HDMI (CEC Volume control) -> Node -> spdif -> Better Dac -> Power Amp

[fstlouis]

TLDR; I have a stereo setup on my main TV that needs to use volume trough CEC control. It's connected to a Bluesound Node and works fine, but the DAC mesures... horribly? I want to try and upgrade it. The node is able to still control volume even when I connect a DAC trough spdif into it. Does that affect the quality of what comes out unless I switch the node to fixed volume? (I used an old EMU 0404 to test, I'm sure that must be as crappy as the built-in dac so it sounded different, but probably mesurable the same or worse.


More details :

Basically this setup is used by my young son and wife. I used to have a HomePod stereo pair connected to it, and that was fine for them. But I fell in love with a pair of Dynaudio DM 2/7 and brought them home. I'm now trying to squeeze everything I can out of them and I'm pretty sure the Node's DAC must be (other than the room I guess...) the weakest link. I'm thinking of adding a Topping e50 or something similar to the digital output of the Node but I'm worried that the volume control of the node (trough HDMI ARC CEC) might make this endeavour useless.

I have no way of knowing before I go ahead and purchase a dac and try to listen to it subjectively... which as we know wouldn't be reliable anyways.

Toughts?

 

[fstlouis]

Soooo. I got the E50. Plugged it in. Can't hear anything different. Maybe a little bit more low end but honestly I think it's in my head. Either way, moving the speakers towards the wall makes more of a difference.

All very subjective and non scientific of course.

Setup is AppleTV to Node to E50 to Emotiva Basx A2 to Dynaudio DM 2/7.

In case someone was having FOMO based on the measurements of the Node... I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[RichardDLO]

I have the powernode and yes the node looked when compared to others that it "mesures... horribly" but I think the unit sounds fine. I too was disappointed that it did not measure DC to Light, ruler flat with a sinad of 200.