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

vthokie83

wow…that’s definitive.  Others have recommended it, so it’s a solid prospect.

I received my Bluesound before my DAC arrived and absolutely noticed the difference when adding the separate DAC. Of course you have to ensure the DAC you use has a better chipset ….. I went with the Gustard X26 pro which is reasonably priced for the quality and sound it produces.  

The Bluesound Node has a lot to be desired when it comes to SQ, try using it connected to a outboard DAC and youll know right away.

Bobbyloans,

Yes the Burr Brown PCM 5242 32 bit / 384 kHz DAC chipset in the Node does leave a lot to be desired. Dual Mono, R2R dual  ladder, and FPGA DACs will greatly improve on the Node DAC

I started without external DAC…sounded good…then Added ares II…sorta sounded better but not big difference….added external power supply…no difference but it looks cool…upgraded DAC to Pontus II and immediate sound quality upgrade. Well worth it. You mileage may vary but that’s my journey…