Modernized my 2-Ch - BlueSound Node 2i

[geeqner]

Last week - "took the plunge" and bought a BlueSound Node 2i

SETUP could not have been any easier with a Hard-Wired Network:

• Download the Applet onto my iPad Mini
• Connect (3) Cables (Power Cord / Analog Audio Out / Ethernet to router I already had in the Entertainment Center) [ALL of the cables that you need are INCLUDED - even a Euro Power Cord.  I replaced the Audio cable with a new Mogami cable]
• Powered it up - the Applet found my unit automatically and guided me through a SIMPLE 4-Step setup [ told me what was going on (it did a firmware update)

In the Box --> Loaded and ready-to-go took maybe 30 minutes
The Applet seems like they spent decent money / used people who "know their stuff" - It is very intuitive and well thought-out.

Enjoying a variety of on-line radio stations that were pre-loaded into the system = an ASTONISHING variety for "free"
Wife's friend streamed her iPhone to it via Bluetooth (must have defaulted to the new / higher-performing mode) - sound was pretty darned decent!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Sound quality seems pretty darned good to my ears - I will re-evaluate once I've spent some time listening to some better source material.

Now only (2) steps remaining:

1. Sign-up for a nice Steaming Service
2. Get my CD Collection digitized (FLAC) and loaded on my Synology DiskStation and link that to the Node 2i

Had a chance to play-around with it over the weekend

[mgbpuff]

I've been looking at this unit. Only $499 and it has MQA. You should try MQA on Tidal. Of course someone will pop up with 'but it's not a Roon endpoint'.

[geeqner]

Actually, I believe that the 2i actually IS (can be) configured as a Roon Endpoint.
Roon was listed as an "Integration Partners" under "Specifications"

www.bluesound.com/products/node-2i/

I don't know if the MQA service on Tidal is really worth the extra dough - CD Quality is probably good enough for me / for my system.
Maybe they have some sort of "trial subscription" for the MQA?

[gsand]

Jan 14, 2019 11:19:36 GMT -5 geeqner said:

Last week - "took the plunge" and bought a BlueSound Node 2i

SETUP could not have been any easier with a Hard-Wired Network:

• Download the Applet onto my iPad Mini
• Connect (3) Cables (Power Cord / Analog Audio Out / Ethernet to router I already had in the Entertainment Center) [ALL of the cables that you need are INCLUDED - even a Euro Power Cord.  I replaced the Audio cable with a new Mogami cable]
• Powered it up - the Applet found my unit automatically and guided me through a SIMPLE 4-Step setup [ told me what was going on (it did a firmware update)

In the Box --> Loaded and ready-to-go took maybe 30 minutes
The Applet seems like they spent decent money / used people who "know their stuff" - It is very intuitive and well thought-out.

Enjoying a variety of on-line radio stations that were pre-loaded into the system = an ASTONISHING variety for "free"
Wife's friend streamed her iPhone to it via Bluetooth (must have defaulted to the new / higher-performing mode) - sound was pretty darned decent!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Sound quality seems pretty darned good to my ears - I will re-evaluate once I've spent some time listening to some better source material.

Now only (2) steps remaining:

1. Sign-up for a nice Steaming Service
2. Get my CD Collection digitized (FLAC) and loaded on my Synology DiskStation and link that to the Node 2i

Had a chance to play-around with it over the weekend

Great to hear you bought a Node and are enjoying it, I have BlueSound components throughout the house and could not be happier. I have ripped over 2300 CD's into FLAC files into my BlueSound Vault. It is really convenient to just reach for my I-phone, I-pad, or laptop and instant music anywhere in the house! 
Happy Listening

[Ex_Vintage]

I am also interested in this unit. I do not have a great desire to stream from a service, or use wireless capabilities. What I am interested in is will it improve the "quality" of my present digital delivery that I have from my PC to my pre-pro via HDMI. I use iTunes and several external hard drives for music source and have had an interest in the improvement that has been expressed with the Sotm or microrendu type of transports. I would be interested in how it improves sound quality with stored FLAC files.

[novisnick]

A review by Hans who’s opinion I value on many topics.

                    

[Loop 7]

I'm thinking the era of conventional computers as sources is winding down.

[musicfan]

I hve one in my NAD 758 v3. It does in fact sound great! The addition of Dirac also helps

Best sound I have had since the dc-1/XP’s-1 easily

[geeqner]

Jan 15, 2019 22:19:59 GMT -5 Ex_Vintage said:

I am also interested in this unit. I do not have a great desire to stream from a service, or use wireless capabilities. What I am interested in is will it improve the "quality" of my present digital delivery that I have from my PC to my pre-pro via HDMI. I use iTunes and several external hard drives for music source and have had an interest in the improvement that has been expressed with the Sotm or microrendu type of transports. I would be interested in how it improves sound quality with stored FLAC files.

