Hi Bose,
take time to answer these questions and please answer each one separately, I'd really like to settle the "best audio quality connection issue" once and for all:
1) Is there any difference in audio transmission quality between Ethernet cable and WiFi when playing a music library from computer source (FLAC or higher bitrate mp3s)? Assuming I use a standard 100 Mbps VDSL router (https://www.comtrend.com/cee/Product/85$prod.html), there is no other device connected to the network (no limitations to a full data-transfer capacity), no microwaves or huge cupboards made of steel around interfering with WiFi signal and I play music just on one Bose speaker, not a multi-speaker home audio system...
2) Is WiFi audio data transfer loseless, so guaranteeing similar uninterrupted top audio quality (assuming there are no interferences with WiFi data transmission) as in case of Ethernet connection or is audio data being compressed by some codec during their WiFi transfer? And if so, is the compression lowering audio quality in greater extent as in the case of Bluetooth connection or is it negligible (I didn't find anything about audio codecs neither in rooter's nor SoundTouch's product information)?
3) I read some professional audio technicians stating that Ethernet audio data transmission can pick-up low-frequency noise on the way, especially if cables or the devices' sockets and switches are of a lesser quality, but how can that be when the data are digital, which are "either-or" and not "more-or-less" as in the case of analogue connection dependant on quality of the material? And if they are right, how large is the overall audio data loss compared to the one caused by data compression by a codec during WiFi transmission, if there is any?
I am not an audiophile and don't need the perfect sound quality, it would just be stupid not to use the better audio quality connection as both are readily accessible (I'm suspecting the preference for WiFi is just due to convenience, that is laziness), especially if one of them seems to be a pure gold as even professional sound studios are starting to use Ethernet for audio data transmission (I even saw a Gibson guitar featuring a built-in RJ45 socket). Thanks in advance,
Michael