Thoughts and suggestions please

“This may also be why I experienced in big upgrade in sound quality (perceived) using the Node as a streamer when adding an external linear power supply.”

Correction: using the Node as a server - not as a streamer.

kn

........Hmmmmm  ....." Owning music is going away '' .......not so sure on that just ask the people buying Vinyl. Very myopic view of our hobby and the industry. Just saying ...... 

@knownothing 

My theory for why there is a difference in sound quality has to do with the drive drawing current from the Node to operate

It is possible that the external drives you are using are older and "underpowered". In that case, a USB power hub may remedy that. 

However, note that when you are connecting the Bluesound to an external drive via a USB-C cable, you are using a synchronous USB transfer which prevents the clocking of one component to match up with the other, which will cause, "jitter".  

You can remedy this via an inexpensive AudioQuest Jitterbug ($30). However, you will be left with the stock cable you have been using which may also degrade the sound. There are good upgrades to those cables, available for about $150, so figure $180 and you will hear a difference using any or all of the drives you mentioned. IMHO, all would sound relatively the same after such an upgrade. 

However, you could, of course, purchase a better DAC which would provide you with asynchronous USB support:

• Asynchronous USB in a DAC means that the DAC's internal clock governs the timing of the audio data transfer from the computer, rather than relying on the computer's potentially less accurate clock. This helps in reducing jitter and improving overall sound quality. 

Using a powered external hard drive is akin to using a computer. Both require the clocks to match up with the DAC to prevent jitter. 

Yes, your Bluesound (ICON) does have asynchronous sound internally, but not when it is connected to a separate USB drive. Connected via USB or COAX to a DAC capable of asynchronous transfer is your best case scenario. Depending on the DAC, you may find the better connection to your bluesound using COAX vs. the USB port, but YMMV. 

@goodlistening64

Thanks for your thoughts on this.  

I did not know that the USB C cable connection is not asynchronous.  Is that generally true for that format, or only as implemented to connect a storage device to a Node N130?  (My cable is actually USB C from the SSD to USB A at the Node.)

I am not sure it matters anyway in my situation because I am using a Chord Qutest as my DAC connected to the Node via coax cable, so not asynchronous. This seems to work fine with a quality USB cable from the SSD to the Node and a very good coax from the Node to the Qutest.  Both the Node and the Qutest are driven by an external Teddy Pardo power supply, and the end result of all if this optimization is very good to my ear.

I did a blind shootout of coax cables with a previously owned Chord DAC and the Node N130 with another experienced listener, and we both agreed that the more expensive cables generally sounded noticeably better. Unfortunately.

As for adding a jitterbug, I have two of them sitting unused in a drawer and find they negatively color the sound and lay a blanket over the presentation in any application I have tried them in from the front end of a AQ Dragonfly to any of the stand alone DACs I’ve had.  The jitter handling capability of the Qutest is light years ahead of the jitterbug.

Here is link to my system page so you can see how my digital front end is implemented:

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/6241

kn

@knownothing 

The Bluesound NODE ICON - sorry, I thought you had that one! - can connect via the USB-C port directly with a computer - which would be far better to manage your files while having a visual viewpoint and better the sound (asynchronous). 

You would have to have that Bluesound NODE flagship "ICON" to get asynchronous. All other models are synchronous. 

For those that have large digital file collections like me playing them from the computer is really the only way to do it. My wife's Klipsch sound bar has a USB-C for music playing and it is "meh", due to numerous limitations. I would have to get an adapter to hookup my jitterbug, that has been in a drawer for years, but have not bothered. I guess if I was to buy a streamer, it would be the NODE model because I am committed to playing from the high-resolution collection that I have. The reason I don't purchase one is because the sound from it would not better the Schiit Yggy. But they are a nice offering for those that have not already made the dive with a higher end DAC. Especially those that both a collection and a want to stream.

I find it interesting however as USB-C will ultimately replace USB-A, so at some point, USB-A cables will only apply to legacy electronics. Besides the reason that it uses a cable with both ends being identical, it also supports faster speeds but I doubt it will provide better sound. Who knows, somebody will say they like the sound of the bigger A-ports of old. Ha-ha.

Generally speaking, the smaller C-ports are the de-facto standard for all time. Let's hope. Each manufacturer can do whatever they want with them but most fail at making them really usable outside the need for utilitarian tasks. Akin to your USB port in your car, there is a small bit of code (Linux?) that allows for capability to offer up basic options to do so. I am sure that a more pronounced effort would only end up in some possible "failures" and what manufacturer wants to be forced to fix sound bar ports, car mfg USB ports, or Bluesound returns due to not playing a .WAV file it said on the box it could play. You know, let's put in minimal effort so we don't have to pay lawyers. But the ICON does step up to the plate at a fair price.

Anyway, checked out your system...not sure I have seen speakers like that before! That space looks like it took 14 years to populate accurately! Great use of space.

I did find a good response from A.I. on the subject that I will share:

Synchronous or Asynchronous Transfer?

When connecting a computer to a DAC (like the Bluesound Node Icon via USB-C), the transfer of audio data can be either synchronous or asynchronous. 

• Synchronous USB connections: The computer dictates the timing of the data packets, and the DAC must synchronize its clock to that of the computer. This method is generally considered less ideal for high-fidelity audio due to potential jitter caused by the computer's clock.
• Asynchronous USB connections: The DAC has its own high-precision master clock and requests data from the computer at its own pace. This approach is preferred for audiophile applications as it significantly reduces jitter, leading to improved sound quality. 

Based on the information available, the Bluesound Node Icon supports asynchronous data transfer when acting as a USB DAC. According to a Bluesound support forum discussion, devices compliant with USB Audio Class 2.0 (which many modern DACs, including the Node Icon, are) support asynchronous mode, and the DAC's clock is used for processing. 

Therefore, the Bluesound Node Icon, when connected to a computer via USB-C for audio input, should be operating in asynchronous mode. This allows the Node's high-quality internal clock to govern the data transfer, resulting in optimal sound quality.