Just installed a bluesound node 2i , quality not so good
I just received my new 2i yesterday. I already have a 2. So,as a little test, set up 2i via analog outputs. I listened to a couple of songs. I thought it sounded really good. Then I ran it through my DAC, played the same songs. I noticed better detail. The biggest thing I noticed was much,much larger soundstage,as well as better defined 3D soundstage. |
Is the advice here really that the OP should buy a $1000+ DAC in order to boost the sound quality of a $550 streamer? Wouldn't it make more sense to: 1) return the Bluesound and get a more high-end streamer/DAC? or 2) buy a really good DAC ($2000+) with the thought of eventually upgrading the streamer? or 3) work with the bluesound and try to improve its sound quality with the current system (since it generally gets good notices out here for what it is)? (And why is this thread in the Speakers topic?) |
Have any of you saying the DAC in the Bluesound is soooooo bad ever actually switched between the internal DAC and external dac while listening?Yes many times, coax digital connection into my Lyngdorf ( at the time) was vastly superior to the analog connection. Is the advice here really that the OP should buy a $1000+ DAC in order to boost the sound quality of a $550 streamer? Not at all, I did say a $250 DAC would work wonders, plenty around in that price range, check Drop.com for some true bargains. |
I switched back-and-forth between the bluesound node built in Dac to two different dacs. An orchid dac for about $1100 and an older Peachtree dac which was originally $500 but which I got used for $100. In both cases the external dac was superior to the streamer, but the orchid was light years ahead. To my mind it totally makes sense to spend much less money on the streamer then on the dac. These have become relatively stable while streamers are changing quite rapidly, still. So by going with separates, one can invest in the stable one rather than the changing one. Otherwise one spends a lot more on something that would quickly be compromised by change. |
@uberwaltz, I wasn't trying to get into it (and I was actually looking at the post above mine, not at yours). It seems to me like the Bluesound is what it is, and by all accounts is very good for what it is. I'm not sure that dolling it up with an external dac isn't the way I'd go about it. Gamblers have a term for it: chasing your losses. Anyway, I don't like the hostility toward each other that surfaces too often out here, and I certainly didn't mean to offend. |
I appreciate sound from bluesound and from a marantz avr. But level of appreciation is quite abit lower when compared to avr. So appears I will keep the bluesound streamer capability which seems fine and lots offered, only use tidal and Spotify for now. And I will pursue an external dac and guess spending will be 1 to 2k. A lot better than replacing avr with a high priced preamp which I would only be getting for sound improvement with stereo and not all the home theatre sounds which are handled quite well with avr. |
I think of the Bluesound as merely a transport for streaming services / Roon. It will remain pretty stable and capable of performing this function for a while. But DACs will change - either because of technology or we just want to try something different, i.e. chip vs. R2R. It's fun to have that flexibility the Bluesound + [DAC du jour] affords... |
I had a Node 2 for 2 years and found it had adequate sound. I had seen reviews of the Node 2i and the comments were that it was significantly better mostly from a updated layout of the circuit board NAD learned from the Masters series with no major changes in the parts from the Node 2. I bought one a 2i and at first noticed a small improvement. After a several days break in, it opened up and was significantly better. For $549 I think it's great for the money. Terrific review of the Node 2i in Sept 2020 issue of the Absolute Sound. |
@contuzzi "Have any of you saying the DAC in the Bluesound is soooooo bad ever actually switched between the internal DAC and external dac while listening?" well yes... of course... it is easy to do as the digital and analog outputs on the node play simutaneously -- otherwise how would one have the proper basis for commenting? the ONLY way to know is to listen, extended, as well as A vs B, with db levels properly equilibrated **************************************************************************************************** i started streaming in february when the covid thing made us stay home a lot... i have been a hifi nerd since the 80’s in college, been through countless components and systems, but had procrastinated about streaming music for a few years since climbing the learning curve on streaming i have now been through half a dozen streamers (no computer streaming) and to this point, fully 20 stand alone DACs from $400 to $4000... it has been fun, and quite enlightening the node 2i is a killer product, so well designed, does so much for the money, such excellent user interface (not to be taken for granted), but for what it costs they had to limit cost and performance somewhere, and the DAC is where they did it having said that, they made a smart choice by making the sound of the internal DAC very smooth and inoffensive (as opposed to ragged and strident), but this occurs at the expense of transparency, transient capability/impact, imaging and ’air’ that is the first thing you notice plugging in a proper dac vs the node dac - like a chord mojo or 2qute or ayre codex or a denafrips ares - so much more richness, texture, speed and clarity in the music (if your system is even reasonably resolving) as you move up in dacs from there, you more layering, more holographic imaging, more ease and natural flow to the music -- all the while feeling no loss of detail, it is just presented more naturally more effortlessly a final note -- one thing that is ironic to me with the node is that for $500 they give you full MQA unfolding for Tidal Masters... premise being to get folks to try MQA for modest outlay.... problem is, the node's onboard DAC’s smoothing and cloudiness obscures most of what MQA brings to the party... so, given the success of the Node in its large sales volumes, i'm actually not sure if the MQA proponents are getting their intended marketing boost, or actually the opposite effect of having many with the node question its value... |
