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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.


gg107
vinylshadow
421 posts
 
@mapman I agree with that. Gots to have a great external DAC. A streamer is just a computer.

The Node 2i was $500. The PD Creative PSU board interface was $100. The SBooster LPS was $350. The Canare coax cable was $20. $1000. But having a great DAC is the cherry on top.

It all sounds great. I was advised to get a Benchmark DAC3B to bypass my Classe's DAC. Maybe that is the last frontier.
kukur99
6 posts
 
Hello OP,

You said:
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.

If your listening skills and system are as good as what you say in this sentence, then I’ll just suggest my ears would agree with yours. My system, including the most important part–the room w/ treatment–shows that CD signals into my DAC have superior transparency, dynamics, and PRaT over streaming local files from my server. Nevermind Spotify or Qobuz...no blind test needed. Streaming is convenience. It can be excellent, but unless you're spending on power quality for the streamer (this is why it seems to me, that there aren't many streamers in the sub-$1,000 range, not many for $1,000, but lots $2,000 and more. Auralic dropped the low end of the market entirely and their Aries G1 and G2 line *start* around $2800, I believe. Providing clean signal and clean power are the main reasons, it seems to me.

Even a very good streamer will likely still fall just short if you’re used to listening to music at the forefront of your attention with CD quality playback. The exception might be if you're upsampling with software like HQPlayer.

If you can hear when a person’s voice sounds like they’re sick during flu season, you surely can hear the difference on a resolving enough system.

Stream to explore, stream to headphones maybe, but buy CDs and play those or local files streamed to your DAC (via a streamer with a LPS) to enjoy the highest quality playback. The LPS is, in my opinion and experience, the most important part, not the sample rate or other distractions. Quality audio is quality power.

Good luck!
danabunner
12 posts
 
The Bluesound Node 2i used a Texas Instruments PCM5122 DAC chip.  This is several years old and quite inexpensive, I believe sold in quantities at around $3 each.  It is the same DAC chip as found on the Raspberry Pi iQAudio DAC+ board, which sells for $20 chip, board & all.
The new Node 2 uses the Texas Instruments PCM5242 DAC chip, which is a small upgrade from the PCM5122.  This is the DAC chip as found on the iQAudio DAC Pro board, which sells for $25 chip, board & all.  Heck, at $25 it even includes a headphone output. 

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/17739

These are considered to be very low-end DAC chips.  Equivalent to what one might find in a $75-$150 external DAC.
The analog output stage of the Node 2i and new Node are also of mediocre quality.  So when one connects a Node to their system via the RCA analog outputs, you are listening to a low end DAC being played through a low end analog stage.  The provided power supply is also a budget solution. 

The strength of the Bluesound Node is that it handles 24-bit streaming, provides MQA support, has a very good user interface, is reliable, and is backed by a solid company. It has 24-bit digital output and now has a decent processor. 

It is too bad that in this latest upgrade that they still went quite low-end in key areas.   Clearly they wanted to stay at the $549 price point. 
dhite71
289 posts
 
I have the Node2i and am currently using a Schiit Gungnir.  I previously used the internal DAC in an Audio Research GSi75 and then auditioned the Mark Levinson 5805 and 585.5.  All this to say the Schiit is an excellent performer compared to those highly regarded built in DACs.  I just now pulled out a pair of RCAs and connected the analog out of my Node2i to my preamp and could easily A-B.  It makes me laugh how awful the internal DAC on the Node2i sounds.  The bass was similar but all the mids and highs drop out.  It seems most here are in agreement.  You absolutely MUST focus on an external DAC and do NOT waste money on cables as your next step.  This Gungnir is only $899 new and I would say is a great value.  I got it in a trade so knew nothing of it but am impressed.  Good luck!
larry5729's avatar
larry5729
1,002 posts
 
If you were to upgrade, would you connect a DAC to the Node 2i or would you just upgrade the streamer that has a better DAC.  Also you did a blind test would most people hear a significant sound difference and if they heard a difference what would they.  What also would be the sound difference.
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