Streamer Upgrade Bluesound Node To Aurender N10


Just got into streaming via a Bluesound Node running Tidal and Qobuz, streaming from an iPad Air via wifi. Very impressed by the simplicity, convenience, incredible choice of music and sound quality. My question is; if I replace the Bluesound Node with an Aurender N10 will there be a noticeable difference in SQ?

Rest of the system is a McIntosh C52 pre amp, MC312 power amp and Magico A5 speakers. I feed the digital optical output from the Bluesound Node to the C52. A/D conversion is done in the C52. If I do upgrade to the Aurender N10, what is the best way to connect the system together? A/D in the Aurender N10 or C52, type of cable connection between the two units etc?

mgattmch

You'll have to lose the airplay.  Before you go aurender, confirm that you don't ever want to try roon. Aurender doesn't support roon.

I use an Innuous Zenith mk3 streamer, a Roon ROCK, all hard wired with quality cables.  Jerry

Last Friday I went from an iFi Zen Stream with upgraded power supply and fiber network adapters/NUC 10th gen i7 Roon Core to an N20 and it wasn’t a subtle upgrade. I believe that it will improve after AES/EBU cable burns in and if when I upgrade cable and upgrade my Shunyata Delta NR power cable.

I don’t know if this is relevant, but I previously moved from the internal DAC 2 of my McIntosh MA12000 to a Holo May DC KTE and this was even a greater improvement than the streamer change.

From an iPad? It don’ look that way.

More testimony that DACs usually make more SQ difference than most decent streamers per $$ upgrade.

The iPad is a way to control the Blusound. Streaming is over a LAN.

Getting the AC mains out of the Bluesound Node and adding a decent 5v supply is a worthwhile improvement.

Bluesound Node 2021 (gen.3) upgrade – low noise PSU interface

Power Supply Board