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

Hello,

I have done some extended testing. The BS DAC is very good. If you go to the topping you will improve a slight amount. If you go to the Arries you will get a different sound due to the ladder DAC. If you like the Denifrips sound then you have to go to the Pontus2. I have had the BS Node in DACs costing upto $14k. When you get up to that level just buy the streamer option like I did with my Ayre QX-5. Seriously. Save the money for the $1500 to $2000 DAC. Believe me, you want to jump up quite a bit so you notice the difference. Same for turntables/ phono preamps/ and carts. Run the Node through using the Coax. Nordost silver Shadow which was discontinued a few years back so you can get it for about $200. This is my recommendation. You cannot beat that app unless you upgrade to Roon. I hope this helps. 

Thx hshifi!  It sounds like you have done quite a bit of testing well past my price category.  I’ll look for the Shadow.

@tcotruvo 

to give you useful suggestions, please write something about how you perceive the sound of the node in your system currently (and how it might compare to other sources whose sound you enjoy more), and if it could be improved to please you, what aspects of the sound would be improved? 

@jjs49

Right now I don’t have any other sources other than the NODE.  Previously I listened to 1980’s CD’s.  I really like the sound of the NODE listening to Paradise Radio MQA Mellow or World.  I used to listen to internet radio using an Apple AirPlay router.  The NODE is a big improvement, with more sounds seeming to be ‘present/real’; such as a bongo or wood block drum.  The sub base and base sound very good, not boomy, with my Paradigm and Hsu sealed subs.  If the music has some very low sounds, they sound very good.  But I’ve never heard vocals with that same presence.  They sound similar to what I hear on a car radio.  I never hear details of a breath or similar nuances.  My BeoLab8000 speakers are supposed to be excellent with vocals, but I’m not getting it.  So I’d like better vocals, and more sounds that seem ‘present/real.’  Also my present system does not sound ‘airy’, which I would like.

I've got a Bluesound Node 2i from almost 2 years ago and immediately thought its DAC didn't cut it, so I bought a Bifrost 2 and it's a significant improvement (my other DAC is a trusty 2nd generation DacMagic with a no longer available bespoke large transformer power supply and it covers a couple other sources, a "touch streamer" used for occasional background music and a CD player). The Bifrost is for high res streaming...Just installed the "64 bit" update card in the Bifrost and now I can't imagine a better sounding DAC...just elevates the whole thing.