Specific external DACs when connected on USB require the installation of supplementary USB drivers on source devices, tailored for Windows or macOS platforms. These additional drivers facilitate data transmission solely in SPDIF format, lacking support for asynchronous data transfer. The Bluesound NODE (N130) and NODE X operate on proprietary Linux firmware, preventing the automatic installation of third-party drivers.
If an external DAC fails to achieve asynchronous data transfer even with the installation of supplementary drivers on a Windows or macOS device, a viable alternative is utilizing a COAX connection between the external DAC and Bluesound NODE (N130) / NODE X, which can yield the desired outcome.