Ethernet connection for best sound quality

Don’t use a computer.  A dedicated streamer is $$$ very well spent. 

You don't need a streamer unless it's inconvenient for you to use the PC. A streamer is basically a small computer with some software installed to enable streaming.

@yage Yes, and you don’t need a Porsche either, but it’s purpose built and kicks the crap out of a Toyota Camry in performance.  Likewise, a streamer is purpose built with high-quality parts to optimize audio quality and reduce noise whereas a PC is a noisy multipurpose mess and is a horrible source for streaming audio.  You want Camry audio performance use a PC, but if you want significantly better audio performance for not all that much extra $$$ get a separate streamer.  Can’t even believe we’re still having this conversation. 

@yage First, and just as with a DAC, a streamer is much more than just its processing chip, and if you don’t realize this simple fact you don’t (or won’t) understand there’s a lot more involved in good streaming quality than that.  Second, I’ll put an Innuos Statement (or any Innuos streamer for that matter) up against the Raspberry Pi you use in your system 7 days a week and twice on Sunday.  There’s a reason excellent streamers from the likes of Innuos, Lumin, Aurender, Grimm, etc. exist and people are very happy to pay up for them, and none of them would swap them for your lowly Raspberry Pi.  If you’re happy just burying your head in the sand and believe it’s just 1s and 0s and streamers make no difference then you do you.  But most people here prefer to use their ears and spend their $$$ accordingly, and investing in a better streamer has meaningful and substantial benefits whether you choose to “believe” it or not. 

Those of us who have tried both know. Those that haven't pontificate.  They are not here for knowledge. Just to preach their superior "knowledge."

@fuzztone +1

You definitely don’t need a streamer to get absolutely top notch performance. You may like the streamer better subjectively, but objectively there’s nothing particularly better about it.

Uh, objectively there absolutely is something better about a dedicated streamer.  Better components and much lower noise yields huge benefits in streaming.  If you think a multipurpose computer streams music as well as a good dedicated streamer I got a bridge I can sell ya.  

Like I pointed out, a streamer is simply a small computer and it generates all the electromagnetic noise that a regular PC would generate. In fact, most use Linux as the base operating system and commodity compute modules / hardware for processing.  One benefit of a streamer might be the lack of mechanical noise from cooling fans, but if you build and configure a PC carefully they're basically inaudible from a few feet away.

Yes, the one benefit of a good streamer is lack of fan noise.  Good call.

A music streamer is a lot like a game console. Hardly anybody will say that a game console can play games better than a computer.

A music streamer is nothing like a gaming console in any way whatsoever!  Seriously, what are you even doing here?

Is ASR funneling their members here just to spew their ridiculous crap?  Argh!

The flip side of the coin is that these products are advertised as having ’less noise’ yet there are no measurements to confirm that this is in fact the case.

@yage Yeah, if there are no measurements you sure as hell can’t hear it.

The reason why companies sell overpriced streamers is because people don’t know any better. I don’t think the average audiophile realizes that these multi-thousand dollar products are based on low-cost, low-powered hardware and freely available open source projects.

Yeah, you’re right.  Clearly Innuos, Aurender, Lumin, Grimm, dCs, etc. are selling snake oil and all the people here who hear clear improvements are deluding themselves. Or there’s you. I’m with the multitude of others here. Enjoy yourself on your digital island where ears don’t matter.