Please be gentle with me! 🙏


I am a vinyl diehard and know very little of the streaming world.

My son has just bought his 1st amp and speakers a Leak 230 integrated and some JBL 4312G speakers and is currently streaming his music using an Android phone via the USB C on his phone into the USB B input on the amp, using the built in DAC on the amp. So the question is would something like a Bluesound Node N130 as a straight streamer be an audible improvement to his phone?

128x128alan60

I doubt it.

I don’t know what type of dac i I ordered the blue node and found that it only streamed music that was in my library on my Android using Amazon unlimited music which sounds great and as good as anything else.. (yes I’ve tried others). I found that if I wanted to listen to a song that wasn’t in my library, the Blue Node wouldn’t play it until I saved the song to my library. I am using an older Denon 4308 which has a powerful amplifier section to a pair of Kef R11s. I then hooked up my Fiio K5 pro which is a great headphone amplifier (around $200 and looks like it uses the same DAC as your leak) using k5s pre outs to the Denon, yes I am using a USB from my phone to the Fiio but I felt the Fiio sounded better then the BN. The sound stage was wide deep and layered, and instruments separated. I can tell you I’m not looking for anything better

@alan60 

 

so does the Naim have a DAC?  If not then he should definitely do Bluesound and not mess with his phone as a DAC.  

   Now, purely as a transport, the phone might still be equal to the Bluesound, but it probably won't be, and it is a moot point now as he has purchased the Bluesound

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Bluesound Node 130 with an upgraded LPS is a very good entry level streamer, has a great OS and is very flexible. IMO it will definitely be an upgrade over streaming with a phone......suggest he sign up for Qobuz.

The DAC is the question mark, the one in the Node 130 is certainly better than the ones in the Node 2 and 2i. I started with the internal DAC in the Node 130 for a few months, but now run it with a Denafrips Iris DDC and Denafrips Pontus II DAC. I'd suggest he take the money he saved on the Leak purchase, and buy a Pontus II DAC (which performs WAY above it's price point).....used $1,300 and brand new at Vinshine Audio for $1,800. Read any of the thousands of positive reviews on the Pontus II