2. digital
  3. 137111-102489

Bluesound Node2 with outboard DAC

Has anyone used the Bluesound Node or Vault for music streaming connected to a good outboard DAC and respond to how good the combo sounds. I see the Bluesound has great connectivity and streaming options with a good user interface. Curious if using with a good dac is worth the money. 
I'm using Ayre 5xeMP preamp,  Mark Levinson 532h amp and Revel Performa floorstanders. Cardas interconnects.  
Currently using OPPO 105d as my music player and streamer,  don't like it disconnects from my tablet app control a lot and hoping for better resolution. I use Tidal HiFi for streaming and usb hard drive for stored music files. 
Appreciate relevant replies. Thanks Audiogon group
lnitm
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
OP.
Glad to hear you went with another outboard DAC and are pleased with the results.
Myself, I sold the esoteric dac and went with a mytek Brooklyn which was another huge step up and it supports mqa so now on the right files I am getting 24/192.

In a little piece of heaven for now!
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,928 posts
 
congrats on the RME
let us know how you like it after settling in....
luxmancl38
580 posts
 
I’ve been fine tuning my RME and there is nothing in this price range that can touch it. If you want to see a review of the RME w/very descriptive charts go to Audio Science Review. They described it as the best measured DAC to date. Very clear transparent sound w/a wide detailed sound stage. I’m using the SD Slow filter that takes out the top end digital harshness. Still plenty of detail w/cymbals, horns, strings and snare drums.Price & performance ratio is very high.
larry5729's avatar
larry5729
1,008 posts
 
The dealer I purchased my Bluesound Node 2i suggested i connect it by way of Audioquest Carbon digital coax cable to an inexpensive Pro-Ject S2 DAC.  He told me the the Pro-Ject, even though it is very inexpensive is better than the DAC inside the Bluesound.  I do hear tighter bass and more detailed highs or is it like the EMPERORS NEW CLOTHS, by spending more on an external I have convinced myself it sounds better.

I still don't understand how using two MQA certified devices why I am not able to get full MQA unfolding?  Is it the digital coax cable that is the problem.  So, if that is what is breaking up the complete unfold, why then didn't Pro-Ject design their DAC with RCA inputs and RCA outputs so I could hear full MQA?  It must be the digital coax to be the problem.  Still don't understand why connecting two MQA devices why I would not get complete MQA unfold no matter how you connect the two devices.  Also, if Pro-Ject is aware of this, why would they even bother to put MQA into the DAC to begin with.  They should explain this in their owners manual.
mdelrossi1
79 posts
 
I have the Node2, connected to a Schiit Bifrost multibit. The sound was better than the Bluesound dac. However I just went down the Raspberry pi rabbit hole ( pi 3b+, allo digione sig spdif out, shanti power supply) and a RME ADI-2 dac. It’s a bit of diy, but I just played Bowie’s Scary Monsters lp vs tidal through the new setup. The digital front end sounds like I’m sitting in the mixing studio. Amazing, no digital harshness. My vinyl front end( VPI prime, Hana SL, ph16) was a little bit rounder and ever so slightly narrower soundstage, but I’m nitpicking.
I guess paying attention to the beginning of the audio chain makes a difference. 

Regarding MQA, I believe Bluesound does the first unfolding, and sends it out to the dac, or you need to go into the settings and select mqa pass through where it will just let the dac do all the work. Though I’m not sure as I never had a MQA dac to try it out on.
Good luck
mdr
More to discover