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
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+1 on all the Node2i > MHDT Orchid posts. Then have Grannyring modify your Orchid - huge improvement - Then add an adapter with a NOS 7308 tube. Wow, rivals my analog rig. Not quite on par, but SO good and SO convenient.

Yikes!  By the time you spend the money on a decent DAC and decent power cable, you could purchase a Lumin and get an audiophile grade streamer and be done with it!  
That sounds like 6 of one or half a dozen the other. Or as my wife likes to say, “that’s a 6/half” 
Geeez, enough already! This thread is enough to deter a anyone  from wanting to buy a streamer...Such BS to say you need to buy an external DAC to get the most out of the Node..Or that you need $$$ cables. To even know what DACs hold what chips and what specs the DACs hold you are ate up! Your into gear more than you are music..Your splitting hairs with here...Buy what you can afford  and listen to the music already..My Node plays Im entertaining, out by my pool where zone 2 provides the music, or working in the home...Be hard pressed to tell the difference  if I had a Node or pissed away 4k on a DAC that does the same to the digital signal Id be hard pressed to tell the difference.. And If there was a difference, who cares...certainly wouldn't  be worth another 500 or 1000 dollars.  Guys take the fun out of music.