The Bluesound Node or X is a decent starting point. I actually preferred the Eversolo DMP-6 (by a large margin). Both have an internal DAC with the DMP-6 being much better. I prefer a separate DAC, but that pushes your budget past $1k. For $1500 you can have a decent streamer and DAC (I use a Schiit Bifrost 2/64).
Consider buying a quality component used here on Audiogon, or on Audio Mart, or HiFi Shark. Less money up front and potentially some great pieces. But you do lose out on some warranty support. I go about 50/50 depending on the piece.
Good luck and have fun.
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Qobuz is the best high quality streaming service. Also, they have over half a million albums in high def. Tidal is second… then it drops off.
The Bluesound streamer is probably the most common budget streamer recommended. I would also consider @soix ’s recommendations.
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Like soix and ghd said above, qobuz is much superior. I also like soix's recommendations for streamers and also I have a Allo USBridge signature in my spare system that is good for the money. with a bluesound, you get a pretty good streamr but also an onboard DAC which is a bit of wasted money since it isn't a good dac so you'll be using an outboard DAC. The onboard DAC is, however, listenable while you find a better DAC if you need that.
Jerry
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Spotify has threatened to go lossless for years.
Look elsewhere
I like Qobuz best.
I always point first timers to the Bluesound. Then you decide what features you prefer. Most all OS’s are superior. Don’t worry about the DAC, the streamer alone is worth it, especially if you get a decent buy on a used one. A Node is the first of my 6 streamers, all in use.
One is an Allo. Not for beginners.
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I agree Qobuz is best but Tidal works too if there is some reason you prefer it. I highly recommend the bluesound node to start. Great value at its price point. It's very easy to use- good interface and I found it to be very stable. While there will be a time to upgrade, I had one and thought the dac was fine. I think the biggest considerations as you start this journey are stability and ease of use. Bluesound will give you that and I think the sound quality is plenty good for the money.
Enjoy the music
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Welcome to streaming. I was a stubborn hold out for to long and missed many years of the hi-fidelity sound of streaming. So glad I ate my pride. Streaming,,,, your gonna love it.
In your budget you can't go wrong with a bluesound node. Just be prepared though cuz your gonna love it and want more sound quality and move up faster than you expected. If i was you, I'd spend $1500 +/- off the bat on a Audiolab, NAD, Cambridge Audio etc. unit.
I can only recommend Tidal. I tried Qobuz and found no difference in sound quality. Both basically same monthly price. I really like the Tidal connect app.
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The Bluesound Node (or Node X) is a good suggestion.
One alternative is Matrix Audio's new Mini-I 4. For $649.99, it offers an LCD touch screen, the ES9039Q2M DAC chip, and balanced analog outputs. However, it has no headphone jack, no Wifi, no Bluetooth, no digital output, and is not Roon Ready yet. The Mini-I PRO 4 version does add headphone support and WiFi, for $959.
For someone new to streaming, I'd probably lean toward the Bluesound Node X. Bluesound has a very large user base, which can be helpful when you run into setup or playback glitches.
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@shiner3237
A Bluesound Node X is the best way to start BECAUSE of their OS, bluos. Simple as that. Reliable and user friendly. That is the primary thing you need to get your feet wet in the streaming world. A poor OS and you'll pull out plenty of hair.
Also concurr, Qobuz is the best music service.
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I had a Bluesound Node 2i in my main 2 channel system, then a Bluesound Powernode in a second home where I try and keep the number of boxes to a minimum, I also have my TV running thru the Powernode.
I decided to try the Eversolo DMP-6, because I liked the internal storage as well as the sexy interface. I set this up in a residence where I can't really listen loud, and I just have an inexpensive HT receiver and a cheap pair of Dynaudio speakers that have the tweeter cones pushed in. My wife doesn't pay much attention to this stuff, so I was amazed to hear her say (regarding the Eversolo), 'wow, that sounds really good, much better than the other thing we had' (regarding the Bluesound). When I moved the Eversolo to my main system, it didn't take much at all to hear the superiority of it over the Node 2i. However it should be noted that BlueSound has just released a new streamer which is supposed to sound better. So you might want to get some opinions based on it.