@uberwaltz, I wasn't trying to get into it (and I was actually looking at the post above mine, not at yours). It seems to me like the Bluesound is what it is, and by all accounts is very good for what it is. I'm not sure that dolling it up with an external dac isn't the way I'd go about it. Gamblers have a term for it: chasing your losses.Absolutely no hostility or even remotely similar. I was just pointing out that you probably would not need to spend 1k on a DAC to hear a goodly improvement in SQ. Certainly no offense taken here and not sure why my reply would have indicated any offense was taken.....lol. Please have a great day and stay safe |
Thanks for the info bluedream. I was curious as to burn in on the 2i. I’m running the 2i through an April Music Stello signature,and the 2 through a Beresford Bushmaster. Not hi end by any means. However I do prefer running the nodes through these DAC’s. At some point,I’ll try the 2i through analog just for poops and grins. I ran my original Node analog for years and was actually pretty happy with the sound. I ran the 2 that way for a while and was just as happy. And just recently I wanted to experience a DAC,and I’m happy I did. |
I was held hostage by a group of audio terrorists,and they forced me to use a DAC. It wasn’t like I had a choice! Seriously, for me,I ran node products for a couple of years through the analog outs. I was pleased with the sound. I just wanted to see if I get better sound. Just like any other facet of this hobby. |
@OP, As listed earlier, an Ayre Codex, now running under $1K used. Or, a Schiit Gungnir Multibit used- for a little less used, should provide you with enhanced sound quality. As far as the Mac DAC, I would keep searching. Though it would probably be an improvement, I think you could do better. My 2 cents.... Bob |
Thorens td 125 (Hana eh) vincent SA-T7 bluesound node 2i music hall dac/cd bob latino st-120 bob crites cornscala speakers ive had the node 2i for about 8 months now, and at first I wasn’t really impressed. I mean it sounded ok, but didn’t have the magic. But here’s the thing, (you know the thing! Lol) I was streaming over the WiFi. I learned about the fiber optic bridging people were doing and thought I’d give it a try. A reasonable tweek under $200. Well it was night and day, huge improvement! I think I bought cat 8 cable but I can’t remember. |
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T3K4U5E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AVRLZI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (you’ll need two) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S3SZ1GM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Also a nice article about the fiber optic bridge here: https://andreweverard.com/2015/06/08/high-resolution-audio-now-with-added-fibre/ |
Pretty funny what goes around...lol Back in the 90,s we were using fiber optic comms for industrial usage, I liked it a lot as no noise, the "wiring" could be routed anywhere even 360 degree loops etc with zero issues. The programmers say it did not allow enough heavy duty information exchange as Profibus and then later Profinet so we ditched it and moved on. Canbus that you now find in cars( for a few years actually) was basically Profibus that we started with in the late 90,s, early 00,s . Profinet is really just a variation of ethernet. Now it is showing up as the latest audio "darling" Pretty interesting tbh. Good luck. |
https://darko.audio/2018/08/ethernet-or-wifi-which-is-better-for-high-end-audio-streaming/ This article explains the process better than I’m able to do. There are many other articles also on the subject online. So to answer your question, yes this is a “hardwire” connection. I also have the issue of my router being in another room, and much to my wife’s chagrin, I have optic cable running across a hall and under a foyer rug. However this isn’t the first time I’ve caused her distress with my audio hobby. I will eventually pull cable up into the attic and down inside the wall to my rig, but I live in Florida and I’ll be damned if I’m doing that in late August/September. So as best as I understand, the advantages of the bridge are as follows: one being a much faster data transfer than WiFi, two it galvanically isolates the connection, and lastly eliminated RF/noise from long runs of Ethernet cable . |
I'm not following how it addresses the scenarios where the hardwire connection to the router is not possible due to location logistics.It does not. In fact you now have two extra powered devices, the sender and the receiver for the fiber optic cable. You still need to run the fiber optic cable so if you have problems running a hard internet line due to logistics this is not going to be any different. However it should be better than wifi and possibly the hard internet line if you can run cable . I guess I could as I ran a new cat7 75ft cable from my server upstairs down to a new unmanaged switch downstairs in my music room. Could replace the internet cable run with fiber optic but I doubt I am going to try at this stage |
I agree with you hilde45, it is not horrible. I ran my Node,and then my Node 2 for a good 3 years or so with just the internal DAC. A couple of those was just with Spotify. When I moved into hi res streaming via Qobuz and Tidal,I was very pleased with the increase in sq. I think for a lot of folks,the internal DAC is adequate. I still think it’s a great value for an all in one solution. |
