BluSound Node and Node 2

I am very happy with Bluesound Node, never had a problem for 3 months. For best performance connect to router with Ethernet cable with short distance. I use an external DAC to integrated amplifier. Sound is spectacular. My TV is connected via EARC HDMI, absolutely practical except when you turn on TV blue light blinks and you need to reestablish the connection, which is small annoyance. Other than it is a great experience. No jitter, no background noise, no skip. I think it is good value for the money. Jack of all trades, you can even use as a preamp. 

Anecdotal reports are well, anecdotal. We have no way of knowing how many units BS has sold nor how many actual problems that are real problems (not resolved by resetting the device and/or the modem router). We are just guessing.

If BS is experiencing a 0.25% failure rate, that would mean that yes, some people out there are unlucky. But not many. But they may be vocal on forums and such (like this one).

There’s always the issue of companies, even with a good design, having bad production runs. Things happen. Components might sometimes not be within specifications from a vendor. Training of new assembly personnel might instill issues.

Just many, many variables out there for any product at any price point. You can buy a computer and swear it is the best thing since sliced bread, but your friend can buy the same model a few weeks later and ends up cussing at it and cursing the day you told him about it.

We all takes our chances on anything made by humans for humans.

I will say that better companies have better customer service. At the end of the day, that sets them apart.

I mean for instance, many would think it wrong for iFi to keep selling the Zen Stream as a "Wi-Fi capable" streamer when obviously it isn't very reliable in that set up and running it WIRED is almost a requirement.  So should possible customers be warned about that as much as the OP is "warning" about Nodes being balky and breaking? 

Agree with moonwatcher, I was never able to get the ifi zen streamer to connect to my android phone via wifi. Horribly frustrating. Back she went. Love the NODE more and more everyday.

My neighbor had to replace her refrigerator. It had lasted nearly 30 years. The place she was buying a new one from was honest and told her, "Well, don't expect this one to last THAT long" - LOL. 

So here we are 30 years removed from 1992 with far better manufacturing techniques, materials, computer aided engineering, and yet, the stuff being made doesn't last. Oh well. 

I haven’t read the entire post, so my thoughts might already have been touched on, but my history with Bluesound is that it performs best when hardwired and it is also dependent on a very strong signal since you’re streaming lossless.  I have almost 1mbps internet speed and have no troubles.  Before I upgraded my internet signal, I too had drops due to buffering.  I recommend you run through a separate DAC for best performance (I use a Chord Qutest).  I a/b’d the Bluesound streamer with an Aurender a couple of years ago through the same DAC and could detect no different in sound quality (even though I really wanted to).  The streaming of high resolution files is challenging for any setup since you are dependent on a strong signal coming in.  Good luck!