Testbed:
350 Mb modem downloads bandwidth tested with 1GB wired and 5GHz Wifi directly from the cable modem. All systems connected to Oppo UDP 205 USB DAC. I used commercial quality cabling throughout as I have found and tested pricey Audiophile brands to offer NO advantages and they often don't work.
Results:
STREAMING Sonic Progression with QoBuz Studio CD quality minimum:
1. Windows 10 14GB 256TB SSD 5Ghz Wifi 20' from Wifi broadcast Arris cable "modem" (too many drop outs)
2. Windows 10 PC 14GB MEMORY 256TB SSD wired with 25' Cat 5e (better than 1. sonically, very few drop outs)
3. Dedicated MacMini 2009 with 8GB memory (2) 1TB SSD with CAT 5e - considerably better than 2, no comparison.
4. System 3 above with tested 25' Cat 7 cable - best system so far by far, nothing else even close. (However, even this occasionally has drop-outs. Probably when people are streaming video in the neighborhood. One might be able to ameliorate this if I found the port qoBuz streams to but I am too lazy - if anyone knows?)
However:
5. The best performance and most satisfying experience (NO DROP-OUTS) is to download and CACHE QoBuz at the highest resolution available on the Mac Mini and then play it back. I use an iPAD with a wireless interface program (forget the name) to control the Mini. QoBuz has a convenient favorites and playlist interface for the MAC. Also, some of the most interesting music, to me, is only available in hi-res downloads. No you don't have to buy them unless you want to own them. Oh, I don't have any others programs running on the MAC it's pretty much dedicated to music, I should say so for $110!)
At some point I will try to substitute Ethernet for USB as a DAC interface but I have other things to do. I think I have a pretty good sound now. I am a music lover but digital was my profession.
