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Blue sound Node 2 vs Lumin D1

I am looking for a streamer with a built in DAC.  I have backed off my original plan to purchase the Aurender A10 and am looking for a less expensive option.  The Bluesound and Lumin players do essentially the same thing  BTW, my immediate interest is streaming Tidal, so MQA is a possible plus for both players.  The obvious difference between $500 for the Node 2 and $2000 for the Lumin distinguishes the two players.  Does that price difference translate to a significant difference in performance/sound quality? Both are within my budget but I would rather not spend the additional $1500 unless the improvement is fairly dramatic.  I would really like to hear from anyone who has had both players in their system and have had an opportunity to compare them.
randyhat

Showing 3 responses by 2psyop

2psyop's avatar
2psyop
1,764 posts
 
If you plan on having access to your own digital database of music you should know that the Bluesound Node 2 has it’s own tagging system for playback and album art. For instance, I own a Bluesound Node 2 and I wanted to be able to play a very large collection (around 14K) of songs that were ripped from CDs and bought from Itunes. This was a library created by Itunes. Although the Bluesound Node two found the music, I had to redo many, many folders and tags for the BluOS (software) to find and play those files.

On the positive side, the customer support I had received from Bluesound was awesome. They helped me with the folders and retagging. You can see more details here http://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/bluesound-node-2-and-great-customer-service

Overall, I am very pleased with the Node 2, it is an outstanding product that is very flexible.
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
1,764 posts
 
Earthtones- Hey just enjoy the Node 2 as it sounds now. Most analog fans would be astounding if digital sounded as good as their higher priced turntable, cartridge and tonearm. Like you said, for $500 (I have the Node 2 as well) and high quality hirez downloads ...this is just great musical experiences to be enjoyed today.

2psyop's avatar
2psyop
1,764 posts
 
I think you are correct, hard wired will produce the best results. The Vault 2 is great, since it can rip your CDs but the Node 2 CAN be hardwired just like the Vault for half the price.
I have heard great things about the Lumin. But again, as in all things we buy, the more money can buy a better product. I consider Bluesound.... affordable hi-fi!
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