This past weekend, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours to audition the Bluesound Node 2 and the Lumin D1 (as well as the Lumin M1 integrated amp/streamer). Both are really outstanding products. For sheer sound quality, the Lumin D1 was definitely a step above the Node 2. It offered more detail and air and all of the things that you expect for roughly four times the price of the Node 2. I also really liked the upsampling capability that improved (to my ears) the sound on files streaming at 16/44.1. The interface on their app using an iPad was a pleasure but note that their app is only available for Apple - no Android. There are all sorts of very flexible and easy upsampling features. The Lumin D1 really sings on MQA files. The quality was about as good as I have ever heard for electronically reproduced sound. (BTW, this was a surprise as before listening to the Lumin D1, I would not have counted myself as a fan of upsampling.) If what you want is the best quality streaming and a great interface, the Lumin D1 merits a listen. And the new D2 promises to be even better. It is a compact and attractive unit, as well.
Now for the Node 2. Functioning as a streamer on non-MQA files, it was very solid, if not outstanding. To my ears, it was very close to the quality of the built-in DAC on my Hegel H80. Where it really was outstanding was on those MQA files where it delivered much of the improvement that I could hear on the Lumin D1. If you are a Tidal subscriber and not yet ready to invest in a Lumin streamer, the Node 2 will very likely represent an upgrade on your present DAC for MQA files and, at the price, it seems very hard to go wrong.
The Node 2 offers somewhat more flexibility than the Lumin does. It has optical and USB inputs and offers wifi and Bluetooth connectivity. The Lumin D1 offers none of these. Bluesound also offers an Android app, in addition to Apple.
I don't have much to say about the Lumin M1 except that I liked it less (as an amplifier) than the Hegel H80 and that its built-in streamer did not offer all of the features (e.g. upsampling) of the D1.
Now for the Node 2. Functioning as a streamer on non-MQA files, it was very solid, if not outstanding. To my ears, it was very close to the quality of the built-in DAC on my Hegel H80. Where it really was outstanding was on those MQA files where it delivered much of the improvement that I could hear on the Lumin D1. If you are a Tidal subscriber and not yet ready to invest in a Lumin streamer, the Node 2 will very likely represent an upgrade on your present DAC for MQA files and, at the price, it seems very hard to go wrong.
The Node 2 offers somewhat more flexibility than the Lumin does. It has optical and USB inputs and offers wifi and Bluetooth connectivity. The Lumin D1 offers none of these. Bluesound also offers an Android app, in addition to Apple.
I don't have much to say about the Lumin M1 except that I liked it less (as an amplifier) than the Hegel H80 and that its built-in streamer did not offer all of the features (e.g. upsampling) of the D1.