bits is bits
Being a retired IT tech, Iʻm a "bits is bits" guy. I keep seeing people rank different streaming services against each other and I have to say, Iʻm mystified. Modern recordings are all digital masters and remastered. If two different hi-res streaming services, say Qobuz and Tidal, have the same track available, why would one sound different from the other, let alone better?
The stream is being fed over TCP/IP from the source, and I see no reason that it you were to do a cksum on the same file/track being delivered by either streaming service, that they would exactly match. So why do people claim better sound from one streaming source over the other. Iʻm assuming they are both full resolution sources, not mp3.
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You are both correct, it's both AC/DC Ethernet uses both AC and DC voltages, but in different ways: data is transmitted using a form of AC (alternating current), while power over Ethernet (PoE) uses DC (direct current). Data signals are sent as voltage pulses that alternate in polarity, while PoE supplies consistent DC power, typically around \(48V\), to devices like IP cameras and phones Data transmission Power over Ethernet (PoE) PoE is a technology that delivers DC power over the same Ethernet cable used for data It is a low-voltage DC system that avoids the need for separate power outlets near devices The voltage is in the \(44V\) to \(57V\) DC range, with \(48V\) DC being the most common voltage The power-sourcing equipment (PSE) sends this DC power to the powered devices (PD). |
In a nutshell, copper Ethernet sends 2.5V pulses representing ones and zeroes over twisted-pair cables. One wire of the pair carries +2.5V pulses The other wire carries -2.5V pulses The pulses are identical in pattern but opposite in voltage, so that if the carrier voltage were altered, say by EMI, the difference between opposite pulses would be unchanged at 5V peak to peak, allowing the network interface to correctly differentiate ones from zeroes regardless of how dirty the signal may be. That’s the physical, low-level layer. On top of that come advanced protocols such as TCP with their own error-correction protocols. Note that none of this applies to fiber. Fiber sends pulses of light through a glass medium where light=1 and dark=0, and these light pulses are completely impervious to EMI. Here is a very good article on twisted-pair Ethernet. Imo it is required reading for audiophiles who have Ethernet components in their systems - in other words, anyone who streams music - and who want to understand which factors can and can’t affect the sound quality of their systems. https://www.practicalnetworking.net/stand-alone/ethernet-wiring/
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