Melco Audiophile NAS

[Charles7]

(28-02-2026 17:25)simoncn Wrote:  Switching from this:

N1A ----- USB port ----- dCS Rossini

to this:

N1A ----- Ethernet player port ----- N1Z ----- USB port ----- dCS Rossini

made a significant difference to the sound. Some time later, I switched to this:

N1A ----- Melco S100 switch ----- N1Z ----- USB port ----- dCS Rossini

This made a further significant difference. Subsequently, changing to an optical link beteeen the N1A and the S100 made a further significant difference.
...

Wow. Are there any audio quality shortfalls in this sequence, vastly cheaper:

Windows PC's SSD --(Ethernet)-- router --(wifi)-- Denon LinkHS2 --(Toslink)-- RME ADI FS-2 DAC

The RME manual asserts that the DAC is "independent from the quality of the incoming clock signal." I have never heard anything to doubt that.

Apart from the clock signal, what other dimension of audio quality could be at issue when shuttling bits along?