Just got a new Bluesound Node. Very disappointed!

May be defective. A digital transport shouldn’t sound like anything. It’s a computer passing digital. 

I have three Bluesound nodes (exercise room, guest cottage, kitchen).  Two are the older version of the Node 2 and one is the latest.  I run Tidal, Spotify, and IDagio through them, and have never had the issue you describe.  Either you got a lemon or their's some setting that got switched, or just some loose connection.  In any case their service Dept will help you track down the problem or replace.

I just bought one a few months ago and it sounds great! I’ve tried Optical, coax and usb. Usb sounds the best in my system. 
As far as set up, the only thing I changed was the volume is set so the node doesn’t control it, my amp does. And that’s it.

Jetter,

I extensively played with the tone controls but felt “off” sounded best

You may have either a defective unit or the settings are wrong and it’s something for the Bluesound support folks.  There are other streamers that sound better that are more expensive, but the difference should be that the others have better SQ not that the NODE sounds bad in an obvious way such as you describe.

BTW, to NODE detractors, as a DAC/streamer it’s SQ can be much improved by changing out the PSU module and using an L PSU (such as the Fidelity Audio PSU module & LPSU). That worked really well for me.

And now that I’m using an external DAC (Gustard X26 Pro) via usb, it is working great as a streamer in my system.

OP you have a defective unit. I tried a Node2i , it sounded like a Sonos or any inexpensive Streamer.

Irrelevant to to these specific problems, but I discovered an anomaly in settings of the node 130. The MQA out selection does not switch the MQA digital out on and off - it is permanently on. Instead, it  switches the Nodes own MQA unfolding/ rendering on and off. Discovered when noticing that certain 2L tracks on Qobuz are MQA -unfold to 24/352.8. Same as MQA cd when the TEAC does the rendering. 
RP unfolds to 24/44.1. Looking forward to their promised 24/96 MQA stream. World beaters SQ wise, imho. 

I like the latest version NODE.  I’m very pleased with the sound improvement compared to streaming through my iPad Pro to an Apple AirPort Express.  Perhaps an external DAC would be an improvement.  I’ve read that a $2K DAC will result in a modest improvement, but I’m not ready to make that jump.

Another post in favor of "there's something wrong with the configuration."  While different streamers can have a bit of difference in sound, it shouldn't be as you describe, with something sounding "broken."

So time for an update. 

in short I’ve gotten the sound right  

First off my settings have always been set correctly from the beginning, so let’s take off the table. 
 

Secondly, the brightness calmed down about 30% +/-  with leaving the unit on form a few day, noticeably so.  

Thirdly, I did the whole cable dance thing and that went a good way to helping get the right timber and tone, and I was able to eliminate the metallic sheen from songs I know to not have it. 

Fourthly, this system has Thiel CS2.4 for speakers, which if you know are VERY reveling to upstream equipment. Rewarding if done right, brutal if not. The speakers were set up, when I put the BSN, for my analog system which had toe in about 10 degrees which provided great sound - for the TT set up. My system is in a relatively small room, with room treatment, but small nonetheless, thus I had settled for some toe in. However, it dawned on me that Thiel’s advise is actually little to no toe in, so I rearranged the speaker toe to zero and bam, sound came together - on certain songs. 

What I’ve noticed is that with certain music the sound is great, but like any other media the recording dictates the quality the most and some 80’s and 90’s digital music is just VERY bad, and this system just reveals it bare. 
 

FWIW, I had the last iteration of the Node before this one. I would describe the sound exactly as you did, a slight metallic sheen over the music. I replaced a raspberry pi player with the node and although the user interface was much improved, the SQ took a half step backwards. The Lumin U1 mini I eventually bought was a pretty big improvement over the Node IMHO.

@ozzy62 

Funny how SQ improved with Lumin U1 over Node ….after all it’s a computer passing digital 1’s and 0’s 🤣

I also ran a Bluesound N130 with upgraded power supply via coax into originally a Denafrips Venus 2 then into a Terminator plus. I never had issues with the sound. Both DACs are obviously a big improvement over the internal one. I also very much liked BlueOS and the upgraded power supply improved performance slightly but not night and day.

I did upgrade to the full Lumin U1 and the improvement in sound was not subtle. But for what the Bluesound is, it’s a great device as a first streamer. Ears don’t lie, and in my system, streamers make a difference. But of course it comes at a much higher cost which comes down to what it's worth to each person.

I had tone control off, subwoofer off, fixed output, MQA external on.

Good to hear you sorted it out.  Bluesound is good for the money,  you need to spend a good amount more to better it in my opinion.   My next move will be something like a Lumin or Aurender , but that will have to wait until next year as I went a little overboard with upgrades this year.   

Glad to hear you figured it out. I agree with @oddiofyl… moving up in streamers will really help. I recommend Aurender… as high a level as you can afford. They are really natural sounding and get better and better in no small increment moving up their offering.

Thiel speakers can be really revealing of the source, maybe more than any speakers I've heard yet.  In my system they sounded good with my digital source, but a little like you described with my analog source.  Too bright.  I think your issue probably has more to do with your speakers and electronics than the Node.

the node is decent sounding devicehowever a better server does improve the sound quality in a very audibile way

we are streaming specialists and sell the node roon nucleus and 432evo servers servers as well as a few others the idea that bits is bits is a fallacy the difference in a streamer can dramatically improve the sound comming from the dac

to date we have tested auraylic aurender Inous sotm  modified mac minis and a few others the 432evo servers have proven to sound better theprevious servers and allow for mode lto model upgading

Dave andTroy

Audiointellect nj

streaming specialists

Peddlers peddling. 

It's funny, below Troys name is Audiointellect NJ, and I have never considered him that way. 

I have the N130 and it sounds great. Although the first thing I had to do was turn off the volume control in the app. It made a huge difference in the sound quality.

All the best.

I bought a NODE 2021 a few weeks ago and ran it in for about 100 hours, connected to a Jolida Glass FX tube DAC via either a coaxial or toslink cable. SQ was disappointing at best. I experimented with the settings, until I ultimately arrived at what @christianb5s4 found to work best in his system:

"I had tone control off, subwoofer off, fixed output, MQA external on."

After over 100 hours I gave up and put the NODE away, thinking I’d return it to the dealer and trade up.

Today, about a week later, on a whim, I put the NODE back into my system and was very pleasantly surprised at how much better the unit sounded. I have no idea why because I made no other changes in my kit.

So the takeaway for me is that "for the money" the BS NODE is an excellent investment. The app works great on my MacBook Air, and the NODE is clearly (no pun) better than using the Mac into the DAC.

Plus a big fringe benefit is that I got rid of a long USB cable which was awkward and unsightly. I may upgrade eventually- Lumin, Aurender, Gold Note, Naim, etc, but for now I’m quite pleased.

Hope this helps.

@lalitk I have no doubt the sound quality improved from the Node to the Lumin, put down your oscilloscope and actually listen for a change.  I experimented with a Node 2i, iFi Zen Stream and Innuos Zenith MkIII all into two different DACS and each combo sounded really obviously different.  

I will never understand attempting to describe, rate, or rank the sound of a streamer without any listing of the type, brand, and model of cable and listing the DAC. They are interdependent with the lowest common denominator being controlling. This all becomes pronounced when talking about intro-level streamers because the user will likely have a low-end cable and DAC too. So it is anyone's guess as to which component is most to blame if not two or all three. 

I would wager that with a top end DAC and cable the differences among streamers  becomes compressed.