You seem to be interested in streaming only, if you also had your own collection of ripped CDs, as I do, there are other things to consider. I had a lot of trouble keeping my library connected to the 2i over wifi. Some of that may be since I switched from PC to Mac and I don't have the depth of knowledge of the Mac I had with the PC. This is exacerbated by the fact that I move between different residences so have multiple things that can go wrong. In fact I finally gave up and have an m.2 drive in an enclosure that I connect to the Bluesound units via USB. I have to say that works flawlessly. The fact that the Eversolo has the internal SSD for a library was a big plus.
The OS of anything Bluesound is better than the Eversolo. That may change with time since Eversolo can be updated by firmware. The Eversolo does not work with my M3U playlists that work just find with the Bluesound if the playlists contain foreign characters. My Edith Piaf list? Gone. My 1970s Salsa playlist? Ditto. My Bossa Nova playlist? Ouch. There are workarounds, but still.
Also, more native apps in the Bluesound, although that too may change with time. If you want to add apps to the Eversolo, they have to be 'sideloaded' and they are not as pretty as the native apps. I listen to classical as well as everything else, and it took some doing to sideload Idagio and Apple Classical, although at the end of the day, it's done and they are working.
I use Idagio for classical and Tidal for everything else. I do have a free Spotify account, but I don't use it much. There's no particular reason I use Tidal over Quobuz, only that I heard of it first and it suits my needs.
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The Bluesound node is a fantastic entry level streamer dac combo, and I highly recommend Quobuz as your service!
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I’ll be the lone voice of dissent regarding Qobuz. But I agree regarding the BluSound Node. You can later add an external DAC and LPS with notable improvement along the way.
I much prefer the content management of Spotify and find the SQ difference negligible at best. One benefit to streaming is to find new artists and explore their music and the Spotify interface is far superior to Qobuz and Tidal in that regard. If you like Wes Montgomery, you can select Wes Montgomery “radio” and an endless playlist of artists is provided with similar musical characteristics.
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I use the Wiim Pro at less than $200. It is supposed to have bit perfect output. I love the app on my phone it controls all of my services Amazon, Tidal, Spotify, and Qobuz.. I am looking to upgrade. I use coax out to a Gustard r26 DAC. Sounds great to me.
If you don't like it or want to upgrade you can sell it easily.
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@1happyman +1! I second your choice of the Wiim Pro! Die-hard 'philes won't like it because how can anything so cheap be any good? Doesn't Wiim have a budget version for like $70?
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Forgot to mention the Bluesound Node X also has Bluetooth and Amazon HD offers a great alternative to qobuz that way. I now use both.
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@mjcmt the WiiM Pro is a great streamer but the DAC in it is only so-so, maybe not even "so-so" but it could serve as a streamer to a better external DAC of course. The newer WiiM Pro Plus has a much better DAC in it for only $220 and many reviewers say it sounds as good as the Bluesound Node (but not the Node X). They also say it has a better clock circuit for less jitter as well.
The software app in the WiiM is great (I have a cheap WiiM Mini in one room feeding a Schiit DAC), at least as good as BlueO/S. But the Node offers HDMI Arc, a subwoofer out, and bass management if you use it as a digital preamp. $220 vs. $600.
Just want to say Quobuz is highly recommended and works well. But I much prefer Tidal with its "Connect" app which many streamers support that passes off the URL directly to the streamer. Wish more streaming platforms would roll out these "Connect" apps. I believe the popularity of lossy Spotify can be attributed directly to them being one of the earliest platforms to have a Connect app and it being supported by so many streamers.
If Deezer or Quobuz had a Connect app, I'd switch from Tidal. Tidal recently decided to not honor the 1-year subscriptions sold by Best Buy and has forced users to sign up for a monthly subscription. That sux.
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@moonwatcher Is the streamer part of the WiiM Pro Plus the same as the Pro, with just a better DAC ? I thought I had read that somewhere..loving the WiiM Mini in bedroom system...agree on Tidal Connect possibly being a huge advantage...Qobuz "supposedly" finally releasing their connect this Fall...
