Wifi vs ethernet revisited

@fastfreight On the clean side router which feeds my custom build server (use two computer setup, streamer is OpticalRendu, the custom build can also act as streamer with usb out, running Euphony operating system on custom build which allows bridged or unbridged modes with Roon) wifi is disabled, this router feeds the second whole house router  via ethernet cable in which wifi is enabled. The entire network within my house is seen by the clean side or first in line router, this allows the Roon remote to communicate with streamers.

As for clocking, few months ago purchased Denafrips Gaia as I wanted to investigate I2S implementation vs usb. Gaia uses OXCO clock with quality power supply for the clock, this vs Femto clocks on both my dacs, this on I2S within dacs which is standard pathway prior to analog conversion, usb clocks on usb boards is an entirely different thing. Note usb and i2s implementation can vary greatly between dacs, various quality clocks and the important power supplies for those clocks. My Musetec 006 has an extremely well implemented custom usb board, this superior to the Amamero board used in prior Musetec 005, my Laiv Harmony has a rather ordinary usb implementation. Anyway both dacs benefited greatly from using the Gaia clock vs internal I2S clock (usb board bypassed completely in this configuration). Difference with this is presentation now nearly indistinguishable from my very nice vinyl setup. Any and all semblance of a digital sound presentation was eliminated, music now flows pretty much exactly like my analog setup.

Some hurdles to overcome with streaming, one is extracting max resolution/transparency, this by paying extreme attention to noise on every single link in streaming chain. Good test for this is to have cd rips on either a streamer hard drive or well implemented NAS, compare exact same recordings, streams and rips should be indistinguishable, and streams in general should be fully immersive as rips.  Once you have this, presentation becomes the issue, clocking key to this, no excuse to have to put up with a digital sound signature. If one has vinyl setup easy to compare, otherwise aural memory and/or sense of relaxation or lack thereof will have to suffice. One other parameter of sound quality I've been able to control via streaming is tonal balance, this with usb and I2S cables, generally silver vs copper.

@fastfreight Thought just occurred to me, you should try eliminating both switches and/or just the Dejitterat and simply daisy chain your whole house wifi to your Verizon modem which if I understand you correctly is also a router, wifi remains disabled in Verizon. You still have your clean side, your Roon remote/ipad will see the entire network including streamers, and you can experiment with no switches, one switch or keep the two switch setup.

I have basic wifi and don't stream...but use it for my internet, you tube ,movies and really no problems...I have Optium .

Hi folks

The topic caught my attention, and I'm glad it did and I read thru to the latest post.    There were many things I read I had a xomment in mind, but too many to remember, so this is more general.

Firstly, I use WiFi to connect to my Devialet Pro, which is my streamer and DAC (andamp). The roon core is Antipodes CX Oladra with a few enhancements.  I have concluded (so far) that the benefit is ...  not connecting another wire to the Devialet.  The wifi is a Mikrotik mAP lite, powered by usb battery.  It is a foot from the Devialet to ensure strong connection.  Nothing else uses that wifi.  It is connected to Etgerregen Side B via Shunyata Sigma.  Basically it 'floats' between the moat and wifi and AC.  There other tweaks to it.  This has evolved and far superior to when I first tried wifi for this connection years ago and someday I try plugging the Sigma into the Devialet.

ER Side A connects to the CX and via fibre to my Router - Mikrotik CRS 305, a little brother of the model used by Dejitterit Switch X.  I got that idea from Audiophile Style 'Optical Network' thread which highlights the benefits of the 10G spec (low jitter, perhaps why Chris chose it for SwitchX). The CRS 305 is obviously better than the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X SFP it replaced - it was a straight swap.  The CRS 305 connects to the ONT (1G national broadband).  It also connects via fibre to a FMC > Cat 6a UTP > TP Link WAP to provide wifi which I use to control roon.

My network has no other traffic when I listen to music, except me browsing a bit online.

The ONT and CRS are on a separate AC circuit, AC isn't optimal, but I use ifi AC purifier as AC conditioning and ground treatment.  However the ER is on the dedicated audio room AC (JPS labs, Furutech AC, 20A breaker) and has its own conditiioner (Shunyata Sigma > Cyclops > Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level 3 > W4S LPS > Synergistic Research DC cable).

All network hardware is on Synergistic Research Tranquility PODs, and grounded to Synergistic Research Ground Block SE or passive block, mostly using Hi Def Ground cables.

In all this context, my wifi is doing very well.  It is not preventing me from hearing the benefit of every tweak, roon update and even increasing my ISP upload speed from 4 to 12mbps.

But I would recommend keeping a mesh wifi outside the direct route from ONT (or whatever you may have) and the audio gear.  Unfortunately it seems every bit of the network can be optimised to improve sound quality outcomes.  I have taken the route of optimising rather than adding more switches - I still have more that can be done.

I am intrigued by the SwtichX, it could be a router.  Synergistic Research Router functions as a 2nd router that separates the audio traffic/activity from the rest.  I gather uses a 1G Mikrotik Routerboard, however it's jitter might be lower than typical 10G due to all the 'treatment' it's wrapped in.  I think Network Acoustics Router is 10G.  On the topic of routers, a problem is firewall and other security is much easier with mainstream gear.  Maybe there a way to have one router in the direct route to audio that operates very simply, but with 'something' connected to it doing security outside that direct route.

I hope all this is thought provoking and useful in some way.

@dbastin yes, all very useful for me as I think about how to reconstruct my setup; thanks.

Quick question: you write that "ER Side A connects to the CX and via fibre to my Router - Mikrotik CRS 305." What are the transceivers you are using?