyed it.
Yes! That's it. It's not "rocket science". Any old laptop computer (including a Raspberry Pi) will do the same.
But dedicated streamers do allow you to achieve this in a nicely finished, quiet package without unnecessary hardware (like graphics cards) and noisy fans et al.
But ultimately...
If the improvement was commensurate with the price paid, the manufacturer would include them in the box (it would be an easy way for them to get better sound). But they do not. What does that tell you?
So......
A $2,000 amplifier produces $2,000 sound
A $3,000 amplifier produces $3,000 sound
A...
It doesn't matter what time I turn it on - it starts to sound good about 10PM or so........whether that's to do with cleaner power or our primal instinct of hearing taking over sight as primary sense (or even mind modification as referenced above), I don't know.......all I know is that I can sit...
Haven't touched a CD since about 2007 (yes, I was a streaming early adopter). The only exception is my small collection of SACDs, but I have since acquired the DSD files for most of those anyway.
How good it is? Like anything, it depends on your configuration and how you want to use it.
It is certainly capable (like any computer) of taking bits off a network and getting them to your DAC with 100% accuracy. From there, your DAC should be the device that takes over - buffering, clocking...
Nice use of sophistry, but it just doesn't relate.
Seriously - the engineers who design this stuff aren't stupid. I'm really interested.......what makes you think that the systems and protocols designed to keep planes in the air, run the world's financial systems, keep water pumping and...
I acknowledged that - I said "True...." But that related to removal of cable - not to how an ethernet cable could change the sound of a system. So over to you.
And I acknowledge again - it can "act like an antenna" - grounding issues are real. I'm sure we've all experienced them in our systems...
I am certainly interested in the original thread topic - what is the genuine explanation as to why some cables sound different??
We seem to have gotten a little off topic in talking about disconnection of the network (and fairly, other things too). So let's put those aside.
So let's keep it on...
Wow. I won't even postulate. I'll say with utmost certainty - having a vibrating/spinning/noisy (both electrically and acoustically) hard disk whirring away in your listening room is unilaterally worse than a network connection!
.......and some of us espouse spending $multi-thousands on cable...
True - but your hi-fi components would have to be pretty flawed if they didn't isolate from this.
And he said "turn the network off" - not "disconnect it". Unless it is disconnected, then the "antenna" effect is still there. So this point is invalidated.
(to be fair - we're talking about two...
All the network does is load these files to RAM/buffer. Whether the network is on or off shouldn't change how the files are read from the buffer to the processor/DAC.
If you're hearing a difference here, it's because:
1. You're actually not hearing a difference
or
2. There is something...
Or else you could spend a few extra thousand dollars on speakers or room treatments - and get a really big improvement!
I'd really like to know why this theory only works with data (which happens to represent music).
Why doesn't optimising the network impact on other data (that doesn't...
I DO care to know. That's precisely why I asked!
Mind you - I might not agree with you - but I don't have to agree with you (just as you clearly don't agree with me). But that's okay - That's what makes for a useful and valuable forum, right?
But even then - It's not about us - it's about the...
If simply being connected to it brings demise of sound quality, then a better cable should mean worse sound. After all, a better cable should give a better connection!!
Thing is - if I'm spending multi-$thousands on a DAC, the least I expect is proper isolation. If it is not doing that then it...
I certainly don't doubt you on that. ^^
I can't say I've ever swapped out resistors, so I can't really speak with authority. But there could well be differences, certainly.
Not ethernet though - that's just not how the technology works. (I should qualify - unless of course, you're using it...
That's exactly my point - you're making it for me.
Networks deal every day with petabytes of data, much of which is far more important than music.
Maybe it'd be best if you think about what makes data (which happens to represent music) different to any other data.
It is conceivable that an...
Because we understand the problems with the human-machine interface. And because we understand the technicalities of what is going on, and are not just applying 1975 analogue mentality to high-tech digital networks?
There is no jitter on ethernet cable. It is a data transfer medium. It is buffered at each end. It's not an SPDIF cable operating at 44.1khz.
If you want to understand it, best you do the research first. If you're happy spending $$ on unnecessary cable then enjoy......
So if I use one of these to do my internet banking, is it going to change my balance for the better?
Oh, of course - this works for music - not data..........oh wait........
For the ever so slightest learning curve, you can't go past a Raspberry Pi with PiCorePlayer. Put LMS on your back-end, and you've got a player that will beat the best of them, be more versatile, and cost a pittance.
How come these 1s and 0s are only picky with music? How come they are not picky with other data? (Do you get inaccurate bank statements if you attempt internet banking with a non-audiophile grade cable? Do you get spelling errors in your emails if you press "send" without a decent cable in place?)