You know I totally get this argument. The entire logic and science behind networking tells us that if you transmit a bit perfect signal perfectly it will sound the same wherever it lands up, regardless of how it got there. And to some degree that’s true. Build your system around consumer grade networking with $5 power supplies and $3 cables and its will sound fine. Perfect even. Swap a cable and its very unlikely you‘ll hear any difference whatsoever in that context. But here’s the problem. When you ignore what you know and what the theory tells you and spend a ridiculous amount of money on PROPERLY optimizing your network, you get the most incredible uplifts in sound quality. And the more you optimize, the bigger the uplifts become. Networking is the only area I‘ve ever found that entirely reverses the law of diminishing returns and I have absolutely no explanation as to why these uplift happen but I’m absolutely certain they do.
Try streaming this album
open.qobuz.com
Its by Yello. Its entirely synthetic but has some of the most pleasing tonal, PRaT, bass, upper treble and totally immersive 3D soundstage attributes. Its literally like an audio firework display with music completely integrated with space. No speakers, no walls or listening room, just massive space filled with 3 dimensional music.
Alternatively try streaming Swiss Radio Classics and listen to the voices of the announcers (the music is fantastic BTW). Its 128kbps.Describe the voices and how they’re sounding on your system. If they’re not sounding like eerily real people in your listening room, blame your network.
I don't know you from a bar of soap so I really shouldn’t care what you’re listening to. But the ‘bits are bits’ doctrine in audio can be very expensive when you invest in a lot of expensive kit and never hear anything like its full potential because your network is already theoretically perfect. That doctrine can result in a lifetime of missing out, so yes, you can save a few hundred or even thousand of bucks on cables, power supplies etc for your network, but then you pay that back multiple times in missed enjoyment. Entirely you choice.
