Jaw Dropping Improvement?


60-something, intermittent earner here (Read “mostly starving-artist with the rare, unexpected windfall here and there.”) who has just acquired a Bluesound Node 2i.  I’d be very interested to hear what external DAC, in your experience-and-opinion gave such a dramatic improvement in SQ over that of a stock Bluesound streaming device as to be jaw dropping...an absolute game changer.  Does such an animal exist for less than $2000 U.S. or are improvements at this price point more in the nature of subtleties?  Somewhere in between?  To be sure these things are subjective but your take on this would give me a running start on researching things here with a fairly tight budget being considered — If subtle-to-low/moderate level “tweaks” to SQ are all I can expect from, say, a Qutest or Gungnir Multibit, I’ll probably stay with just the streamer and be happy.

Thanks in advance.
lg1

Showing 1 response by anton99

I run my Node 2i through the Neko Audio D100 MK II (into a Belles Aria integrated amp). The friend who sold it to me to replace the Chord 2Qute said this would pair beautifully with the Belles, and he was right. It's perfect for the streamer.

You can grab a new one for $1500, though Wesley Miaw, its designer/builder and a heck of a gentleman, puts them on sale from time to time for a grand.