Bluesound NODE 2 paired with Benchmark DAC 1?

I use the Bluesound Node with an Ayre Codex.
Sound Great to me.
I think the Benchmark would be just as good.
Who makes a 300b amp, and are you using a preamp?
Bob

Thanks Bob,
Softone 6w, with no pre

I have the Benchmark USB DAC1 with the Bluesound Node 2. The pair sound very good, but surprisingly not that much better than the internal Bluesound Node 2 dac. When I switch to about 8 out of 10 MQA albums, the Node 2 sounds the best by itself.

@2psyop 

does the Benchmark unfold MQA?

Mahler123.
No it does not. When I use it with non-MQA files I think it sounds better than the internal Node 2 DAC. When I play MQA files with the Node 2 (via Tidal) I think the Node 2 edges out the older Benchmark playing the non-MQA files. I really did not expect MQA to sound good at all, so I was surprised that the $500 Node 2 playing MQA files took the streaming signal quality up a couple notches. Though to my ears, not all albums. But even some older material, like Ray Charles, the sound from MQA increased dynamic range, made the soundstage bigger, made tonality ( tones of different instruments seemed more true and believable) smoother across the freq bandwidth and made the music more involving. I know many people have compared MQA to DSD and Hi-Res downloads (thinking FLAC files) and I have not compared these to MQA (so I would not be surprised if they sound better than MQA) but when I stream music....the best sound has come from Tidal MQA on the budget Node 2.
If I were to upgrade to another streaming device or DAC, I might invest in a DAC that would unfold the MQA signal and see if that would make MQA and non-MQA sound better. Something like Ayre DACs. I have heard good things about the Ayre Codex.

For the price of a used Benchmark, the NAD M51 is a significant upgrade sound-wise, and barely more expensive.

In my opinion, I wouldn't put money on the MQA option.
Should it become a major player, it will be offered universally, and at a reasonable cost.
B

The Node2 is really a fantastic bargain, when used purely as a transport into a great DAC

2psyop, I doubt the Ayre Codex unfolds MQA.  Neither my QX-5/20 nor DX-5 DSD do.  They both show MQA from Roon as 96 kHz, with Roon doing the first unfolding.  Charles Hansen was an MQA skeptic.

db

dbphd"2psyop, I doubt the Ayre Codex unfolds MQA.  Neither my QX-5/20 nor DX-5 DSD do.  They both show MQA from Roon as 96 kHz, with Roon doing the first unfolding.  Charles Hansen was an MQA skeptic."
Well good to know, guess I had not checked into it, just heard that someone was using the Codex with Node 2 and it really sounded good. Must have been talking about non-MQA processing. But as it is now, no funds for doing any upgrades. Still enjoying the sound I am getting...