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Post by boomzilla on Jan 15, 2017 11:05:23 GMT -5
This conversation sprung up on novisnick's thread, and rather than do a thread hijack, I thought I'd post in a new thread with some specific questions about the BlueSound (BS) Node 2 streamer. Just FYI, BS also makes a streamer with an amplifier built in and a streamer with a hard drive built in. I've read reviews online and looked over the owner's manual, but there isn't a lot of detail there. So my questions pertain to BS's least-expensive ($499) Node-2 unit: Hi emovac (and any others who have knowledge of this unit) - Some questions about the BlueSound Node 2, if I might: 1. I see that the Node 2 has a subwoofer output. Does the device have bass management (allowing me to select a low-pass frequency for the sub & a high-pass frequency for the main speakers) or is the sub jack merely a volume-controlled, monophonic, full-range output (that doesn't affect the full-range main speakers)? 2. I see that the Node 2 can accept an external drive on its USB input, provided that the drive is formatted in some version of FAT. Are there limits to the drive size? In other words, can I plug in a 16TB RAID drive (assuming that the RAID has its own software and appears to the Node 2 as a single 16TB partition)? 3. I see that volume control of the Node 2's main (and subwoofer?) outputs can be done from the IOS app. Is that volume control done in the analog or digital domain? In other words, is the word-length truncated by reducing the volume? If so, then I'd (presumably) get higher fidelity by using the Node 2's analog outputs at full volume and then controlling analog volume with a preamplifier? 4. Should I opt to use a non-MQA external DAC, do I still get full MQA sound, or not? In other words, do I get the full effect of the MQA decoding only by using the Node 2's internal Burr-Brown DAC? 5. Ignoring all other features and considering sound-quality only, is the Node 2 the exact equivalent of the Vault 2, or is the more expensive player designed for superior sonics? 6. Does the Node 2 serve as a Wi-Fi base station, or does it only connect to an existing 802.11x network? 7. Does the Node 2 serve as a DLNA streamer (destination, not source) as well as being internet connected via its Ethernet jack? 8. Is the control software an app for my iPad only, or is the menu available to my TV screen? Since I don't see a HDMI output on the Node 2, I'm assuming that any video from my iPad would need to be streamed by a third-party device (such as an Apple TV) to get to the actual TV display panel? You may not know these answers, and if not, I'll send them on to BlueSound, but in case you do...? Thanks - Boom  |
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Post by garbulky on Jan 15, 2017 12:35:38 GMT -5
"Where the Node 2 falls short of separates is in resolution, nuance, color palate, micro detail, and macro pleasure. The Node 2 tends to make everything sound more similar than say the Auralic Vega DAC being fed its digits from the Node 2 via Toslink. Here, with a $3500 outboard DAC, music sounds more varied, individual voices sing out truer, and the overall sound image is more relaxed, better defined, and more natural sounding. I doubt anyone is surprised to learn this to be the case and it goes a long way in explaining the reason Bluesound includes those digital outputs. Read more at www.audiostream.com/content/bluesound-node-2#jJxfWKQ8d6GMUVLV.99" As for MQA: the digital output is NOT full MQA. The MQA - if software does the MQA decoding like your PC or Oppo using Tidal, it does one type of MQA decoding up to 96 khz. If the DAC does it, it does it up to 192 khz. So in the first iteration you are indeed experiencing MQA....just not at quite the level as if the DAC does it. |
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Post by qdtjni on Jan 15, 2017 13:20:50 GMT -5
> 1. I see that the Node 2 has a subwoofer output. Does the device have bass management (allowing me to select a low-pass frequency for the sub & a high-pass frequency for the main speakers) or is the sub jack merely a volume-controlled, monophonic, full-range output (that doesn't affect the full-range main speakers)? You can enable filters at a fix 80 Hz so not very flexible. 