From the research that I did before purchasing (5 X C-notes is NOT "chump change" in my house...) -
I do not know if the Node 2i will "improve" the quality of playback of your FLAC files

I purchased it mainly for the CONVENIENCE features - being able to do ALL of the following without need to fire-up or externally "manage" my PC:

• Access my music files stored on my RAID NAS (Synology DiskStation)
• Access "Free" on-line "Radio Stations"
• Access Steaming Sources

From what I understand about it, the internal DAC is nothing "fancy", but it's supposed to be SOLID / Well-Implemented
But if I choose to upgrade in the future - it does have an Optical (and USB?) Output that could be patched-into a higher-end DAC

One of the benefits for someone like YOU might be access to qualified Technical Support people, who understand Networking / WiFi / the various methods to bring your stored Digital Source material into the Node 2i (that's part of the purchase price) - I've HEARD that they're pretty darned good, but have not needed to utilize them (yet).

[geeqner]

Jan 15, 2019 22:38:29 GMT -5 novisnick said:

A review by Hans who’s opinion I value on many topics.

                    

Yup!  I saw that one too before I "took the plunge" -
He gave it pretty high marks but stopped short of citing poetry over it...
My thoughts so far are pretty much in-line with his (or at least with what I THOUGHT he was saying)

[tom9933]

I'm curious if anyone has tried this going into one of digital inputs on the RMC-1. Since moving away from the Denon I've been playing music off the shield and just wondering if this would be a better option. I also wonder if going down that road if the optical or the coaxial has better sound... I've looked around online but it seems like the reviews all focus around using the analog outputs I have also looked at some of the USB output players but none seem to have the broad range of streaming platform support that the Node 2I has...

[geeqner]

Yeah - It would certainly be worth an "experiment".
You could run BOTH the Analog and Digital Outputs of it into your RMC-1 and do an A/B Comparison.

The DAC that is built into the Node 2i is "nothing fancy", but numerous reviews state that the WAY that it was implemented really works nicely.
How much difference you will hear with an External DAC probably depends upon the synergy of the components within your system and the listening room.

[Ex_Vintage]

I have used the Node2i with both the analog and digital coax outputs. I have A/B'd them and preferred the digital output to the analog. The overall sound seemed to lack solid low end with the analog outputs. Of course, you results may vary.

[briank]

Aug 26, 2019 21:54:15 GMT -5 Ex_Vintage said:

I have used the Node2i with both the analog and digital coax outputs. I have A/B'd them and preferred the digital output to the analog. The overall sound seemed to lack solid low end with the analog outputs. Of course, you results may vary.

Interesting, I found the Node 2i DAC to be a bit bass heavy. I do agree with you in that I preferred the digital out as well. Using a cat 7 ethernet cable and an AQ Z2 power cable improved things a bit too. Now I can’t tell the difference between streaming Tidal and a CD.

[widespreadpanic]

gsand. Are you thumbing your nose up at Emotiva by putting in your signature what you did with your Emotiva gear?
Thank you for your consideration.

[mfeust]

Aug 27, 2019 21:19:54 GMT -5 widespreadpanic said:

gsand. Are you thumbing your nose up at Emotiva by putting in your signature what you did with your Emotiva gear?
Thank you for your consideration.

Sounds to me that he is a big fan of Emotiva but prefers McIntosh in his system.


Mark

[widespreadpanic]

I ordered a Bluesound Vault 2i last night. This should be the “last” component I will need for my 2 channel setup,....

[geeqner]

Trust me - you're going to ENJOY it.

In my opinion - the software is REALLY well thought-out / intuitive. Their team who developed the APP really "sweated the details".
That's a big part of what makes it so enjoyable - REALLY EASY access to a wide variety of music, plus GREAT sound quality.

[gsand]

Sept 30, 2019 9:07:18 GMT -5 geeqner said:

Trust me - you're going to ENJOY it.

In my opinion - the software is REALLY well thought-out / intuitive. Their team who developed the APP really "sweated the details".
That's a big part of what makes it so enjoyable - REALLY EASY access to a wide variety of music, plus GREAT sound quality.

I agree 100%, you will love it!

[SteveH]

Jan 14, 2019 11:32:46 GMT -5 mgbpuff said:

I've been looking at this unit. Only $499 and it has MQA. You should try MQA on Tidal. Of course someone will pop up with 'but it's not a Roon endpoint'.

This week I just turned up a new QNAP NAS with a Roon core, connected by Ethernet to my new Node 2i as my Roon endpoint and a lifetime subscription to Roon.  It works great!  The cheapest I could find the Node 2i was $549, $499 is a good deal.  I purchased mine from Crutchfield, I shy away from Amazon and sites of that nature for these kinds of purchases to avoid purchasing a 'grey market' component.