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Step up from Bluesound Vault 2, next move?

I have owned a Bluesound Vault 2 for nearly 2 years. I bought primarily to rip my CD collection to be all in one place.
However over the last couple years my listening has changed and I mostly stream Tidal through the Vault or listen to vinyl.
So I already have all my CD ripped and not likely to add many more in all honesty.

The Vault is likely not the last word in streaming quality I realise.

So suggestions based on experience please.
If I am going to update to a newer server I may as well make it a server DAC so I can replace both the Vault and the Brooklyn in one move.

Obviously the sq needs outperform the Vault fed into the Brooklyn.

I have backed up all my CD collection from the Vault to a separate 2tb USB drive so will be able to access those as a local drive ( I hope).

What is the most logical next move?
uberwaltz

Showing 5 responses by mahler123

mahler123
3,517 posts
 
What is your budget, uber?
i am not sure that when it comes to digital transports, beyond a certain price point, that more money equals more performance.  See if you can actually try a piece in your system, using the Brooklyn, to see if it is truly better.  If you change both the DAC and Streamer simultaneously, you won’t know where any improvement is coming from.  Even if you have to pay a restocking fee if you decide that the new streamer doesn’t surpass the Vault2, at least you will have piece of mind
mahler123
3,517 posts
 
+kahlenz

Heard the Node2 at Axpona 2 years ago as the front end in a Megabucks system with Magico speakers and Boulder amplification (can’t recall the DAC, which I think was actually the product on display, but I am sure that it cost at least 10K) and was similarly blown away.
mahler123
3,517 posts
 
I think what does matter the most with streamers is the App.  The quality of the user experience is IMO largely determined by the ease of access, especially large collections.  Bluesound OS is ok but hardly perfect.  I didn’t find the Auralic or Bryston apps to be improvements.  Since the OP now primarily listens to Tidal I guess one question would be whether the Tidal app is identical on all of the different streamers.
mahler123
3,517 posts
 
Uber

I did try an Auralic Aries in my system about a year ago and wound up paying a restocking fee to return it.  It sounded slightly different than the Vault into my DAC, but not better.  The bass was a little tighter, the treble less crisp, the overall presentation was (slightly) more laid back, overall I felt it was a tie.  I found the Auralic harder to operate and preferred the plug and play of the Vault2, although if I had spent more time with the Auralic perhaps I would have acclimated.  I also tried a Bryston BDP-2 and felt was a tie-slightly different, not necessarily better.
  So again, I urge you to audition in your own system.  We all hear things differently.  You may however, find that the Vault2 compares favorably.
mahler123
3,517 posts
 
Have you made any decision?  I just read an article in the British mag Hi Fi Choice where they did a group test and awarded the palm to the Auralic Aries Mini, which probably costs the same as the Node2, which frustratingly was not included in the comparators.
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