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Bluesound Node 2

I'm a complete newbie in the digital space, not counting CD players of course. I'm also on a path to upgrade my system from other various angles, mostly preamp and speakers. All that said, I'm currently using a Bluesound Node 2 with a hifi Tidal subscription. No computer files or hardwired USB connections. My first question is where does Bluesound fit in the digital wireless streaming quality hierarchy. And a related question is what would be a good upgrade path, again assuming only wireless streaming as the source. I see a lot of high end DACs out there, some several thousand dollars and wonder if those are only used for connection to a laptop and running computer hirez files, etc. Not a whole lot about wireless streaming. All in all, some guidance in the digital wireless streaming space would be appreciated. Thanks.
kalali
justubes2
203 posts
 
I might add that i also use a mutec mc3+ to reclock the output from the node 2 to get where i am at.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
Has anyone on this thread or otherwise had an opportunity to compare the overall sound quality (DAC and analog stage) of the Node 2 to the Oppo UDP-205? If so, what are your impressions?
mahler123
3,634 posts
 
I compared the Oppo 105--and perhaps you are not interested in that-to the Bluesound Vault 2, which I believe has the same DAC chip as the Node 2.  The Oppo is better but it was subtle.  Presumably the 205 would widen that gap a bit.
it should be noted that the price difference between the Oppo 205 and the Node 2 is almost a grand.  If you don't need the other functionality of the Oppo, I know which way my wallet would lean...
bondmanp
1,836 posts
 
gdhal - also, assuming the UDP-205 uses the same DAC and streamer as the Sonica DAC, the UDP-205 may lack gapless playback, like the Sonica.  This can be addressed with a software upgrade via the net, but so far, I don't see such an update coming from Oppo.  Also, if you are going to rely on the Oppo's streaming capabilities, you may want to compare the Oppo streamer UI to that of the Node 2.  I don't even know if the UDP-205 offers a phone app controller for streaming like the Node 2 does.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
Thank you @mahler123  and  @bondmanp

I already have the UDP-205 and am quite happy with it. I'm just curious as to the Node 2 as it may sound different, given that it has a different DAC. The UDP205 uses an ESS Sabre 9038 pro dac and I believe the Node 2 uses a Burr Brown PCM5122.

By the way, the UDP205 does play gapless.

I'm not all that interested in streaming, but am not dismissing that option either. From what I read the Blue Sound may be better in that department. 

Here is one downside of the Node 2 compared to the UDP205. If I insert a USB flash memory stick in the Oppo, and it only has flac or wav files at the root level folder, I *can* select and play those files without any video interface. In the case of the Node 2, their tech support responds "You will need to select which file you want to start the playing with on our BluOS app whether it is on Android, Windows or MacOS and once that is done you can use the hardware buttons on the Node 2 to start playback, skip songs, change the volume etc."

If I were to purchase the Node 2 no doubt I would have some redundancy in my system from a source perspective. But at the affordable price point of the Node 2, it has me thinking "why not".
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