Connecting a streamer via an Ethernet cable

While I would agree a wired connection is always going to be more stable than WiFi, there can be absolutely no difference in sound quality between a good WiFi connection and wired. Between the inherent reliability of TCP/IP and the buffering built into any streaming device the end result is 0 difference. It’s all 0’s and 1’s with no room for confusion or errors. This goes the same for the argument of upgrading your Ethernet cable, it’s 100’s bull and happy to argue anyone knucklehead on the point.

Wi-fi is a PITA- especially when you're listening to Grumpy Dingo radio and miss the punchline as it cuts out

Here’s some reasons why the bits-are-bits argument is wrong from people that should know.

tl;dr It’s not about the bits. It’s about the jitter and analog noise that gets mixed in with the bits.

Bob Stuart, Meridian Audio"Of course digital bits-are-bits and with due care, each of the three interfaces (USB, Toslink, coaxial) can deliver the same data at approximately the same time. But the audio we hear is analog and real-world devices are subject to a variety of interferences including data-induced jitter, other process-induced jitter, (and) common- and differential-mode electromagnetic noise. In the ideal world, the data are clocked in by and buffered in the DAC (asynchronous mode) and then de-jittered before conversion. In my experience this can never be perfect, just made closer and closer to irrelevance."

Gordon Rankin (introduced the digital audio world to asynchronous USB transfer)when I transfer a file over USB to an external hard drive it doesn’t make transfer errors – the file at the destination is the same as the source – so why should sending digital audio over USB be any different? https://darko.audio/2016/05/gordon-rankin-on-why-usb-audio-quality-varies/

I was advised at World Wide Stereo that it would improve sound so I did run an ethernet cable from my modem to the back of my receiver. It may have improved the sound a little bit. My system is fairly modest (a Yamaha N803 receiver). It may eliminate the signal cutting out also. My run was fairly long so it was a bit of a chore but I'm glad I did it.   

I've found wifi is the way to go for me. I posted the below on another thread the other day.

Update - I blew my knee out because of an ice storm two weeks after I posted here. As such, I’ve had plenty of time to listen and A/B. The A/B testing was three identical songs in the same format via:
1. Internal HD of my Aurender.
2. Streamed via Tidal (non MQA) via ethernet Cat 7
3. Streamed via Tidal (non MQA) via wireless

My assumption at the beginning was direct from Aurender would be best, followed by hardwired Cat 7 with wireless pulling up the rear. Well, long story short I was wrong. Wireless won every time. Not by a huge margin but enough to consistently be picked as "best" seeming to give faster attack and fuller bloom. This was repeated several times on different days and with friends who’s ears I trust. 

With only a .5 meter run of ethernet cable at this point, I’m not sure additional items in the chain such as a Eno would be helpful. Maybe a better shielded ethernet cord?

Disclaimer: I live on top of a mtn in the middle of nowhere so very little to interfere however the ATT tower is a stones throw so the wireless signal is as close as possible. So your mileage may very dramatically if you’re a city dweller.