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Digital Front end for Dummies

Have been an analog guy and will likely continue to be but am getting fiber optic Internet (I live in the middle of nowhere so this is a big deal) and am interested in developing a digital front end. My goal is really just to have a streaming set up, either Tidal or Qobuz, with a solid DAC. My dilemma is that I don't want an all in one as I feel like I'd rather have the opportunity to change DAC's later if I want. I also don't want to lay out a pile of money all at once. Wondering if I should get something like a Bluesound Node 2 to start and then add a DAC later or go with a less expensive front end like an Audioengine B-Fi and spend more on a DAC like a used Ayre Codex, Schiit Gungnir, or Denafrips Area II. Rest of my system is:
Rogue Audio RP-7Rogue Audio M180 monoblocksVandersteen Quatro Woods
rmdmoore

Showing 1 response by jazzman7

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jazzman7
335 posts
 
+1 for starting with Bluesound kit and then adding an external DAC.
Agree with mahler123 that the best thing about Bluesound is the BluOS app. Only user interface out there better in my opinion is Roon, but that is a whole other expenditure. But should you decide to eventually graduate to Roon, one of the nice things about Bluesound is that their kit is all Roon compatible. I started out with the original Bluesound Cube (the Node N100) and an external DAC back in 2014. Then started doing Roon a year ago. Today have 4 pieces of Bluesound kit all acting as Roon endpoints in different rooms in the house.
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