More good suggestions from siox. Coincidently my 2nd DAC was the Pontus II after the Ares II. I also upgraded the power supply on my Node with a LPS. Going that route or something similar will be a huge improvement over what you currently are using for streaming.
Upgrade from BluNode 2i with a new DAC or Integrated Streamer DAC?
I have owned the Blue Node 2i for a few years. I would like to upgrade for ~ $1000 - $2000. Would you recommend something like the NAD C 658 or a similar priced used piece or just spend the money on a better DAC and stick with the Blue Node as the streamer? Likewise for the money used vs new. I have a vintage system with Magnapan 3.1s which are powered by Emotiva XPA Gen 3s and Mark Levinson 26 preamp. Had to replace the Mark Levinson dual Monos amp a few years ago and refurbished the Maggies. I’m confused by the jitter issues of connecting two devices which would be either coax or Toslink as a potential negative to just putting the money into the DAC.
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+1 Fatigue can come from both streamer and DAC. Your hearing can’t be too bad or you would not be experiencing fatigue. At your investment level there is much to be gained from improvements in both streamer and DAC. Upgrades will improve all aspects of sound, so while your hearing may be rolled off at the top there is the rest of the audio spectrum that you can hear. |
These aren’t the specific models you’re asking about, but if you skip to the Comparisons section I think you’ll get a useful glimpse into the differences in house sound between the two. https://soundnews.net/sources/dacs/denafrips-venus-review-the-birth-of-a-deity/ |
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