Step up from Bluesound Vault 2, next move?

@uberwaltz 

If looking at streamers only the most full featured ones in terms of outputs are the G1 and the Lumin U1 Mini, and for about double the price of both their big brothers the G2 and the standard U1.  All four of these have all four of the desired standard outputs.  The G2 has an HDMI style output but it is only compatible with the Vega 2.  For units with built in DAC's you start going up in price with the Teac Reference NT-505, Lumin D2 and the somewhat dated Auralic Altair.  Higher up the ladder are the Lumin's from the T1 to the X1 and the Aurender A10.  I've owned the Lumin D and the Teac and prefer the Teac.  They both use the Lumin software but the Teac has the top line AKM 4497 chipset.  The lower end Aurender and Innuos units depend on USB for the most part.  

I suspect you may have a hard time discerning an audio difference between the Bluesound (as a transport) and a more expensive piece of equipment. A few years ago I placed a Bluesound Node (first edition with the weird angles) in my system, and ran it through several DACs I had at hand. We also hooked up a Mac mini as a source (spdif out); we could hear no difference between the transports. Same with 16/44.1 files wirelessly streaming to an Apple TV or an Airport Express. Nada.

The sonic differences between the DACs, however, was perceptible. The DACs all sounded unique, and, depending on the source file, some sounded better with certain source material than others.

I cannot afford a Brooklyn, but from what I have read it is a well regarded DAC. Maybe if I had a better DAC it would reveal the shortcomings of my digital transports, but I suspect even then the differences would be barely perceptible. I listened to a Bluesound Vault 2 through an all BAT electronics chain (including a Rex DAC) and Wilson speakers, and it sounded glorious! I just sat their dumfounded as the music carried me away. No thought of equipment. Just music.

If I was in your (enviable) position, I would hold on to the Vault for a while and try out some different DACs. I really like the Schiit Multibit DACs (owned both a Modi MB and a Bifrost MB; I kept the Mimby and sold the Bimby). If you can get your hands on one, you might want to try a higher end Schiit MB, or a Holo Springs or Denefrips R2R. Maybe won’t be your cup of tea, but it will definitely be a different flavor. Maybe the Manhattan would be a big improvement. I don’t know. You will be spending some serious cash getting a better DAC than what you already have, but something different can be had without breaking the bank.

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.

+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.

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.