So I purchased a Bluesound Node X with the hope that it would improve my streaming experience and overall listening experience. It really hasn’t.
I use Amazon Music and other than some minor conveniences (like not interrupting music when a call comes in) I’m not sure it was worth the $750. The sound from the Laptop via USB sound fuller and just as detailed as the Node and it seems like its just another piece of equipment I don’t really need. Am I missing something?
Me neither, I use an apple usb-c to audio dongle as a DAC, and Tidal at max quality (up to 24bit 192khz) in exclusive mode so windows mixer does not touch my audio output signal.
This is also possible with foobar if you have a local collection of flac files, or plex Amp, if you host your files at home.
An Apple dongle DAC will never be able to properly render Tidal at MAX quality (24bit 192khz) with justice! I know people sing the praises of the Apple dongle, but I’ve personality A/B tested it using 7hz Timeless IEMs and Campfire Andromeda IEMs (so high end gear, high end enough you can easily hear the differences between DACs).
The test was between the Apple dongle, the Belkin Rockstar+Charge dongle ($30) the KOKKIA USB C to 3.5mm DAC ($25), the Luxury and Precision W2 ($300) and the iFi Gold Bar (only 1000 ever made, hard to price, but upgraded Go Bar, $400)
Easy to hear the difference between the DACs! The Apple dongle sucks! Sorry, no other way to put this… The clear winner between the cheaper DACs was the Belkin Rockstar+Charge dongle, by far! It has been my solid recommendation for a long time now to anyone contemplating or who has an Apple dongle to upgrade to the Rockstar from Amazon immediately for a 100% improvement in sound quality (at least)!
Out of all of them, the Gold Bar took the cake easily, though no surprise there with it’s upgraded internals and gold RF shielding. Otherwise I usually recommend the Luxury and Precision W2. Its a real champ for the price and most don’t need more. Still a dongle though.
Since then I’ve gotten an iFi XDSD Gryphon, and THAT is the winner, and what I use for my desktop setup! Its Bluetooth as well, with a Burr Brown chipset, so an amazing sound, and you can stream LDAC if you so choose. Or use SPDIF, or have true line-out!