2. I see that the Node 2 can accept an external drive on its USB input, provided that the drive is formatted in some version of FAT. Are there limits to the drive size? In other words, can I plug in a 16TB RAID drive (assuming that the RAID has its own software and appears to the Node 2 as a single 16TB partition)? FAT(32) is limited to max volume size of 2 TB, that goes for all devices, but the Node 2 supports NTFS so it would work with NTFS. > 3. I see that volume control of the Node 2's main (and subwoofer?) outputs can be done from the IOS app. Is that volume control done in the analog or digital domain? In other words, is the word-length truncated by reducing the volume? If so, then I'd (presumably) get higher fidelity by using the Node 2's analog outputs at full volume and then controlling analog volume with a preamplifier? It can be controlled from iOS, Android, Mac and PC and a web browser. Volume is (AFAIK) digital. So better of using the analogue or digital outs and full volume with a dream and/or dad for best sound quality. > 4. Should I opt to use a non-MQA external DAC, do I still get full MQA sound, or not? In other words, do I get the full effect of the MQA decoding only by using the Node 2's internal Burr-Brown DAC? As most things around MQA that is not quite clearly explained so better check with Bluesound. > 5. Ignoring all other features and considering sound-quality only, is the Node 2 the exact equivalent of the Vault 2, or is the more expensive player designed for superior sonics? They are the same sound wise. For superiosn sonics, NAD offers several products with BluOS modules built in or as an option. > 6. Does the Node 2 serve as a Wi-Fi base station, or does it only connect to an existing 802.11x network? Only use my Node connecting to and existing network, mostly through wired Ethernet, so don't know if it can act as base/AP,etc. > 7. Does the Node 2 serve as a DLNA streamer (destination, not source) as well as being internet connected via its Ethernet jack? Nope but it can mount file shares on your network. > 8. Is the control software an app for my iPad only, or is the menu available to my TV screen? Since I don't see a HDMI output on the Node 2, I'm assuming that any video from my iPad would need to be streamed by a third-party device (such as an Apple TV) to get to the actual TV display panel? It can be controlled from IOS and Android devices, PCs and Macs and from broswers so if your TV has a browser it may work. If not, Airplay or similar would work. It will also work as a Roon endpoint from end of month, can't wait!  |
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Post by boomzilla on Jan 15, 2017 14:06:41 GMT -5
Thank you kindly, qdtjni - Good info, indeed! My game plan for now: Wait for the Oppo UDP-205. There's been talk of adding MQA as a firmware update (implying that any hardware required is already extant if not immediately active). If I can get what I want via the Oppo, then there's no need to spend extra for the Node 2. OTOH, if Oppo choses not to go the MQA route, then I'll probably be looking hard at the Node 2 again while keeping my BDP-105. garbulky - You're probably right - there's no reason to expect world-class sound from an AVR-priced device, BUT the BlueSound products ARE made by NAD... And were I to opt for a BlueSound Node 2, it'd probably be just a "trial run" to see if MQA was worth having at all. Yes? Look at a Mytek Brooklyn. No? Stick with the Oppo UDP-205. Cheers - Boom |
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Post by yves on Jan 16, 2017 14:32:42 GMT -5
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Post by garbulky on Jan 16, 2017 15:11:07 GMT -5
I read the link. What does it mean in reference to the question? |
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Post by yves on Jan 16, 2017 19:24:13 GMT -5
I read the link. What does it mean in reference to the question? Full MQA decoding will not be possible without an MQA DAC "because the DAC must be known". The AudioStream article by Michael Lavorgna also explains it that way: www.audiostream.com/content/mqa-decoding-explained |
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Post by qdtjni on Jan 16, 2017 19:33:57 GMT -5
I read the link. What does it mean in reference to the question? Full MQA decoding will not be possible without an MQA DAC "because the DAC must be known". The AudioStream article by Michael Lavorgna also explains it that way: www.audiostream.com/content/mqa-decoding-explainedIn all devices using BluOS (including Bluesound devices), if using the built-in DAC, the DAC is indeed known. |
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Post by qdtjni on Jan 16, 2017 19:38:44 GMT -5
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Post by brutiarti on Jan 16, 2017 19:40:34 GMT -5
I hope is not the same Michael Lavorgna that raves about $8000 ethernet cables
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Post by qdtjni on Jan 16, 2017 19:52:57 GMT -5
I hope is not the same Michael Lavorgna that raves about $8000 ethernet cables It is. |
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Post by yves on Jan 17, 2017 6:14:38 GMT -5
Yes, the built-in DAC is an MQA DAC so it will be fine. For the time being, AFAIK only the Dektop version of the Tidal app can be used to play MQA content with the decoding enabled (with Roon to follow next... soon). |
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Post by djoel on Jan 22, 2017 1:02:40 GMT -5
Sorry to get off topic a bit wanted to ask a question to those that knows the Node2 inside and out. Not sure if it's on the Bluesound site now but was wondering if the newer devices have HT bypass connection built in.
