I don't think any network is really needed to be honest, especially as a smaller YouTuber.
The main reason, in my opinion, to apply for a network is for the opportunity to get better sponsorship deals. Yeah, you get the perks of extra music and all that, but I don't think that's really needed.
You won't really be making money as a smaller YouTuber anyways so the paycut that's mentioned won't be too big of a deal.
However, if you get bigger, make sure you find a network with a no lock-in clause meaning that you can leave the network whenever. Some don't have this and have you on contract for 2-3 years, which could be very painful later on. I also heard that you should never accept a deal of less than 90%-10% because, otherwise, it's really not worth it to lose 20% of your already cut 55% revenue.