bits is bits

Jitter is the most well known issue. Jitter is about when samples are presented, not whether their bits match the checksum. A packet can pass CRC yet arrive with timing errors that smear transients or disrupt DMA/clock alignment at the DAC. Checksums don’t address clock phase noise, PLL wander, or USB scheduling jitter.

@clustrocasual Great post. I certainly am no expert in digital, or have read enough to make me understand 10% as much as people who design digital gear or work with digital in an audio capacity for a living. But this echoes what I have read over and over from the experts who do. And yes, I hear it too. 

Do you mind if I copy this paragraph and repost it the next time some networking "expert" states all "bit-perfect" check-summed digital sounds the same? 

Oh, and if you have a graph to prove the above please share it with Amir. 

“networking "expert" states all "bit-perfect" check-summed digital sounds the same”

@mclinnguy 

I get what you’re saying, it really does feel like we keep going in circles. Still, I like to think these discussions help someone quietly following along, even if the main voices don’t budge. Honestly, I’ve stopped trying to reason with folks who have no interest in learning or experimenting for themselves 😊

@lalitk I hear you pal. Life is too short for wasted debate. 

@clustrocasual  Your succinct and informative post about digital ’bits’ might go viral in the audio world.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the AI bots grab on to it.   I hope you receive royalties.  $$$

@clustrocasual is conflating all sorts of digital data transmissions in his otherwise interesting post. 

TCP over Ethernet differs from other mediums / protocols such as USB, I2S, etc. in that - being clock-less - it is naturally impervious to jitter.

As a result, the music file that left Qobuz servers 5,000 miles away is the same music file that arrives at your streamer’s network interface. It may have undergone all kinds of processing at Qobuz; It will definitely undergo all kinds of processing in your streamer, thanks to Roon and what not; but it will suffer no more damage between your modem and your streamer than it suffered between Romania (or wherever) and your modem, which is to say none.

Do you mind if I copy this paragraph and repost it the next time some networking "expert" states all "bit-perfect" check-summed digital sounds the same?

@mclinnguy don’t be lazy! And try to keep an open mind :)