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Bluesound node 2i

Hi all

My Audio Research CDT1 is apparently unrepairable so I've been thinking about replacing it with a network streamer instead of another transport.  The local audio shop has the Bluesound Node 2i and it has a digital out that I can plug into my DAC, so it seems like a possibility.  But then the sales person said something that seems a bit strange to me: he claims that the sound will be much better if I plug it directly into the router than if I let it use the wireless.  Does anyone have any experience that would back up or refute this claim?  I admit I am a Computer Scientist not an Electrical Engineer, but I would have thought that any decent wireless streamer would buffer the input that came in and I think my DAC buffers and re-clocks whatever input it gets, so I'm not sure why this should matter.  For context I have Google WiFi and 450 Mb per second service.  Any other streamers I should consider? I know a lot of folks seem to like the Audiolab 6000N. Thanks for any comments.

Howard
howardlander
howardlander OP
10 posts
 
Thanks for the replies. We live in what I think is called the x-urbs.  It's not the deep country, but I have 3 neighbors within a 200 yard or so radius, so I really don't think contention is going to be an issue. I could always run a wire, but it would be a pain...
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
@howardlander 
It seems like you won't have any trouble using wifi in your neighborhood. I live in a city rowhome and had issues with neighbors (5gHz router).

Regarding an ethernet connection, I changed to wired when I was tweaking my Node2i for better performance. My findings were CAT6 was an upgrade over wireless, then changing to CAT8 provided noticeably better sonics possibly due to shielding on individual conductors. Music sounded fuller with more weight vs. Wifi.

I highly recommend that you use a quality aftermarket cable for the Node, it's a noticeable improvement. A C7 cable is required (also called a figure 8 cable). With this upgrade, Wifi vs. ethernet sound quality will be negligible.


fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,613 posts
 
I started out WiFI to the Node.
Cat 8 is much better for me
rhljazz
1,254 posts
 
I have a Vault 2 which by necessity is wired.  Sounds great.  In another system I have a Node 2i run wireless on the 5ghz band.  Sounds great.  
djones51
4,947 posts
 
The only problem with wifi would be dropouts as some have already mentioned. You can go into your routers settings and see which channels you're using as well as the channels any neighbors are using. If you happen to be sharing one just change yours. I never noticed any difference in sound between wired or wifi but I had to many drops in my situation so I had to run a wire. 
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