Upgrading Bluesound Node power supply with PD Creative (Hans B. reviews on Youtube)


Prices for streamers can vary a lot, and the Bluesound Node series has gotten  good attention as a lower-tier priced streamer. Most who appreciate it also send its sound stream to an external DAC. 

I've replied in some threads that upgrading the power supply of the BS Node could elevate its performance without needing to spend many times the price of the Node. (I got mine for about $400.) I've recommended PD Creative as a place to get the needed power board which replaces the one inside the Node, making it now connectable to a linear power supply.

When I corresponded with PD Creative, they responded quickly and helpfully, despite the fact that at that time my correspondent was getting his personal home ready to take and house a family fleeing the war in Ukraine. Talk about multi-tasking.

Hans has done a service with this video, not only explaining how the PD Creative upgrade works, but also by illustrating it and commenting on the sound of the upgrade with multiple linear power supplies. He's fan of PD Creative, and so am I.

https://youtu.be/0alNiYSNyD4

128x128hilde45

Another PD Creative / Node 2i user here. Wonderful improvement over stock. I use an SBooster to power the board. This feeds a modified MHDT Orchid with a 7308 tube. No desire to upgrade.

@hilde45 Hi, I've upgraded my Node N130 with the PD Creative kit and PSU; it's been about 5 months since I made the upgrade, but yes, even using the digital outs from the Node, the SQ was/is still improved. I guess removing the SMPS PCB from the Node removes any noise it would have been generating to the streamer/DAC/Line Outs and digital outs. Combined with a decent external PSU, my Node N130 is a different proposition from the vanilla Node N130 I bought. 

 

 

I also upgraded my N130 with the PD Creative Board and added a Jays Audio LPS. The Node feeds a Pontus II and sometimes a MDHT Orchid. Very happy with the results.

I heard improvements on both the analog and digital outputs. I no longer use the Bluesound Node 2i. Improvements were found with the Aurender X100L and now my current Small Green Computer Optical i9 into Sonore OpticalRendu is an improvement as well. I do miss the ease of the Bluesound App though.

has anyone compared the measurements of the iFi Zen Stream to that of the measurements of the Bluesound Node after the PD Creative PSU mod?  trying to confirm this?  does the after market PD mod make the Node sound as transparent?