Ethernet connection for best sound quality

tvtgeek, you are definitely on to something most people don’t realize. Case in point, none of my jacks are plated for a grounded cable. I use plenum rated cat 5e cable and high quality jacks throughout my network. I have talked to a number of CEE’s regarding network switches etc. Some of these guys work on the software, hardware, and network side of the business. When I questioned the network person, he didn’t see any benefit in a “audio network switch.” He knew exactly what I was talking about. This person recommended using an unmanaged Cisco or Netgear switch. In other words, a high quality and reliable switch. In his technical analysis, a $500+ audio switch would really serve no purpose on the network side. Your system is a different story and what matters the most - DAC, preamp and amplifier. Of course, streamers prompted this thread. 

Here we go.  Another merry go round of discussion between the people who have hifi systems, have experimented and tried various configurations and are willing to share their experiences vs the people with little to no hifi experience but in their close mindedness, I have the answers attitude proclaim that audio enthusiasts are delusional.  It’s the “Emperors New Clothes” scenario, they claim and they are the clever little boy calling out the truth.

Yes, we often come across boxes or gadgets or tweaks that turn out to be not so good.  Not everything is a home run in audio.  The hobby requires an open mind and a willingness to try things that we think shouldn’t work but does and conversely some things that should work but don’t.

My favorite tweak of all times is using a bulk magnetic tape eraser on my CDs.  It was a heated topic in the early 1990’s.  CDs are digital and use a laser.  Bits are bits and light is not affected by magnetic fields and so on.  So I had to try it for myself.  Bought a bulk tape eraser at Radio Shack for $19, kept the receipt so I could return it.  I demagnetized a CD with it and amazingly the CD sounded better.  Not a subtle change either.  People still debate how it works or why it shouldn’t work.  At any rate I still use my bulk tape eraser.  And yes, I laugh when I see these $300 CD clarifiers on the market that merely do that same thing as my $19 device.  As always, Caveat Emptor.

To be clear,  I am a hard core "listening is what counts" audiophile and have been for longer than most here have been alive. But I am also an engineer and understand how some of this technology works.  Physics are the same for everyone regardless of belief.  

What this combination tells me is that as good as our classical measurements are, they are either incomplete or we are not interpreting them in a way to enlighten us. There is no measurement of "musicality".  A scientist looks for the differences and tests to identify them. A believer just puts their head in the sand and ignores any facts or viewpoints that do not align with theirs. 

A curious feature about humans: If we "believe" our brain may well skew what we hear to align with our belief.  If that makes your music sound better, then great as it is the music that matters.   

Tony,  Believe in your CD eraser. No argument other than there is no law of physics that supports it as last I checked, aluminum and styrene were non-ferris.  Is it possible that the extra handling is draining a static charge that could bias the photodiode?  Doubtful, but within the laws of physics in this universe. An old "Zero-Stat" may do better. They were critical back in the low humidity of Colorado for LPs.  I will keep using my old RS bulk eraser left over from my tape days to de-gauss chisels and screwdrivers. 

Yea, can't go wrong with a Cisco.  On the cheap end Netgear is usually reliable. For home use, a dumb hub should suffice. Maybe if you have a couple of gamers in  the house you may want a managed switch. 

OK, streamers.   Not everyone wants a big PC in their living room so a "stereo" looking box and combining with preamp functions is useful for the use case. Most can be used with an external DAC. 

Just remember, while in the digital domain, the bits you start with are what was on the source file.  There is no way to add any information, only mess it up by poor timing, bad DSP algorithms, etc.  A good example is understanding digital filtering overshoot and how that can cause "digital clipping" with all these loudness wars CDs and how the oversampling interprets peaks.  Digital filters overshoot just like analog! So a 0 dB peak run through the filter could cause clipping and the harsh distortion that causes.   So, now to the argument for and against NOS and analog filters or adding a tube buffer stage to add various combinations of masking distortion.  :)

PS: Under the hood, A Ferrari ( I have friends that had them) is nothing but an unreliable Fiat with an attitude. Terrible reliability, not much fun to drive around town, and a Tesla will out-run it. Inexcusable that for the price, they are not more reliable than a Corolla. I'll stick with my Stag.  I can weld tubes better than a 308!

@tvrgeek 

With all this ‘engineering’ posturing, your answer doesn’t address John Swenson’s treatise nor my personal experience with using Isolators and clocked switches on ethernet connections. And your point on digital vs. analogue is primitive and off topic. Just keep proselytising, I won’t listen or comment anymore.

First, claiming to know why a bulk eraser works on CDs is a red flag.  I have a Zerostat.  I use it on my records.  Tried it on CDs back in the day and it did nothing.  
It is obvious you have not tried an audio grade Ethernet switch in a stereo system but you already “know” it doesn’t do anything.  
I’m an engineer but when it comes to hifi I don’t pretend to know what will work or always how it works. I know isolating an amplifier from vibration works but no idea why transistors are sensitive to vibration- tubes maybe. 
Most in this hobby are applications specialists.  We don’t have to know in detail how digital or the internet works.  We apply boxes, cables and tweaks to achieve the best sound possible.   Sometimes not knowing that something should not work is how breakthroughs happen. 
Somebody thought to put bicycle wheels on the first airplanes.  It solved the problem of takeoffs and landings.  More sophisticated landing gears followed.  Likewise, the discovery’s we make today in streaming will become standards in a few years possibly.