Has Anyone Compared the DAC On a Bluesound NODE 3rd Gen to a Separate DAC?

Tcotruvo,

I have the 3rd generation node, and did A/B testing with my Denafrips Ponuts II DAC......absolutely no comparison; the Denafrips improves the sound on every single measurable I can think of. Also though the Denafrips Pontus II ($1,825 US) is twice the price of the Ares ($840 US)....it is worth every penny of the upgrade. The Pontus punches WAY above it's price

vthokie83

wow…that’s definitive.  Others have recommended it, so it’s a solid prospect.

I received my Bluesound before my DAC arrived and absolutely noticed the difference when adding the separate DAC. Of course you have to ensure the DAC you use has a better chipset ….. I went with the Gustard X26 pro which is reasonably priced for the quality and sound it produces.  

The Bluesound Node has a lot to be desired when it comes to SQ, try using it connected to a outboard DAC and youll know right away.

Bobbyloans,

Yes the Burr Brown PCM 5242 32 bit / 384 kHz DAC chipset in the Node does leave a lot to be desired. Dual Mono, R2R dual  ladder, and FPGA DACs will greatly improve on the Node DAC