If you’ve heard an iFi Zen stream, anything better under $1k?

No one has mentioned the Node yet?

I mentioned the 2i, at least they are doing USB out on the node now but I have never been impressed with their units as streamers only.  If you need a one box dac/streamer then they are good but I would spend more on the Cambridge CXN v2 over a node if I needed a dac too.

In that $$ zone, The Node 3rd Gen. Hands down. The Cambridge CXN (V2, not V1) is a good unit as well, twice the cost of the Node though and not nearly as stable. The Node just works. Easy OS interface, never a connectivity problem or otherwise. Especially for casual listening it’s hard to beat.

geof3

972 posts

02-19-2022 9:16pm

In that $$ zone, The Node 3rd Gen. Hands down. The Cambridge CXN (V2, not V1) is a good unit as well, twice the cost of the Node though and not nearly as stable. The Node just works. Easy OS interface, never a connectivity problem or otherwise. Especially for casual listening it’s hard to beat.

Hands down?  So you've heard the iFi side by side with the node?

You asked which is the best under 1k. You answered your own question. The iFi is known to be “buggy”. The Node overall has the best OS and sonics at its price point. Best isn’t just sound quality, it is usability as well. Buggy is a pain in the a$$. That’s why the Cambridge lost to me. It’s a nice unit, but it crashed often. I’ve only had my Node crash once, and it wasn’t actually a crash, it was an internet issue. The OS, bombproof at least for me so far.