Correct it is a Node 2i turbo charged with the MScaler / Qutest
Last night I played a few favourite tracks and the shear scale of the music is mind blowing never before have I heard digital playback sound so good.
Hard to believe its a £500 device providing the tunes.
Also the BluOS app is rock solid, easy to use and navigate too.
I purchased the Node 2i first to feed my Nait 2, then connected the Qutest a couple of months later followed by the MScaler but I haven’t tried the TT2.
Maybe the TT2 sounds better than the Qutest / MScaler combo but as it stands now I’m over the moon with the performance from the Node 2i/Qutest/MScaler.
Okay this leaves the option to trade in the Qutest for the TT2 at a later date and use the MScaler feeding the TT2 but I feel I have reached an end goal setup (famous last words)
It depends on whether you are wedded to Naim, or simply wanting the best sound quality you can afford, which may or may not be Naim. If open to other possibilities then the obvious thing to do is hear and compare, which will make your decision for you (unless they sound identical, in which case buy the cheapest, or the one that fits your room best).
The bigger decision might be whether to hear just the choice of DAC through your existing amplification, or whether also to compare amplification (in which case if you don’t have analogue sources you might not need a preamp).
@HIFIman, its good to hear that you are pleased with your Bluesound Node 2i, I have been considering one for my little sound system in my office, but the reviews suggest that it is worthy of consideration beyond this. More and more I find my self being lead by the user interface and ease of use as much as anything, so it is good that you find the blue OS interface to be reliable.
Operation from WiFi would be very handy too!
At £500 it seems like a neat solution to an economical streaming solution. Perhaps I will give one a spin!
You might like to try an interface card in the Node 2i which goes in place of the factory installed SMPS. It allows you to use an external LPS such as SBooster or other and it takes the Node 2i to a better place with less digital glare and an overall less fatiguing presentation. Look on ebay for ‘Node 2i interface’. There are two available and I used the cheaper one from Poland which worked very well indeed.
On its own the Node’s DAC isn’t too bad and performs well at its price point, adding the Qutest added greater separation, detail and better control at the bottom end, overall for the price of the Qutest its a no brainer.
In fact in my experience the Hugo 1 of all the Chord DACs I know works best with the 552… and therefore I would also assume the 500… but I agree with 552/500 I would focus on the ND555
This is true, the comparison is not just about the sound differences/preferences as you rightly highlight it is a different approach to building a system. I wanted to put together a decent streamlined digital system, I had an Innuos Zen ( Roon core, server and streamer ) added Chord Dave (Dac, Headphone amp) and Chord Etude (Power amp).
I had no requirement for a preamp and if I wanted to build this kind of system from Naim components, without redundancy , how would it be achieved ?
Yes. A friend introduced me to the Audio Note 2.1 DAC which is very good. He was reviewing the Qutest and thought it better than the 2.1, in fact he was undecided as to whether it beat his 4.1!
After an extended audition I bought the Qutest and bid farewell to the AN 2.1.
The 4.1 regained its crown after the unit was refettled with some fresh glass-wear.
Redundancy was a big issue for me, that and the sheer number of boxes required to get close to the sound I want but the deciding factor was sound quality and system synergy. I loved my Naim gear and respect it hugely but the transparency and speed of what I’m getting from chord and innuos makes it a much more musical and beguiling offer for me. Others will prefer a different presentation I’m sure.