Has Anyone Compared the DAC On a Bluesound NODE 3rd Gen to a Separate DAC?


The Gen 3 NODE has an upgraded DAC.  Just wondering what differences there might be in a separate DAC.

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Showing 1 response by rongvk

I'm no expert but I have a BlueSound Vault 2i, which I think has the same specs/DAC/ as your Node v3 (or slightly behind as my unit came out before the gen 3's). I'd just offer this; on the rare occasion that I can crank up the music (WAF!) I am pretty satisfied with the sound through my Schiit BiFrost into my AVR (NAD) and finally into my listening space. Do I wish it was even better? Of Course! But when I think about the cost to move to higher-end streamers, higher-end DACs, etc., I stop and say to myself "this sound pretty good." If I hit the lottery, I'll definitely go out and upgrade everything in my system, but in the meantime, 'this sounds pretty good."

So, the long-winded answer to the question you posed is, yes, there are differences with a separate DAC, but only you can decide how much they matter to you. I certainly don't think you would be disappointed if you get any well-known DAC currently discussed on these boards. Whether you decide to keep it, trade for a higher-end model, etc. is what you'll have to wrestle with. Good luck. RG