BlueSound Node DAC
Now that the Blue Sound Node X has an ESS Sabre DAC, can anyone tell me the manufacturer of the DAC in the NODE that replaced the 2i? I’m a new user and a bit concerned I bought just a few weeks too early.
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Official comment
The Node 130 or 2021 version uses the Burr Brown dac.
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That’s what I thought - ah well, i mainly use outboard DACs so not as big a deal as it could be. Does MQA unfold completely when sent via digital USB or Digital cable to outboard DACs?
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Complete MQA unfold only happens when using internal DAC, i.e. RCA out.
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Well then, I really feel stupid now - bought into this system and it’s not doing what I thought it would do. That’s crazy bad for me. Now I’m questioning my decision to go with BlueSound
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If you have an MQA cert DAC you can bypass the internal Bluesound DAC and your MQA DAC will do a complete unfold.
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I don’t know if I have that. My Yamaha has Tidal native and I was going to get a ParaSound P6 - now it looks like I may have to trade in and but the X model unless you have a better suggestion
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X model operates the same, I prefer Burr Brown to ESS sound that is on the X model. Look up your DAC to see if MQA is mentioned.
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Thanks - I will do that! I’ve always liked Burr-Brown so I can go RCA out and see
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I use Qobuz, MQA for me really isn`t all it`s cracked up to be.
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Thanks - I’m pretty invested in playlists with Tidal and haven’t tried Qobuz yet but I think I need to try it if they have a free trial
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You will gain much more from a quality outboard DAC than you will using built-in Bluesound`s MQA. I love my Denafrips Ares2/Enyo.
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Can you please tell me your routing and other gear? Do you use USB data cable and then what/how do you send output and to what piece of gear to return it to the speakers
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Every DAC is different on their implementation of the USB. Some are better than others.You have to listen for yourself. On my DAC I prefer the coax input and, since streaming is limited to 24/192, I have no need for the higher res USB offers. So network cable to BlueSound, coax out to DAC, balanced or RCA's out to amp, depending on my setup. A good inexpensive cable that I recommend that outperforms many others is the MONOLITH by Monoprice.
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Great information and thank you - I’d be going to a ParaSound A21 - is your preamp integrated with your amp or outboard as well
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I have both, I mainly use separates except for my headphone rig. Parasound makes some mighty fine equipment and the A21 will serve you well. I hope this helped. Here`s to listening.
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Question - I signed up for Qobuz free trial and it switches every 30s to a different track - that’s not exactly cool
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Yeah, I guess nothings free anymore. lol
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I have an external MQA DAD (Gustard X16) and I don't notice any difference at all between Tidal and Qobuz.
Tidal does have more features though. Track radio, related artists radio, etc. and the Qobuz library isn't nearly as nicely organized as Tidal's.1 -
Qobuz does have Paradice Radio with MQA though.
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Late reaction 😊: I'm using Qobuz . The MQA albums ( yes there are from the Label
2L ) I sporadically play via usb to a Denafrips Hermes-> Pontus are played on 88,2khz .0 -
Mike
Can you tell me what happens when listening to Tidal MQA and using the Node only as a streamer. The external dac would be a non compatible MQA.
Does the Node ( or any streamer) do the first unfold ?
What happens after that with the external dac , what bit rate would it be playing the MQA file in at this point ?It seems Tidal is leaving the MQA platform and will just have hi-rez songs labeled as such or max.
Makes one wonder if it the files were all just flac with some sort of added filter and then labeled MQA.
Ive been listening with Tidal, Qubuz and Node2ifor a few years and recently borrowed a friends
external dac to try with Node as the streamer.Thanks
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Bluesound Players provide a complete MQA playback solution. They decode and render MQA playback up to 24 bit / 192 kHz. If you connect an external DAC to NODE or VAULT, the maximum output is 24 bit / 96 kHz and MQA processing does not happen in the DAC.
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Yes Jakob is correct. To explain, in Settings- Sound if you Disable MQA External DAC and then go to Player- Customize Sources- Optical Input- and Enable the MQA Pass-through the Node will do the first unfold 24 bit / 96 kHz and send it to you`re non MQA DAC. This setting is only available on Optical though. Since I don`t use Tidal this works on Radio Paradise for me. I hope this helps.
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I'm confused about what a first unfold is.
If I was using a hi rez streamer but not a blusound the external dac still would be playing 24/96 on Tidal mqa files correct ?
Just not higher .Do you think Tidal is going to switch all the mqa files to hi-rez ?
Thanks
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Only if the HI Res Streamer has MQA Playback otherwise there will be no change. Not sure about Tidal as I don`t keep up with that service and MQA is not a concern of mine. Here`s a link explaining why I don`t use Tidal
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Hey Mike.
The streamer would be a non mqa.
The external dac - a non mqa dac.
So you're not sure what bit the dac would be playing the mqa file at ?Thanks Mike
Im new to researching all this.
Like I mentioned i have just been using node 2i but thinking on buying something else but like Tidal's catalog over Qubuz.
I will watch your video0 -
No MQA = means playback will be at native sample rate.
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Thanks much.
Another question:
If i pick up a used node n130
I just read this :
USB out digital connection that is not yet enabled at the time of release but will come via a firmware update in the future.How would I do a firmware update if its needed ?
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if you own a node n130 you don't have to do more than click on the update button that will automatically appear when there is an update. The rest will happen automatically
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