Here's one of those brave posts where I air my laundry and open myself to criticism and ridicule.
Ain't life grand?
I am often asked if network switches and routers impact audio quality while streaming. And as a secondary question on the same subject, does it matter whether streaming is transmitted via WiFi or Ethernet?
I find this particular can of worms really intriguing because it's close to the same question of whether power matters. So, let's start with that.
The power debate often starts with the questioner's arms folded, his head cocked to one side, and the mouth humorously pursed as if listening to a child explaining Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. "So, let me get this straight. The power coming into my house makes my system sound different than the power going into my neighbor's house, right? And worse, my neighbor's power usage might affect the sound quality in my house? And, we agree there are hundreds of miles of cables connecting everything together?"
I am just as incredulous when it comes to how bits get delivered from far away servers: servers that distribute those bits not in order like ants marching to food, but in chunks taking circuitous routes before accumulating at our DACs.
Tomorrow, let's take a look at the question in more detail.
