2. digital
  3. 159527-119273

Any advantage to Bluesound Node 2i Versus Streaming from PC

I'm trying a loaner Bluesound Node 2i streamer which salesperson said will sound better than streaming from my PC.  I doubted this since both are just feeding a digital signal to my Amp.  It's just zeros and ones right?   I have the Bluesound connected with a decent (not high end) digital coaxial cable to my Lyngdorf 3400.  The PC is connected with a cheap USB cable to the same Lyngdorf.  The sensitivity of both inputs is set to 0dB.  The bluesound is set to fixed volume and the PC volume is set to max.  I am playing Tidal through both input devices.  I am trying to discern if there is any difference in sound quality.  When played through the amp the bluesound volume is a whole lot louder than the PC.  I have not found a way to level match the two inputs for comparison.  The bluesound sounds good and is a lot louder per any particular volume setting on the amp.  Does this mean the Bluesound is sending a better signal to the amp?  Is the  coaxial cable a better medium to transmit the  audio signal?  Is this the reason it's louder?  Could the Tidal feed through Bluesound be better than the Tidal Desktop app on my PC?  I need some help as I have to decide by Saturday whether to keep the Bluesound or return it. Other than sound quality there are only minor advantages to owning the Bluesound which don't warrant the purchase.  My amp has a built in streamer but no built in Tidal (which is the reason I'm using the PC.)
128x128ppack
Post removed 
ppack's avatar
ppack OP
26 posts
 
jjss49

i read through quite a few posts and they are all over the place. Certainly no overwhelming majority in one camp or the other.  In my case it is a higher end PC ((not that this matters).  Really hard to discern a real difference in sound quality  especially given the difference in volume.   Some people reference noise, power switching etc produced by the PC to say streamer is better. I could understand that explanation if I was trying to take analog out of the PC but it’s digital data and in my case it doesn’t appear to be affected. And many audiophiles are using PCs as their source which I don’t think would be the case if streamers were that much better an option.   I was actually predisposed to hearing an improvement In SQ.  Maybe my ear Is not well developed.   I will try to see if I can run it through my headphone dac/amp versus PC to see if I can get a matching sound level for comparison. 
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,601 posts
 
@ppack 

if you can't hear it then it is of no significance, end of the day it is your system, your ears, your pleasure - i think too often we listen to stuff and are loathe to admit we just cannot hear a difference... for me this is true of various digital cables from my streamer to dac... i cannot hear a difference

that being said, there is much info about the fact that it is just bits hardly means the transmission of those bits don't affect SQ... jitter and other forms of digital noise is significant - there is a whole mini industry of raspberry pi players that are made to reduce digital noise and improve sq - similar for many usb cleaners from audioquest, w4s, numerous others... they sell enough of these it can't all be BS, leaving aside the technical/scientific aspect of it

it is true that different dacs have input tech that manages jitter very differently, so that might explain why sometimes the sq delta is stark, other times, not there at all

just gotta try it all out if we care enough have the energy and willingness

good luck, have fun


soundchasr
159 posts
 
I returned a Node 2 and bought a cheap Dell. I can do much more with the laptop and sound is no different (to me). Running laptop (with Roon, Audirvana, Deezer and Tidal) to Ayre Codex then Jolida amp.   Also sending to Raspberry Pi in another room.  
sameyers1
126 posts
 
You can download a sound pressure meter app to a phone or tablet to level match. As others have said, absent level matching your comparison is not apples to apples. I found USB to be “noisier” than using Ethernet or coaxial. I noticed an immediate improvement in clarity when I introduced a higher quality LUMIN U1 mini streamer between my MacMini and DAC. Can’t say if the Node 2i will buy you any improvement.  But If you can’t hear a difference after level matching you have your answer. Computers  have varying levels of noise depending on their USB implementation, whether they are running on AC or battery, whether music files are on external or internal drives, hard disks or SSDs. I am speaking about electrical noise generated by these non audio grade products. The DACs also vary in how they handle the digital data stream. Better DACs reclock the data, have isolation built into their power circuitry, etc. Lots of variables. Let your ears decide. 
More to discover