+jerrybj My 1 1/2 year streaming journey followed a similar path. Each change made an improvement. Started out streaming from my phone/ipad to my Wifi DAC using Tidal hi-res. Then Macbook Pro on wifi using Audirvana with usb to DAC, then used ethernet cable to mesh router instead of wifi, then added optical isolation filter (FMC-optical cable-FMC) from router to Macbook, added Bricasti M5 network streamer controlled by Macbook over the network, then added roon and a sonic transporter i5 as roon core and dropped the Macbook now controlled by an ipad or iphone remotely. Biggest improvements were adding M5 streamer over the network, optical isolation and quality usb cable. Roon with the sonic transporter made it much easier to use with some minimal SQ improvement vs. the Macbook. Ethernet cables made very little if any improvement. Very happy with the end result and a fun journey. Network Streamer did matter for me!
Ethernet connection for best sound quality
As far as I'm aware of for streaming audio with tidal hi fi plus ethernet. I need; besides modem and router.
1) A Streamer
2) A ethernet card specifically for audio jcat or matrix if I use my computer
3) Shielded ethernet cat 5 or better cable
So from wall to modem to router to streamer to dac, correct?