Ethernet

@audphile1

is there an authoritative source that can confirm the wifi radio is off when it’s hard wired?

I suppose it depends on the device. When I had my Naim NDX2 streamer/DAC if I added a ethernet connection it automatically disabled WiFi, which quit working as long as I had a ethernet cable attached....as it should be. If I removed the ethernet cable I had to go into settings to re-enable WiFi connections.

Yet, I think the decision to go with Belden Cat6 cables from Blue Jeans Cable is a smart choice in any case.

@fastfreight Im not denying Im just trying to understand. I know why different cables sound different. I know why different amps sound different. I understand jitter and clocking and the pros and cons of digital cables. I'm trying to understand why a budget streamer going into a Denafrips Iris will be bettered by a high priced streamer also going into the Iris. 

 great, now reconfigure your tplink 902 to 2.4hz in client mode, WiFi to it from your home router, and then direct hardwire that tplink to your server or streamer - results might well stun you 😉 

@kevn , the TP-Link doesn't have the capability. 

TP-Link TL-WR902AC

 is not a mesh device and therefore does not support the EasyMesh ethernet backhaul feature found on TP-Link's specific mesh products.

Just as you use ChatGPT to find the solution you want to hear or believe regarding Ethernet cables and connections, you could also use AI (or search through forums) to understand why a better streamer can still matter. It’s an important topic, but it has been discussed so many times that people are genuinely tired of repeating the same explanations. What really matters is whether you believe it or not, and whether you are open-minded enough to accept an answer that you may not be inclined to believe.

Just try it. There are numerous budget-friendly yet more capable streamers than the N130 that sound better, such as the Nano, which has been praised by several trustworthy reviewers if you want to stay within the BluNode line. If you can’t hear a difference, congratulations—you can rest assured, enjoy your music without spending extra, and simply return the gear. There is nothing to lose. You are certainly not the only one who were on the other side of fence including myself.

@lanx0003