@fuzztone Playing a hard drive on network, NAS. If hard drive in server you have to go through network switch.
If not using fiber out from server, things get more complex because the conversion required. However, the ultimate optical setup can be pretty damn simple, server with optical out>optical in usb renderer/streamer/end point>dac. Three items, you could cut it down to two if there was such a thing as streaming dac with optical input.
One of the major points I"m making here is the liability of vast majority of usb outs on servers. Many have discovered improvement by using various usb renderers, filters, etc., this complicates what should be simple. An atx motherboard build with Pink Faun or Jcat usb board takes care of the usb problem, but at a cost, $500-$2,000, then add need for dedicated lps for these boards.
So, there is less than optimal usb out and not enough processing power for those who wish to use full potential of HQPlayer dsp. Two inherent flaws of too many off the shelf servers.
Also, there is hierarchy of optical products as well, at low end the generic FMC like TPLInk powered by smps, next up is products like Sonore Opticalrendu, these have Femto clocks and powered by LPS, at the top are Sonore Signaturerendu SE.
My recent upgrade from TPLInk FMC, both powered by lps to Opticalrendu powered by Uptone JS2 was not a small upgrade. Heard within seconds, another layer of noise removed, this easily one of the most meaningful streaming upgrades I've made in four years of streaming.
@sdl4 Perhaps Innuos is referring to the cheap FMC when speaking of adding noise. Adding lps to these certainly lowers noise floor. Sonore observed some modifying internals on these generic devices, thus, was born inspiration for the Opticalrendu line.