Bluesound mode not really cutting it

Your choice of a tube stage DAC is an interesting one. The reviews of the Glass FX Tube DAC/DSD WiFi are good, but have you taken it as far as it will go with the PSVANE 12AX7-S tube upgrade over the stock tube? As good as it is, it is a $900 DAC - a very good one at that price point, but not a $2K DAC.

You are using an external DAC, not the one in the Node. The Node is only a transport. Yes, transports can make a difference, but I would venture that you’d get more bang for your bucks by trying a higher end DAC first, and then later on maybe another streaming transport.

I would also look to a DAC with USB input and configure the Node to use its USB jack as an OUTPUT to that external DAC and make sure the presumably better clock circuit in the external DAC is doing the driving for less jitter, not the clock in the Node.

In the meantime, you might look at doing one of the relatively inexpensive upgrades to a LPS for the Node. This could always be used in a secondary system you have, even if you do buy a better digital streaming transport later. Many swear that it makes a demonstrable difference in audio quality.

Oh, and you didn’t mention which output from the Node into the Black Ice DAC you are using? Have you tried the other outputs versus the one you are currently using? Worth a try. And do you have the DAC set to full volume output to bypass its internal volume control, and only control the volume via the Saga? 

Look at the BelCanto E.stream at about $2000.  Small but hefty, outplayed Innuous Pulse at $3800, No DAC.  Small difference to CD's.

I think that the CA network player - the EXN100 and higher - has HDMI but that the CXN100 does not.

TM

Our Node2i sends its signal by glass Toslink cable to an Emotiva XDA3 dac out to 500 watt Red Dragon monoblocks out to Yamaha NS-5000 speakers. The Node is hard wired to a fiber optic modem. There's also a Rhythmik G25HP double ender subwoofer crossed at 30hz.

We listen to internet radio relatively loudly in a large room all day long. Hawaiian Reggae, Grateful Dead, 70's music. We like it.

Ronboco, glad its not just me. I bought a stylus which helps hitting the dots, but it doent work on the phone. Also I think the most frustrating part is that is clears the que. It would be nice if the 3 dot are was independant of the song title.

Hopefully the software writer reads Audiogon