MERGING+PLAYER disconnects and reconnects on a regular basis.
Problem
The MERGING+PLAYER stops for a fraction of second precisely every X minutes and then restarts normally. This always happens every X minutes from the first interruption.
Solution
Your DHCP network switch is renewing the IP adresses, which results in a small disconnection - re connection, causing a drop in the audio.
This mechanism is called DHCP lease, it ensures that devices have a unique IP address, and performs a re-assignment on a determined time interval.
The DHCP Lease Time needs to be extended in your network switch. The recommended lease time is 24 hours.
Some switch also allows DHCP reservations (determined IP addresses are reserved for certain devices and are not renewed or reassigned).
Please consult your switch manufacturer documentation for details.
For example with the recommended Apple Airport Extreme, the DHCP lease can be configured with the Airport Utility in Internet > DHCP.
External Links
https://lazyadmin.nl/home-network/dhcp-lease-time/