Anyone tried the Bluesound Node 2i streamer?

Was wondering how good is the navigation of the Bluesound Node 2i on internet station search and audio files in server "and" especially the media card that I insert in the unit?
Can I use the iphone 7 as a navigator?
Thanks.....

 

The BluOS works on both iphones and android.

 

It's actually pretty good at navigating TuneIn and I Heart Radio. And it does a good job with external media.

If I have a frustration with it, it's how it deals with Amazon Music. No way to save favorites or view the album a track is on.

Hopefully that will improve. But otherwise, it will work fine for you.

 

Great.. going back on navigation on media card, you said no problem at all?
I think I'm gonna get that one too for my living room. I have an old grace digital internet rack attached to my tube amp. I love the sound of it. Using it since 2014 and my files are getting bigger and bigger that interrupts the navigation especially on the media card. So sometimes I need to add a bit more patience with it.
I think I should be good with your unit.
Thanks again.

 

I can't speak to a media card, but I do use an external SSD drive with it via usb. It takes a few more minutes to index the drive and you're good to go. I imagine it works in a similar way with a card

 

I don't have a Node 2i, but I've been researching them and I believe that their overall SQ, ease of use, and the quality of the control software is very hard to beat at that price point.

Dave

 

It's one of the best audio purchases I've made. A great piece of gear.

 

My bad. and yes its usb card. Thanks,

 

I have three. Love them to death.

 

How do you use the external DAC with the Node 2i? Thinking of adding the Rega DAC-r to my Node 2i...

 

Any comments on the sound. cons. anything you don't like about the sound production? Is its more digital or closer to analog?

 

Very easy. Just connect either a Toslink cable or SPDIF cable between your Node and your DAC. I am using a Mytek Liberty DAC in one system and a Schit Bifrost in the other and it's much better than the surprisingly decent DAC in the Node2i.

 

So when you hook up that external dac, do you have to switch the settings to fixed volume and dac external switch to green?

 

I didn't. Just removed the RCAs and connected the digital.

 

I was also gonna ask you, where is your node 2i volume set? (somewhere around) . its sit maxed out or youre playing around let say after 1/2 to 7/8 of the volume slider?
Thanks....

 

I also have my Node 2i connected to a dac and I use fixed vol. I don't want any trickery going on with the digital signal.

 

The reason why I'm asking these questions is I got one 3 weeks ago and I did a straight drop in to my main system just to test this unit before I move this unit to the living room system that I am currently putting together. For some reason I am not getting the warm analog sound that I was getting from my grace digital rack mount player. (please don't get me wrong. It sound good for something maybe in other peoples preference). I was thinking maybe I need to do some adjustments that I need to know by getting around it. as far as the tone adjustments, the only thing I can see is in the settings, I shut off the tone control and variable volume going straight to my tube amp. I have to adjust the volume somewhere around 3/4 on the slider otherwise it sounds over modulated on any of my tube amps.
Do I need to do or add something?

 

I agree with Kristofferbild. As far as warm analog sound, I am using a 300B SET tube amp and I feel like the end result is is really good.

 

I love my Node 2i. I use it with Tidal, Amazon Music, a NAS and various thumb drives with hi res files on them.

I used the internal DAC for a while and it sounded great. I bought a Mytek Liberty DAC, and the pairing sounds fantastic!

 

I prefer the DAC of my preamp. So far I like the Node 2i as a stremer for Amazon HD.

 

The sound lacked some warmth here from the internal dac. It sounds a bit stern and analytical at times imo.

 

Okay I think I might try to adjust some settings. If that doesn't work then Ill figure out if I wan to buy and external DAC or something else.
The bass sound I'm getting is like "air" . Like you're trying to push a frequency that is not there.
I guess the built in DAC on my old tuner is not really the best but it matches the sound of my amp and personal preference. I can volume up my primaluna almost all the way to 3 '0 clock.
On the node 2i if I push the volume past 1 'o clock the bass sounds like its so thin and breaking up that I'm afraid my speaker is gonna melt from distorted sound.

 

I see the @Adeep already answered your question, but I connect the Node 2i to my DAC with a digital coax cable.

 

I've been using the node 2 (the first iteration) for a few years now and if it died today I'd get the 2i without even considering anything else. The dac in the 2 is very good, although I'm using and ext. Audio Note Dac 4.1 LE.

 

This is actually what happened to me last year. I had a Node 2 which unfortunately stopped working after the warranty period had ended. I thought about exploring other options but I’d been happy with it overall so I replaced it with a Node 2i.