A network audio system comprising: a first network audio device; a second network audio device; a first network including a first networking device; a second network including a second networking device; the first network audio device comprising a plurality of ports (216-11, 216-12, 216-13); the second network audio device comprising at least three ports (216-1, 216-2, 216-3); the first network audio device being connected to the second network audio device by a serial connection connecting a first one of the at least three ports (216-1, 216-2, 216-3) of the second network audio device to a first one of the plurality of ports ((216-11, 216-12, 216-13) of the first network audio device; the first network audio device being connected to the second network by a direct connection connecting a second one of the plurality of ports (216-11, 216-12, 216-13) of the first network audio device to the second networking device; the second network audio device being connected to the first network by a direct connection connecting a second one of the at least three ports (216-1, 216-2, 216-3) of the second network audio device with the first networking device, and being connected to the second network by a direct connection connecting a third one of the at least three ports (216-1, 216-2, 216-3) with the second networking device; the first network audio device configured to receive at least one of a first audio signal and a first control signal from the first networking device via the second network audio device and the serial connection; the first network audio device configured to receive at least one of a second audio signal and a second control signal from the second networking device via the direct connection; the first network audio device configured to transmit the at least one of the first audio signal and the first control signal to the audio output device; the first network audio device comprising at least one circuit configured to detect a failure associated with the first one of the plurality of ports (216-11, 216-12) connected to the second network audio device; the first network audio device configured to transmit to the audio output device, in response to detecting a failure, at least one of the second audio signal and the second control signal received via the direct connection at the second one of the plurality of ports (216-11, 216-212) instead of the at least one of the first audio signal and the first control signal to the audio output device. a first network audio device; a second network audio device; a first network including a first networking device; a second network including a second networking device; the first network audio device comprising a plurality of ports (216-11, 216-12, 216-13); the second network audio device comprising at least three ports (216-1, 216-2, 216-3); the first network audio device being connected to the second network audio device by a serial connection connecting a first one of the at least three ports (216-1, 216-2, 216-3) of the second network audio device to a first one of the plurality of ports ((216-11, 216-12, 216-13) of the first network audio device; the first network audio device being connected to the second network by a direct connection connecting a second one of the plurality of ports (216-11, 216-12, 216-13) of the first network audio device to the second networking device; the second network audio device being connected to the first network by a direct connection connecting a second one of the at least three ports (216-1, 216-2, 216-3) of the second network audio device with the first networking device, and being connected to the second network by a direct connection connecting a third one of the at least three ports (216-1, 216-2, 216-3) with the second networking device; the first network audio device configured to receive at least one of a first audio signal and a first control signal from the first networking device via the second network audio device and the serial connection; the first network audio device configured to receive at least one of a second audio signal and a second control signal from the second networking device via the direct connection; the first network audio device configured to transmit the at least one of the first audio signal and the first control signal to the audio output device; the first network audio device comprising at least one circuit configured to detect a failure associated with the first one of the plurality of ports (216-11, 216-12) connected to the second network audio device; the first network audio device configured to transmit to the audio output device, in response to detecting a failure, at least one of the second audio signal and the second control signal received via the direct connection at the second one of the plurality of ports (216-11, 216-212) instead of the at least one of the first audio signal and the first control signal to the audio output device.