Ethernet connection for best sound quality

I have built enterprise networks since the early 90’s, you will not have any problems using cat5/e cables for a 1G network. If you have issues with cat5, check each cable to make sure it’s terminated properly by using a Fluke meter.

Also, you don’t need a dedicated streamer, just get a dac with Ethernet and put roon or audirvana on a Mac mini in a room outside of your audio room. The only reason to get a dedicated streamer is because your dac doesn’t have Ethernet or you want to use the best connection to a dac and that’s i2s. 

A dedicated streamer is a must-have if you stream music. For those continue using a PC will have inferior sound.

The best sounding DACs and the best Streamers are not necessarily in the same box.  The best sounding streamers/servers will have high quality linear power supplies- something a PC does not have.

I have a CD Transport with I2S going into my DAC.  It sounds amazing.  Before this DAC/Transport combo I would listen to 1/2 to 1 CD and then switch to vinyl- and that was with a very good CD player at the time.  Now I listen to mostly digital.  It sounds so good and more convenient than playing vinyl.  (Vinyl still rocks).  So when I got my streamer and a good USB cable I was surprised to find that my ripped CDs to FLAC files on my music server via USB sound the same as the I2S out of my transport. 

It comes down to the gear and how well it implements the inputs/outputs.  

My 2 cents-

M1 Mac Mini (Dedicated) + Qobuz + Audirvana Studio + Gustard R26 = Nirvana!!!

The improvement over the MAC audio engine with Audirvana Studio is the best bargain upgrade I can recommend.

I just got the ML Unison and plan on evaluating it this weekend.  Another low cost opportunity for an upgrade.

The comment above about Linux w/Intel I7 is what my 2012 MAC mini was.  10 years strong I just got the itch to upgrade.

S-

Any CAT-5 is fine. All this "audio grade" is pure snake oil. I say that because being a computer systems architect and system admin, ( retired) I know how Ethernet works.  You see, there are these things called "packets" that are buffered and assembled.  Now it is possible to get noise and ground loops over Ethernet, but that is solved by proper practice, not magic. Use shielded if for some reason you have very long runs in horrible environments. Doubtful.  In the data center world, we use fiber to totally eliminate noise and ground loop issues.   Now, as far as errors, TCP/IP will correct any error. Absolutely 100%. If running UDP, then you could get a bit error in the transport layer, but an application layer if well designed will detect that.  You would be surprised how much traffic goes around the world, sat hops and who knows how many switches in UDP with no errors. 

I disagree with "streamer vs PC" as a blanket statement.  Sure going through the Windows audio stack stinks, but ASIO or WASAPI-exclusive, asynchronous with the server configured at - 3dB so the oversampling and filters do not cause digital clipping and a sufficient buffer,  then bits are bits until they reach the DAC.  One can even set the process priorities so when Microsoft decided upgrades are the most important thing in the world, or McAfee takes over the Kernel, then you can get prevent a skip.   To say all streamers are better than all PCs is nonsense. There are some crap streamers out there.  There are some very very good ones if you can stand the tiny UI. 

Yes, USB was designed for keyboards and mice, but they have beat it to death over 20 years and it is now very good.  Don't hold biases that are obsolete.  Computers putting out PCM put a lot more of the issue to manage jitter on the DAC and there is no buffer. You are basically real-time from a source that is not a real-time operating system or IO.  USB and IP solve that.