Streamer/Server to replace Innuos Zenith

@jmphotography, when I really started getting heavily into streaming music when the pandemic hit almost a couple of years ago, I was looking for the simplest plug and play solution that also sounded great, where the updates were automatic, and one where I could just pick up either my iPad or iPhone and start listening to music without any fuss or delays. At that time I too was using a Qutest as my DAC, which I fed using my MacBook Pro as my ROON core via a AudioQuest Diamond USB cable. When I asked my audio gear dealer if I should get my laptop out of my listening chain he emphatically said “Yes, do it right away”. So I looked around his store where he’s got several hundred thousands of dollars of high-end gear for his customers to demo, and I asked him what did he use for a dedicated streamer/music server? He pointed to a ROON Nucleus and said, “We use these because they’re foolproof and they sound great”. I ordered one that day and I’ve been happy ever since. Here’s a link to a comparison of the ROON Nucleus and the Innous Zen Mini Mk III. https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2020/07/04/roon-nucleus-review-as-a-streamer-vs-innuos-zen-mini-mkiii... Since then I’ve traded my Qutest for a Chord Hugo M Scaler and TT2 DAC, and I’ve added a network switch and an Ethernet filter between my router and the Nucleus which has made everything sound simply sublime. One upgrade that I did with the ROON Nucleus, as I’ve also done with both M Scaler and my TT2, was to put power it with an Sbooster LPS(linear power supply). Never underestimate the importance of having clean power feeding your system. This link to Moon Audio is great because it goes over everything you’ll need to know about the ROON Nucleus. https://www.moon-audio.com/roon-nucleus-faq/

@dfurry, I like your streaming system setup. Presently I’m just using a $20 L-Com Ethernet cable going from my router to my D-Link network switch. But I’ve got a Network Acoustics streaming cable going from the D-Link switch to an ENO Ethernet filter and from there to my ROON Nucleus, which I really love. Is there any need for an upgraded Ethernet cable leaving my router going to my network switch, as Rob Osborne from Network Acoustics told me it wasn’t, or isn’t one really necessary? What has been your experience? Thanks.