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Tidal was always my pref, because it has great choice and best sound I'd say per variety of releases.
I'm always looking for outside of mainstream material via bandcamp and stuff and almost never had been disappointed if I find such desirable material in Tidal.
TBH I do get happy when I get CD quality from streaming and I don't even expect having super-hirez from streaming just by following Asian wisdoms I guess of not setting too much expectations. Most of the newer releases I've been pretty happy with in Tidal such as Snarky Puppy, Pat Metheny -- real hi-rez releases, Jazz-Baltica artists from Northern Europe and a lot more than I even thought having near-CD quality. I can tell you that having WIRED connection to internet will solve lots of streaming performance issues.
I use ultra-quiet Lenovo Q90 PC specifically built for entertainment. It's model of 2011, but haven't been lately looking for replacement. Maybe I'll come across streamer at garage sale for cheap and replace it when time comes -- no hurry there:)
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I recently purchased the Wiim Pro Plus. For its price and the quality of the DAC it it meets all my needs providing me with a a huge music library at my finger tips. I personally use Spotify since I have a family membership as an annual Christmas present to all my kids. The interface is one of the best. I find there lossy music enjoyable and do not feel it distracts from my listening pleasure in any way from listening to my lossless and vinyl sources. As for the DAC, I have attached my Teac P650 CD player directly to the Wiim Pro Plus and find it provides a superior listening experience to the DAC in the Teac. The Teac is designed to permit me to connect my iPod Classic in direct digital mode Via USB through the Teac and allowing me full functionality of my ipod classic for selecting the lossless files I what to listen to. With all that said, your listening experience may vary but for me its about the enjoyment of the music and this setup gives me an enjoyable listening experience.Enjoy the journey!
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@mteetank I’d highly recommend doing a free trial of Qobuz just to see if you hear a significant improvement as everything is CD quality or better. If you do you may find very little use for your Teac or iPod anymore (I very rarely spin a CD these days). Hey, it’s free so why not? Just a thought FWIW. BTW, can’t believe your iPod Classic still works!!! — mine crapped out at about two years (hope you have yours backed up somehow because I lost everything).
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I figured that Qobuz is an audiophile oriented server that has hi resolution for most of mainstream titles. Outside of mainstream Qobuz quality drops too far down.
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I have been using Bluesound for about 6-8 years now. I own the Node 2, Vault 2 and now the Node X. I agree it’s a great player with a great OS/User interface. The Node X now comes with a remote. The Node X internal DAC is a huge improvement in sound but I noticed each Bluesound player can sound better with a higher quality external DAC and external linear power supply to replace the stock parts. I am using the Teddy Pardo PS and Denafrips Pontus 12 anniversary DAC with the Node X and a PD Creative PS and Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC with the Node 2. I have both Qobuz and Tidal, but I must say I prefer Tidal. MQA and Hi-res FLAC files sound superb to me. If i had to come up with a beef with Bluesound and also a major strength I would say the units work much better wired via ethernet than the occasional wifi dropout (beef). The strength is in customer support and help. The Bluesound website and staff are very, very good. They have helped me more than once when I was doing something unusual and needed to point the device to my NAS storage and other things.
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My 2 cents (since you asked): You did not mention if you have an outboard DAC, so I'm going to assume that you do not.
(1) IF you decide to go with BlueSound, make sure to buy the Node 130 (third generation) or the Node X. Both have superior DACs over the 2i, which is several years old. If you go this less expensive route, I'd highly consider adding an LHY linear power supply kit ($279) as well, it does make a noticeable improvement in SQ. The Node X also has a headphone amp, that the others do not
(2) Eversolo DMP-A6 is becoming a very popular product, but I have only heard it in a friends system; never in my own to compare with my Node 130/LHY LPS.....it did however sound excellent. LHY also has a linear power supply option for this as well at $289. The reviews have been nothing less than stellar, and seems to have an above average DAC as well. Do some reading up, I think you'll find a lot to like.....and probably the inexpensive route if I were to do it all over again. The Eversolo is also the only one that you can add internal storage if you want to rip files to play locally, has XLR outputs as it has a fully balanced pre-amp
(3) Wiim Pro Plus - I have heard only the Pro Plus unit with it's included DAC, and also into a Denafrips Ares II external DAC. IMO the DAC is not of audiophile quality, but the streamer seems just fine.....but limited in connections, no ethernet input, no USB out, no XLR out.
