Relationship between Ethernet Switch and SQ

@cleeds do all streamers cache? Let’s not confuse caching with buffering…I’m asking about caching. 

audphile1

Let’s not confuse caching with buffering…I’m asking about caching.

If you want to be precise, what a streamer really does is load the file into a buffer. It’s really a difference without a distinction, though. You’re getting a bit perfect file from a source such as Qobuz because the data is sent in packets over TCP/IP with error correction and no interpolation, contrary to your claim.

You haven’t identified your streaming source and I suppose it’s possible that you’re not getting bit perfect files from your provider. Which service are you using?

Thanks @lalitk and @fastfreight for the Link UP ethernet cable recommendation. I’ve been looking for something good but reasonably priced since I’m just using free cat five cables for now. 

@fastfreight 

Thanks for your comments. I think you did a good job of capturing the nuances of reality. There is a trade off between investing in a very good streamer and also upgrading network components. I have one of the finest streamers… adding a EtherRegen does not improve the sound quality at all. But it does improve the sound in lessor streamers, as will fancy routers. The trick is figuring out the optimal mixture. That will depend on how resolving the rest of your system is, you financial situation, desire to play with technology… or not. 
 

@carlsbad2  Enjoy the holidays. 🎄

@cleeds some streamers buffer, some cache. Different technology and design concepts altogether.
Buffering leverages what is typically a small memory area that fills up and outputs data to match the transmission/stream speed. Think of it as your faucet running into a funnel that outputs a stream of data. During that time a lot takes place and it has to take place fast - unpacking the stream, converting it to the signal that your dac would understand, etc.
Caching typically stores the entire result set, in example several albums or a playlist. Caching leverages SSD and varies in capacity. Aurender uses about 240GB of SSD to cache the playlists and albums. Auralic uses about 1GB. When the result is cached, it is a slower process than buffering and yields a better opportunity to process and unpack data slower, using less processing and injecting less garbage into the final result. It essentially downloads the entire album ftom the cloud streaming service and stores it in that cache before sending a much cleaner than buffer data to dac.
Cheaper streamers buffer. Higher end streamers cache. Some higher end streamers buffer but use a healthy buffer area and processing to ensure the data is clean.
What sets the higher end streamers apart from their lower end counterparts is beefier power supplies designed to accommodate larger snd faster processors without taxing the power supplies, larger buffer and caching areas. There are also various means if isolation for LAN and USB inputs/outputs, as well as better clock, etc. Lowering the noise floor and having a clean data output to the dac is key to good sound. So yeah, when people upgrade a SMPS on something like the Node to linear power supply or add an Sbooster LPS to Lumin U1/2 Mini bypassing its SMPS it usually results in better sound due to just lowering the noise floor.