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Quick USB question

I currently have a Node (2021) streamer and it has only one USB port.  Does someone make a decent “Y” adapter? I currently have a 4TB hard drive in it and would like to try using the USB as an output to my DAC.

I’m not sure if it will work. Anyway, with one thing going in and the other going out, not at the same time of course.

Thanks in advance.

JD

128x128curiousjim
danager's avatar
danager
970 posts
 

Try a powered USB hub. You might get by with a passive one if you aren’t powering any of the devices through the USB port.

 

Best USB hubs of 2022

 

curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim OP
4,943 posts
 

Thanks @danager 

I’ll check it out tomorrow.

JD

dynacohum
663 posts
 

Another way to make your music collection available without using the USB is to transfer the files to a NAS drive and let the Node access them over your network. That will also make them available to any other network streaming players in your home. Then you can use the USB output to a suitable DAC as you intend. 

larry5729's avatar
larry5729
1,009 posts
 

I have a Node 2i and I wonder if you can really hear a distinct difference in higher cost streamers.  When I first purchased my BlueSound, they sold me a ProJect DAC.  I found the DAC made it sound thinner. So I disconnected the ProJect and the sound was better.  I now have my BlueSound connected to my ARCAM AVR 550 with a high-end digital cable.  The person I purchased the digital cable said by connecting using digital, I would be using a better DAC inside my ARCAM.  By doing so, I lost MQA.  Did I make the wrong decision by connecting using a digital cable and giving up MQA?

danager's avatar
danager
970 posts
 

@larry5729

Can’t you just do a comparison of with MQA and without and see which one you prefer? Lots of people live without MQA and prefer hi-rez over MQA (Qobuz vs Tidal).

A better streamer can makes a difference. It will lower the noise floor, reduce the jitter issue associated with digital audio but only if the DAC can actually resolve the difference. The USB interface is quite problematic and requires some extra circuitry to be top notch (there are those who say it will never compete). You can put premium gas in a econobox and it won’t make much of difference but regular gas in a Corvette is quite noticeable.

I’m a believer “The first watt is the most important watt.” and that what you feed it is even more critical. Get the best input you can afford even if it causes you to rethink your budget on cables, amplifiers and even speakers. There are many ways to get big buck sound but all of them begins with the input.

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