I’ve got the Node2. When I first bought it I used the internal DAC. It was ok with high res Tidal streaming. However, when I hooked it up to a MHDT Orchid tube DAC it was a massive upgrade. I also use a digital coax (Node2 to Orchid) and RCA to Balanced XLR to my BAT tube preamp. All cables are from Silnote Audio. Excellent quality via direct sales, very affordable prices with great build quality. I took the setup to my dad’s recently when I visited for a week. He has always been very skeptical about streaming quality compared to cds and that is not the case anymore. He thought this setup sounds better than his CD player and I have to agree. He is still startled with how good it sounded. Every aspect of the sound quality was exceptional through his Martin Logan hybrid speakers (BAT tube preamp and BAT solid state amp). CDs he has listened to for decades he thought emphatically sounded better than he’s every heard them before. Quite an endorsement. Bottom line, upgrade to a separate DAC and only use the Node for the streaming itself.
New Bluesound Node – First Impressions
I'm new to streaming. To get started, I ordered the new Bluesound Node, the just-released successor to the Node2i. It arrived Friday. System: Sonus faber Olympica III speakers, McIntosh MC402 power amp, Magnum Dynalab MD208 used as a preamp, Denon DCD-1600NE SACD/CD player, and various cables, mostly Audioquest. I offer my first impressions, FWIW. I don't claim any particular expertise.
I connected the Node to the pre via Audioquest interconnects. It doesn't accept my aftermarket power cords. Used wireless, not ethernet. I have free trial subscriptions to Amazon Music and Qobuz.
First, Amazon Music. Tried some Beethoven, and some Rameau, with poor results. Compressed, tinny, and unlistenable. 10 minutes of Amazon HD was more than enough.
Next, Qobuz. Brahms, Schumann, Led Zep, Bowie. A very substantial improvement on Amazon HD. Notably, on the same tracks, the Qobuz high-rez sounded significantly better than the Qobuz CD-quality. Differences were immediately apparent on Led Zep's Dazed and Confused, available in both formats.
But the Qobuz high-rez can't compare with CD quality sound on my system as currently configured. On the same recordings, CD quality is clearly superior to Qobuz high-rez played through the Node. Detail, presence, dimensionality – there's no contest.
As a means to explore music to purchase on CD, the Node, playing Qobuz, may or may not suffice. As a substitute for CDs, I very much doubt it will do.
Let me re-emphasize that these are only my first impressions. I don't know how the Node will sound after further break-in, or with an ethernet connection, or with an external DAC, or with different interconnects/preamps/amps/speakers, or with other streaming services. I hope this post is helpful to other forum members considering this or similar equipment.