I just purchase the Node 2 and had the opposite experience of some of the above posters - I found the Node 2 sounded better than my Bifrost (with the 4490 upgrade).
I performed a side-by-side comparison and initially, could hear no difference. Then I replaced the stock power cable that came with the Node 2 and it opened it up and presented more details and clarity than my Bifrost - which I found quite surprising.
The Bifrost has been an excellent DAC and it had responded positively to great cables, but the on-board DAC in the Node 2 definitely has the edge when connected with those very same cables.
The Node 2 also allows me to cut the iMac umbilical - finally!
Simple to install, great sound, nice interface and my wife does not have to become a techy to operate it
FYI - I'm using the Node 2 connected via Ethernet - not wi-fi.
Bye Bye Apple :-o
I performed a side-by-side comparison and initially, could hear no difference. Then I replaced the stock power cable that came with the Node 2 and it opened it up and presented more details and clarity than my Bifrost - which I found quite surprising.
The Bifrost has been an excellent DAC and it had responded positively to great cables, but the on-board DAC in the Node 2 definitely has the edge when connected with those very same cables.
The Node 2 also allows me to cut the iMac umbilical - finally!
Simple to install, great sound, nice interface and my wife does not have to become a techy to operate it
FYI - I'm using the Node 2 connected via Ethernet - not wi-fi.
Bye Bye Apple :-o