Bluesound Node 2i

It can do Airplay or Bluetooth to play songs from your phone.

 

What do you guys think if I should keep the Node 2i and add a mytek liberty DAC or get the Lumin D2?

I could save more if I’ll be getting the Mytek route.

 

I just bought a pair of Sony Wireless headphones and cannot get them to pair with the Node 2i, did you ever solve this? Thanks

 

Was never able to get it to pair with Pioneer BT headphones. Bought some cheap $30 BT headphones and it worked with those. I guess it depends on what version of BT the headphones use. I have since moved on and sold the Node.

 

ok thanks. what did you ''move on" to? This NAD C658 looks pretty amazing...

 

My intent for the Node was to use it for headphones in the bedroom at night. Turns out that some good BT headphones along with my iPhone worked just fine so no need for the Node.

 

Anyone have input on this?

 

Usable, but it could be better. The Bluesound app is better than Raspberry Pi web UI or Kazoo, but I think the display and information provided could be much better. Still the app is regularly updated which is more than what could be said for app for some more expensive streamers.

 

What streamer do people prefer these days? Was just looking at pro-jects offerings.

 

Using Qobuz with BluOS is difficult. The most frustrating aspect is that, unlike Tidal, Qobuz favorite artists are listed in the order that they were saved rather than in alphabetical order. Hopefully, this will be addressed in the future.

 

That app is atrocious

 

I don't have issues, but it mat be with the way I use Qobuz.

 

Does anyone know offhand what kind of download speed I’d need to stream MQA on the 2i? Just upgraded our internet to 25 mbps here in rural Canada. I feel like a modern man.

 

A newbie question here but can the Node 2i play HD Radio or is it all compressed like my receiver has?

 

That's what I did (Mytek Liberty), and it has been a worthwhile improvement.

 

You should be fine, 25 mbps is enough for 4K streaming.

 

I went with a Denafrips Pontus DAC and never looked back.

 

i heard the Bluesound 2i today at the local NAD dealer and the internal DAC is as good if not better than my NAD D1050. very musical and involving streaming Tidal Hifi. this was on all NAD separates: C275, C316 pre, PSB T2's. i think the the 2i will pair well with my Rega set up.

 

The Node 2i is not a tuner. It can stream radio using the internet. I use the TuneIn dedicated app in the Bluesound app to listen to radio. It's low bit rate as all radio streaming seems to be. It will NEVER sound as good as a stand-alone tuner or a receiver with a tuner actually built into it. It'd be nice if someone created a higher bit rate radio streaming app.

I don't know what's in your receiver so couldn't tell you how it would compare. I'm not sure why you say HD Radio is compressed in your receiver, though. Most receivers have actual tuners built-in and some (notably the previous generation Marantz) have integrated HD tuners that sound quite good. I have an Marantz AV8802A and the tuner sounds quite decent on both terrestrial and HD broadcasts. Maybe you just don't like the sound of HD Radio or your receiver streams HD Radio from the internet, too.

 

Anyone know if and when a bluesound node 3i will be out?

 

I'm going to pick up a Node 2i. I'm not sure if I should pair it with my XPA 2 & DC-1 or ditch them both (because of weight) and pick up a NAD C316Bee and maybe a Technics MK7.

 

I was surprised by this, as I really like my D1050 and the Node dac has been widely criticized. I take it the 2i is a different dac and implementation than the original.

 

Thanks for the answer

RnRmf, that is what I have been hearing, lousy radio broadcasting. As you said my Marantz SR7008 does have an HD Tuner, I love it and use it often.

 

Another thing I don't like about the Bluesound is you have to login to a Microsoft Account to access files on the PC. I finally figured that out the hard way. I don't think it's any of Microsoft's business what I use my PC for and this is almost and possibly a deal breaker for me. I still have time to return it. Unless I'm doing something wrong, if so I hope one of you will enlighten me because I am a newbie with the Bluesound. BTW I think it does sound great.

 

You can reboot from the app. There is no power switch on the unit since it's designed to be left on.