Bluesound vs SOtM


I am a vinyl guy but after living with the Chromecast audio for a few years I finally bought a DAC. The DAC is an Ayre Codex currently fed by a MacBook Air 2011, directly connected via USB. It sounds a bit harsh and flat, although with plenty of detail and great body in the lower frequencies.

I have therefore decided to feed the fact with a streamer instead. My question is this: Has anyone substantial experience comparing Bluesound Node 2 with a SOtM SMS 200 (with the SPS 500 power supply) in a revealing system?

Again, my system is very revealing so even subtle differences between the two will be clear.

I currently use only TIDAL and YouTube but I am interested in differences in hardware of the streaming that affect all uses.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience,
Fred
fabsound
I’ve owned an Ayre Codex for several years now and it’s far from harsh and flat in my system. You definitely have some issues with your source or cables. I’ve used the Codex connected to an Aurender N100H via USB and the sound is excellent. I’ve also connected a Raspberry Pi via USB streaming Tidal and sounds great as well. Completely balanced, rich in detail and the sound stage and imaging is very good. Clean USB is a must and good USB cables will make a world of a difference.
  
I know a few guys using a Bluesound Node 2 to the Codex with great success. I also heard this combination at my audio dealer and the the combination was solid. It sounded great. The SOtM SMS200 is considered by many to be one of the best streamers (different class from the Bluesound) especially with the added power supply. You can’t go wrong with either, but if I had to pick, I would go with the SOtM SMS200, especially if you don’t care about using the built-in DAC for MQA support. Many people I trust consider it one of the best streamers available, better than the MicroRenu. Good Luck!
Thanks very much for your response nycjlee! If the SOtM is a different class, I know what to get, even thought it costs a bit more (when a good power supply is factored in).
In the long run, I think you will be happier with the added power supply.  All the reviews seem to indicate a bump in the SQ with the added linear  power supply.  
Don’t see any mention of support for WiFi in the SOtM SMS200 documentation and for many, including me, the absence of WiFi is a non starter. Something to keep in mind when comparing streamers.