BluSound Node and Node 2
The purpose of this post is to make everyone aware and think twice before buying BluSound Node / Node 2.
Blusound's customer service is the worst I have ever experienced. As far as sound goes it's decent for the price. Are there better-sounding streaming dacs? Absolutely. I'd spend extra 300 / 400 dollars and get something more reliable vs wasting $549.
Issue::
Six months after buying my 1st node it failed. It would play songs from the middle and only for 30 seconds and then skip to a random song regardless of what service I used. There are numerous blogs that talk about this same exact problem. It happens if you are streaming locally from your NAS or directly from quboz or deezer. You guys can google this issue.
After several failed attempts with customer service, I sold the device for $75 and bought node 2. I was told by blusound that they have fixed the bugs in node 2 and it sounds way better.
Well there is no difference in sound between node 1 and node 2 and my node 2 failed within 3 months of purchase. After 2 weeks worth of back and forth with blusound tech support and 20 emails from them telling me to reboot / reindex / factory reset my device I was told today that they will take a look at the logs and get back to me.
Its possible that blusound node owners have owned their devices for years without any problems but it looks like songs skipping and starting from the middle and stopping randomly is a well know issue with the device.
My suggestion is to look at other brands, spend a little more in order to avoid wasting your $549.
Im thinking of either getting a used Lumin d2 or the simaudio 280d.
my system:
Simaudio 340i with builtin dac [2019]
Dynaudio C20
2x REL T9is
My annoying suggestion: Get a Sonos Connect, add a reclocker -- I use a Wyred 4 Sound Remedy -- and you'll be in streaming heaven. The Sonos just works, period. And when it's hooked up to my Moon Audio DAC, coming out of the W4S, the sound is great.
Is it as good as the megabux units? Dunno, as I've not tried one. But it's pretty darn good, and never gives me a problem.
By the way, the Sonos, without the reclocker, sounds like ass, so don't even go there.
Just one man's experience.
-- Howard
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@12many Im not 100% sure, but I don’t think it matters whether you go wired from an iPhone, a switch/router, or Wi-Fi extender as I think Wi-Fi to the Zen Stream from Qobuz/MConnect is what occasionally causes the problem. Everyone I’ve heard from who’s hard-wired into the ZS has had no problem. |
I have five, one blue sound vault and 4 of the original nodes for quite a few years. They have been pretty reliable however on occasion they will get flaky. I am able to resolve using the following: Reboot router and modem power down and back up the individual nodes, vault. Uninstall and reinstall app Yeah, not perfect, but overall I've been happy. |
+1 @61falcon if you’re using Wi-Fi to streamer, especially the uninstall and reinstall the app part but it all matters. If I have to deal with any of this crap going hard wired to streamer I’d absolutely punt my streamer out the window and look elsewhere. |
My node works flawlessly with quobuz on my setup, detailed in my system. Never any drop offs whatsoever. Took a bit of equipment adjustments to get there. Biggest one was switching to Spectrum internet from AT&T. Went from 144 mbs to 866 mbs!!! Nothing like getting your internet from a coax cable rather than a phone line. |