Want to get one with the digital amps build in and try it out.
Thanks
Dan
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Post by qdtjni on Jan 22, 2017 5:23:56 GMT -5
Sorry to get off topic a bit wanted to ask a question to those that knows the Node2 inside and out. Not sure if it's on the Bluesound site now but was wondering if the newer devices have HT bypass connection built in. Want to get one with the digital amps build in and try it out. Thanks Dan Not to my knowledge. Maybe some of the NAD line products also running BluOS, have HT bypass. |
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Post by djoel on Jan 22, 2017 16:42:16 GMT -5
Sorry to get off topic a bit wanted to ask a question to those that knows the Node2 inside and out. Not sure if it's on the Bluesound site now but was wondering if the newer devices have HT bypass connection built in. Want to get one with the digital amps build in and try it out. Thanks Dan Not to my knowledge. Maybe some of the NAD line products also running BluOS, have HT bypass. Yeah that's what I thought. I don't see anything about the subject on their site! Thanks Dan |
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Post by donmobliano on Mar 11, 2017 12:32:28 GMT -5
So I'm thinking about picking up a Node 2 and have a quick question.
For streaming I only use Tidal currently. Most of the content I listen to on Tidal does not offer an MQA source/version, so 99% of what I listen to comes through with Tidal's "HiFi" quality lossless FLAC. I'm completely fine with this as I view MQA as a "nice to have" but not a hard requirement.
That being said, I was planning on connecting the Node 2 to my Stealth DC-1 via optical out and performing the digital to analogue conversion in the DC-1. The reason for this is because I figured the DC-1 is a higher quality DAC which also has balanced output which works perfectly into my XSP-1. So given the fact that for 99%+ of the music I listen to is not MQA, is this the best approach, or should I simply leverage the internal DAC of the node 2 and run the analogue outs directly into my XSP-1?
Or am I doing this wrong and should instead be looking at the Oppo?
TIA!
Kyle
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Post by snafujg on Mar 12, 2017 22:36:33 GMT -5
I run the Node 2 via digital coax to my XMC1 to take full advantage of the superior DAC there. If you don't care about MQA, I'd run the Node 2 via digital out and let the DC-1 do the conversion. You could also run the analog out to the XSP-1 and experiment with which sounds better. My money is on the DC-1....
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Post by donmobliano on Mar 13, 2017 0:09:14 GMT -5
Good idea about running both, one through the DC1 as well as direct to the XSP1. I'll do that, but like you my money is on the DC1. |
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cawgijoe
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"We made too many of the wrong mistakes." - Yogi Berra
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Post by cawgijoe on Mar 13, 2017 7:56:48 GMT -5
I'm also thinking about picking up a Node 2 to replace a Squeezebox Duet. The Duet works great, but of course is not Hi-Res. MQA is a bonus, but not essential for me.
A friend of mine was going to pull the trigger on the Vault 2 (internal cd ripper), but has read that it has issues.....for those in the know, any comments on it?
Apologies if I'm going off-topic.
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Post by jdmusante on Jul 15, 2018 22:09:13 GMT -5
Has anyone been using Bluesound products, any of them? I'd like some feedback if anyone is willing to share.
Looking at them as Roon endpoint through their wireless speakers, or the Powernode, for multi room audio.
Thanks,
Jason
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