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Any advantage to Bluesound Node 2i Versus Streaming from PC

I'm trying a loaner Bluesound Node 2i streamer which salesperson said will sound better than streaming from my PC.  I doubted this since both are just feeding a digital signal to my Amp.  It's just zeros and ones right?   I have the Bluesound connected with a decent (not high end) digital coaxial cable to my Lyngdorf 3400.  The PC is connected with a cheap USB cable to the same Lyngdorf.  The sensitivity of both inputs is set to 0dB.  The bluesound is set to fixed volume and the PC volume is set to max.  I am playing Tidal through both input devices.  I am trying to discern if there is any difference in sound quality.  When played through the amp the bluesound volume is a whole lot louder than the PC.  I have not found a way to level match the two inputs for comparison.  The bluesound sounds good and is a lot louder per any particular volume setting on the amp.  Does this mean the Bluesound is sending a better signal to the amp?  Is the  coaxial cable a better medium to transmit the  audio signal?  Is this the reason it's louder?  Could the Tidal feed through Bluesound be better than the Tidal Desktop app on my PC?  I need some help as I have to decide by Saturday whether to keep the Bluesound or return it. Other than sound quality there are only minor advantages to owning the Bluesound which don't warrant the purchase.  My amp has a built in streamer but no built in Tidal (which is the reason I'm using the PC.)
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Showing 2 responses by headphonedreams

headphonedreams
529 posts
 
Regarding SSD disks almost all people who has tried with music streaming says that it is better. That probably holds even if you have the computer on all the time.

The only thing I can think of that would be better than SSD is buying a LOT of memory and using a part of it as a RAM-drive but that requires some technical skills. Memory is somewhere around 1000x faster than an SSD which is in turn 4x - 10x as fast as normal hard-drive (HDD).
headphonedreams
529 posts
 
If you don't hear a difference then keep using the pc. I would not expect the Node to be better but it could be compared to some computers. Then there are a few purpose-built computers that is said to sound really, really great. Most streamers/servers are computers that are changed a bit to sound better.

Here are some more tips about building a pc server yourself with some comments about parts that affect the audio quality.

https://www.pursuitperfectsystem.com/building-the-ultimate-music-server---hardware.html

You can also buy software to optimize your pc for music playing. It might be unable to do other things after, if that is a concern.

https://www.highend-audiopc.com/audiophile-optimizer

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