It doesn’t actually reduce it… that’s not how that number works. The number is not exactly “cpu usage”, even though that is an easy way to think about it. The number is an estimate of capacity – I/O will reduce it, but that doesn’t mean it’s heavier on the CPU.
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So, the added i/o needed for network transport (compared to a USB connection) could lower the processing speed figure, did i get that right? And then i suppose that the linux way of doing this affects this more than it does on Windows.
Thanks for the added info! 
the key word there is “figure”, not “processing speed”.
I would be more at ease with a lower processing speed as long as it doesn’t cause glitches or mutes. In audio we don’t want the ‘highest processing speed’, we want sufficient processing speed since high processing speed causes high HF noise… It’s odd how we in general always want the highest in stead of the best.
I think you are misunderstanding. A higher figure for Processing speed means less CPU and i/o usage.
And imo a core which is not running “hot” will sound better due to less noise and timing issues. Whether this is true, i don’t know. 
There are those who feel the opposite though, such as the designer of Taiko Audios SGM Extreme which some swear by.
I suppose i would think it sounds good too, had i spent it’s cost on a fancy desktop. 
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You are right, I misinterpreted the higher figure. But we seem to agree on wanting lower processing.
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Hi all,
I do confirm that processing figures are way lower with NUC wired to the router and then to SoTM/DAC than with the NUC/DAC solution. I may add than now CPU usage is marginally better than with the Synology NAS with Roon core onboard that I used to run before NUC…