Very clear simon - thanks!
Edit. I am running one sfp connection with Ethernet and sfp modules today.
If different bit-perfect rips are felt to have the potential to sound different, does copying (multiple generations??) a given rip, or uploading to a different device introduce variables that are audible? 
You might have mis understood. A rip is is a rip is a rip. It is encapsulated and encoded in a computer file. These files can be made in subtly different ways by the software and platforms creating them. It doesn’t affect the ripped data however.
Software and systems when reading the the ripped files will create their own analogue noise signatures from the code execution, and the software might use different code branches to parse files constructed in different ways, and there a different code execution signature of EM fields.
This EM interaction from the code execution is usually of no consequence. However the two fields I am aware that appear sensitive and/or take advantage of this are are certain cyber eavesdropping methods and certain consumer hifi audio products… as the EM fields can produce coupling side effects in other components or functions.
The computer file itself can be potentially copied for ever with no corruption… the underlying systems in the file store system and computer operating and run time layers include error recovery. If an error can’t be recovered you will then get a bad file, you can’t do much with that other than delete.
I know, it was a slightly mischievous post (denoted by the emoji) to see if anyone would take the bait 
Actually “upload to a diff device” … and then play it back on that device will probably make it sound diff. The same goes with the copying - it depends what you are copying to and playing it back from.
This thread made me get out and first try and then buy a D100 powering it with a spare well run-in Farad S3 and sure it sounds great - is it for real or in my head? I dont know and does it matter? To me it sound better. Even that Hawkwind live-recording from 1972 improved!
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