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.
David : considering that Bluesound is relatively low margin stuff…. Let’s just agree it ( the BOM ) isn’t that much $. All that work and you didn’t discover the > $10 k DAC. I wish Jim White built a streamer…all the other bits I had in the junk drawer… leftover from various projects and experiments Best to you always appreciate your input and rational approach jim |
Unfortunately your Denon SACD/CD player doesn't have a digital input that would allow you to connect a digital out from the Node to it That would solve your problem with its sound. I owned the original Node 2 and its DAC is just not that good, as many others have said. Qobuz can sound at least as good as your CDs with the right equipment. |
I have had a Node 2I in my audio setup about a year and yes does benefit by having direct Ethernet connection. There is also a noticeable improvement using external dac connected via toslink cable. I have since moved off Node 2I to a roon nucleus with farad lps. I have compared node 2i to my roon nucleus and IMO feel that I have improved sound from my roon nucleus connected via usb to my denafrips pontus which is connected via balanced outputs to my integrated (Yamaha A/S 2100) |
@tomic601 Jim, thanks for your response. I didn't want to complicate my question by adding your DAC into the mix. : ) I was also reaching out to others who mentioned upgrading cables. I'm with you on the DAC. On a similar thread to this one, I advised the OP to focus on a standalone DAC (and minimize the streamer spend), since he's coming from analog and has a decent setup. If you are curious, I encourage you to consider other streamers given the level of your DAC and cabling (not to mention your interests and experience). I'll let Michael Lavorgna make my point (as he moves from a Raspberry Pi 4 and up) with the Primare NP5 Prisma Network Player...via this review and write-up: https://twitteringmachines.com/review-raspberry-pi-4-a-70-roon-ready-streamer/ There are options above the Primare which would deliver, for a slightly higher spend. Here is a somewhat dated and partial list from Lavorgna: https://twitteringmachines.com/streaming-dacs-a-list/ |
