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Is anyone doing this with a Bluesound Node 2 or other streaming component?

I have a Bluesound Node 2 that I have been using as a streaming device for Tidal music files, Spotify music files and my own digital music files on a WD MyCloud device. The Bluesound Node 2 has been fed into a Benchmark USB/DAC1 as an external DAC running to a Parasound preamp and Amp. I wanted to know how good the Node 2 (internal DAC) was....so... I ran the Node directly into my Parasound A21. Essentially I am using the Node 2 as both preamp and DAC. It sounds really fantastic. I did this with the Benchmark with good results long ago. Does anyone else do this with a Bluesound device or other streamer? What is the downside, despite the obvious lack of preamp functions (switching sources, volume pot, etc).....
128x1282psyop
wtf's avatar
wtf
306 posts
 
For practical reasons I’ve been using my Node 2 sans external DACs (Chord Qute EX and Schiit Bifrost Multibit) for a couple of months now and I must say, I don’t miss either of them. The on-board DAC in the gen 2 Bluesound gear is surprisingly good ... shouldn’t be according to some, but it is. I think we all need to keep in mind it’s not just about the DAC chip in a product like this (i.e., the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts). Like @williewonka I also think the Node 2 is quite a bargain.
helomech
766 posts
 
You simply discovered that with equal signals, most DACs sound quite similar. The huge differences people claim to hear can be attributed to the expectation/ placebo effect, similar to cable/IC swapping. No DAC should require a huge transformer or a whole rack width of circuitry. It’s all marketing.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
Has anyone on this thread or otherwise had an opportunity to compare the overall sound quality (DAC and analog stage) of the Node 2 to the Oppo UDP-205? If so, what are your impressions?
gosta's avatar
gosta
202 posts
 
In addition to the fine sound (I have yet to hear a true difference between DAC's of good quality - the same naturally for streamers) the bluesound node also have, I think, a nice working subwoofer output, where you can decide if you want the signal to the monitors be high-passed or not.

Any thoughts on the bluesound vault 2 cd ripper? I need to get rid of my cd's soon.

I also use the Oppo streamer/dac and a Nuprime 10 dac/pre. All of them fine and don't hear any differense to tal about. There might be some minor difference but then you also have to decide for better or worse....
uberwaltz's avatar
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uberwaltz
4,946 posts
 
They must have improved the dac in the node 2 compared to the vault 2 which I own.
The dac in my vault 2 is considerably inferior in SQ compared to running it via spdif to my Mytek Brooklyn DAC.

Apart from that the vault 2 is STILL the best bang for the buck piece of equipment in my entire systems.

Gosta.

Owned the vault 2 for near 2 years and still have no desire to upgrade . have approx 2500 CD ripped in it as wav files although I mostly use it to stream tidal.
One point with the vault 2 is that it accepts wired Ethernet connection only.
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