Persevere with the Netgear Switch - should be good unless Netgear have changed their design. Could always rely on the non smart GS10x range.

Reports that some TP-link switches don't play nice with the multicast protocol (I checked one of the tp-link models and confirmed it was broken by design with no workaround) so treat any TP-link switch as suspect for the time being unless it is confirmed as working.

Have you turned off 'core' on the MC200? May be worth trying.

Meridian owner since 1992
Prime & PSU, Focal Elear headphones, Roon (ROCK 8Gi5 NUC), Explorer 1 & 2, F80. 200/203, various Sonos (via Roon).