PD-Creative

I purchased an N130 blue sound recently. I'd heard a regular 2i on my system and didn't like it at all. My main streaming had been done up till now, via Apple TV 3, Glass fibre optical into Bryston BDA1 DAC. It was a very nice warm open sound, and very musical to me. Nothing harsh about the sound at all. I had wanted to go up to tidal connect at least, and I've been looking for the easiest and best form of accessing my Flac data base, Via USB drive or NAS. To me the software is as important as the equipment. 

Initially I really disliked the sound of the N130. I found it compressed, harsh, lacking in air or wide imaging, no height to the sound. I purchased the PD creative power board and super low noise power supply. VERY easy to take the old board out and put the new one in.

Initially the sound stage opened up dramatically and the imaging is excellent. The bottom end extended beautifully to such an extent to where I've not heard such detailed and musical low end on my system. However, the high mids and top end had been VERY harsh from the onset and with constant playing it wasn't getting any better. I started to have discussions with the guys at PD Creative, and they offered exchange with no fuss whatsoever. I said I'd wait another week to see how it goes. 

So, after a week, I put the old board back in. The sound was definitely better than it had been out of the box, but the brightness and harshness was still in the Bluesound, so I had pin pointed the issue to the blue sound, not the pd creative. PD suggested I give their gear another 20 hours break in at least. Long story short, after another 40 hours of non stop playing, I then turned everything off for 2 days and turned it back on. The sound had changed again, for the better. The top end is sounding much tamer and the combination of pd creative and blue sound just keeps getting more musical and warmer. The detail is excellent, the imaging is huge. Even the analogue out of the blue sound is very acceptable now whereas a few days ago I was ready to throw it in the bin, it had been so harsh. 

Power cables. Be prepared to experiment a LOT with power cables as they make a huge difference to the over all character. If you don't believe so, you're probably on the lucky side. To me, they make a major difference in imagining and presentation. 

I installed the PD Creative power supply mod in a Node 2i powered by an SBooster LPS and I can confirm that it makes a huge difference to an already excellent streamer. Lowered the noise floor, better bass articulation, reduced vocal sibilants, expanded the sound stage and let the music flow.

I installed the PD Creative power supply mod in a Node 2i powered by an iFi iPower Elite 5V power supply. I ran it with the stock power cord and shortly replaced it with an aftermarket power cord I had on hand. Prior to writing this I swapped power cords again and quickly went back to the better cord.  I listen to Tidal and this upgrade was a game changer which I highly recommend. This changed what I thought was a pretty mediocre DAC in the Node to one that is highly listenable with hifi or MQA streams. Amazing what an external dedicated power supply will do. I now bypass the DAC in my Nova 300 and strictly use the Node with the analog outputs. W/o the power cord I now have a $1050 Node and I would definitely do it again. Note that the conversion board took 7 days to deliver  from Poland. and took 30 min to install.

I have a Node 2i being used as both streamer + DAC with the much nicer external PS unit from PD Creative (240V converted to 120V)... wow, what a difference! Wish I could find another one here in the US.

On this system I have the Node 2i w/ best PD PSU setup, RCA out analog with some mid-level Wireworld RCA cables into a Devialet Arch unit, then converted to network to run a pair of the Devialet Phantom I (108)... WOW.

Fist off, I believe the former model 2i sounds a bit better than the newer model Node (N130) version. I have owned/used both at length on two different systems. To my ears, the Node 2i has a bit more laid back, warmer presentation overall... OK, maybe a bit rolled off. But once you tear out the stock PSU of the Node 2i, put the new board in and that external PS.... holy smokies.

I also have a Node 2i in my main system (using a Crystal Cable) digital out to a Schiit Yggdrasil (LIM) DAC - so streamer only on this rig. And then a 3rd Node 2i on a headphone rig, using as both a streamer + DAC into a Schiit Lyr headphone amp. Looking for another PD unit for this setup.

I am SURE there are better streamer/DAC combos or streamer+ DAC combos out there... but for how much more? In my experience with a lot of streamers and DACs over the last maybe 6+ years, it would need to be a lot more $$$ to beat this. Plus... part of the battle is the app... the Bluesound app is great to easily control, sort and play music from Tidal, Amazon HD, Qobuz, etc. I had a streamer DAC unit from Aualic that sounded OK... not as "musical" IMHO and the app was FREAKING TERRIBLE! The overall operation of the unit and playing your music was awful really. For that money... they should be ashamed... really.

This is a very interesting thread.  I just received a Peachtree Gan1 and Bluesound Node package.  For me this is a return to the Node, after having wasted a year with Volumio on a MiniDSP SHD.  That experience gave me a new appreciation for the importance of the user interface software.  Too bad because the hardware was fine.

The situation with the Node is reversed:  the software I know is excellent, but I was ambivalent about the Node hardware until I started reading about upgrades like the PD-Creative offerings.  The interface board is a no-brainer, but I'm unsure about the PSU.  Specifically, should I get the $25 PD smps, or go for a $109 iFi PowerX psu, or just stop being cheap an get the $399 Sbooster psu?  Seems that, based on this thread, all three options produce happy customers.  And then there is the power cord.

For background, I mainly stream music (female vocalists).  Speakers are Wharfedale Jade 3 standmounters.  The Node will be hardwired (cat5) to my router with an English8 switch in between. All except the router plugged into a Furman power conditioner.   Your thoughts would be appreciated.