Bluesound Node 2i vs Upscale streamers

@gdnrbob: When you say "much, much better", what does that mean?

Were you using AirPlay, Bluetooth, BT AptX, UPnP....like the OP, I dont get it but really want to.

Some say that a Chromecast or APE can do the trick provided your DAC is not too jitter sensitive. Or, what if you put a reclocker in front of it?

You still have a streaming front end that is $200-$700 while all these others can be $2K+.

what are we missing assuming that the DACs are the same?

I hear you. It’s a $2k+ “gamble” to install a new streamer and deploy its “workflow” methodology. Maybe there will be a difference.

however, for me, that’s where I draw the line.
maybe my node 2i feeding a chord Qutest DAC gets me to “92%” of what streaming digital can be. I,m just not willing to spend $1,000-$2000 per incremental 1% to get somewhere that is otherwise undefined and therefore not valued....for me.

sure, I bet there’s “better” out there.
but I’m happy here...;-)

Cool.
But, mgrif also says that "his" streamers deliver less jitter to the DAC. I get that.

What if you use a Chord DAC that does not care about jitter at all?
Or, what if you use a W4S reclocker for $350?

Surely there is more to the value proposition of a $2k+ streamer other than just decreased jitter...?

I dont quite get the streaming thing completely yet.
However, I stream 1080p video from Apple TV to multiple UHD TVs and it's damn fine video and it's data stream is massively larger than audio.

AirPlay also says that it is "bit perfect", too.

Not sure how you get better than perfect once you address the jitter issue.

This topic reminds me of the great “transport debate” of 10/15 years ago.

Given the same DAC, would a $2k+ CD transport deliver meaningfully better SQ than a stock Oppo, a stock Sony or a used Pioneer Elite...?

those seeking incremental performance improvements would invariably say “yes”. Those with systems and/or ears not attuned to the difference would just shrug...”meh”....

the argument here is subjective.
what we would love to see/hear is objectivity in the debate.

otherwise, the juice may not be worth the squeeze.

This topic is not new, it’s just in a different wrapper.

In the end, it’s all about the transport or transfer of info.

With Records and turntables, it was the cartridge.
With CDs, it was the transport.
With the first Mac servers, it was about the USB transfer (async, etc.).

today, it’s about the streamers.
same sh*t, new day.

1. With a DYI $50 solution, you get 85% there.
2. With a popular $500 solution, you get 90% there.
3. With integrated $2500 solutions, you get 92% there.
4. For every 1% from here out, you pay $1,000 each.

this hobby is sometimes about deciding and justifying price/performance thresholds and then determining if short or long term satisfaction has been attained.

the struggle is real...;-)

3 weeks ago, I bought an Auralic Aries G1.1 streamer. It replaced a Bluesound Node 130 with Teddy Pardo LPS. 
 

The Auralic sounds much, much better. Cleaner, clearer, deeper, wider, fuller.

I have a pretty resolving system. Linear Tube Audio Z40 int am driv8ng Dynaudio heritage specials with a denafrips Pontus 2 in between.

I prefer the BLUOS app, but the Aries is a huge improvement.