(4) Dump Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz are far superior streaming services.
(5) If you have the option to, go direct into the streamer with ethernet (not an option on the Wiim)
Best of luck
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I have a Bluesound Node 130, and found its DAC quite adequate, with barely discernible improvement (if any) adding an outboard Denafrips Ares II DAC.
The Bluesound app lets you see the strength of your Wi-fi signal. Mine is excellent when my network is functioning well (most of the time), and I rarely have dropouts even with hi-res streaming. Maybe in some congested areas wi-fi is more problematic than an ethernet cable, which apparently introduces its own set of problems.
So in sum, I think you may do fine with wi-fi streaming with a Node for under your target price.
I use both Qobuz and Tidal for streaming, Qobuz most of the time. They lack some titles Tidal has, so then I use Tidal. One virtue of the Bluesound app is it organizes your favorites and playlists for whatever streaming companies you subscribe to, and it supports many of them. So in addition to Qobuz and Tidal, I subscribe to TuneIn for "radio" stations all around the world.
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I had so much unused audio stuff in my garage mothball yard that I decided to make a bedroom system to listen to in bed.
I had unused Denon 4311 with totl audessey , gnp speakers , Hisense tv with built in roku , a Dayton 15 sub and infinity ssw212 sub.
I have one year sub to Apple Music ( around $100). Tv is connected to receiver with toslink.
I’m shocked how good it all sounds.
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For those of you into watching YouTube reviews with a grain of salt, here’s a recent one (Tharbamar) that compares the Eversolo DMP-A6, the WiiM Pro (unfortunately not the better Pro Plus), and the Matrix i4:
3 Best Buy Music Streamers Comparison, EverSolo A6 vs. Matrix i4 vs. WiiM Pro - YouTube
As for Spotify, I simply got tired of being lied to about when they were going lossless with at least CD quality. I’ll never go back to them, even if they offered it for $1/month. Their bait and switch kept me on lossy Spotify needlessly for a year.
While we’ve been discussing these streamers and more, there are the NAD CS-1 ($349) and the Cambridge Audio MXN10 ($499) which haven’t gotten a lot of press (so far) that might be worth a look. The MXN10 says, "Spotify Connect, TIDAL & Qobuz built in".
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Thanks for all the input.
What do you think about the Cambridge Audio CXN V2 ?
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What do you think about the Cambridge Audio CXN V2 ?
I haven’t heard it but it has gotten many favorable comments here and has many happy owners so it’s hard to see going wrong with it. I’d just say for a little more you have the Innuos Pulse Mini and for a little less there’s the EverSolo DMP-A6, both of which are also excellent and well worth a look. If it’s me I’d spring for the Innuos for the pedigree and trickle-down tech from higher models, Sense app, and excellent customer service, and I’d add a linear power supply (good ones can be had for around $200) as soon as it was in the budget. But honestly I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these three streamers and would be very happy with any of them. Just my $0.02 FWIW, and best of luck.
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The CXN V2 is excellent and the internal DAC surprisingly good...I use one in bedroom system with Gato amp and speakers...they can often be had refurbished directly form Cambridge for about $750 including warranty and return privileges...
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If you already have a DAC and are just looking for a streamer think about increasing your budget just a bit and look at a used Aurender N100H here or on US Audio Mart. It s a very vice streamer with great software. Used they run around $1200 to $1500. Full disclosure - I have one up for sale on Audio Mart.
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Had Tidal and Qobuz and could do a direct comparison. Qobuz was the clear winner. The Zen Dac is a good starting point.
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Qobuz withr my U2 sounds awesome.
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Qobuz withr my U2 sounds awesome.
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WiiM Pro Plus on sale for $175 ...
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