Bluesound Node Review (Streamer)

[MattHooper]

Well I wrote earlier in the thread my main frustration with the BlueOS app: A lack of any "playing now" indicator on the track selected! It drives me nuts. I'm often calling up albums with long track lists, and surfing through the tracks seeing what I want to play. So a track list is usually my main form of interaction in streaming. In every other streaming app I've used, when you select a track when it starts playing that track is highlighted, or some "playing now" icon beside the track pops up so you can see which track in the list is currently playing, then I know where I am in the list.

On the BlueOS app yes the track pops up at the bottom of the screen with the track name scrolling by. But this isn't nearly as convenient, because if I've selected a track and didn't remember the name, then I have to look at the bottom of the screen, wait for the name to scroll by, then scan the list to find it in the list, and then try to remember in the list where I am. Vs...simply having the current track highlighted with a playing now indicator!

It's bugged me so much I've been starting to look at integrating Roon, because at least that has a playing track indicator.

Well, I finally for the first time updated the software on my Roon NODE. Then I played Tidal and noticed...holy cow! There's an actual indicator of which track is playing. As I' sure you folks are familiar, when I select a track a blue progress bar appears under that track. Screen shot below.

Brilliant! Now I'm finally satisfied. Don't need to look at Roon or anything.

And then I call up some music from my own music library (external drive) and start playing a track and....NO INDICATOR. They left this out for the personal server streaming!!!!! WTF? How? Why?

Aaannd...back to looking at Roon....

 

[srrxr71]

Well I wrote earlier in the thread my main frustration with the BlueOS app: A lack of any "playing now" indicator on the track selected! It drives me nuts. I'm often calling up albums with long track lists, and surfing through the tracks seeing what I want to play. So a track list is usually my main form of interaction in streaming. In every other streaming app I've used, when you select a track when it starts playing that track is highlighted, or some "playing now" icon beside the track pops up so you can see which track in the list is currently playing, then I know where I am in the list.

On the BlueOS app yes the track pops up at the bottom of the screen with the track name scrolling by. But this isn't nearly as convenient, because if I've selected a track and didn't remember the name, then I have to look at the bottom of the screen, wait for the name to scroll by, then scan the list to find it in the list, and then try to remember in the list where I am. Vs...simply having the current track highlighted with a playing now indicator!

It's bugged me so much I've been starting to look at integrating Roon, because at least that has a playing track indicator.

Well, I finally for the first time updated the software on my Roon NODE. Then I played Tidal and noticed...holy cow! There's an actual indicator of which track is playing. As I' sure you folks are familiar, when I select a track a blue progress bar appears under that track. Screen shot below.

Brilliant! Now I'm finally satisfied. Don't need to look at Roon or anything.

And then I call up some music from my own music library (external drive) and start playing a track and....NO INDICATOR. They left this out for the personal server streaming!!!!! WTF? How? Why?

Aaannd...back to looking at Roon....



View attachment 346533

The whole point of Roon to me is the personal track playback feature. Yes I have a library of those but I just went Apple Music it’s lossless and has almost every track I could want. Tried Tidal. It wasn’t for me.

 

[Jflijohn]

I’m running Qobuz on my Node and it’s pretty glitchy, not that Qobuz isn’t glitchy on everything but, it definitely isn't great on the Node. I agree that the Node interface needs a lot of work.

 

[LuvTheMusic]

I’m running Qobuz on my Node and it’s pretty glitchy, not that Qobuz isn’t glitchy on everything but, it definitely isn't great on the Node. I agree that the Node interface needs a lot of work.

That's odd, seems pretty good on my Node. (Although what counts as "pretty good" versus "glitchy" is subjective: given the current state of a lot of personal computing technology, I tend to excuse a lot of minor issues if something works at all.)

But a confusing issue is that there are multiple factors in play: not just Qobuz and the Node itself but also the BluOS software, which is specific to each control platform. For example, the Windows, Android, and iOS (iPad) versions all seem to behave a bit differently. In fact, BluOS on my old Surface Pro with Win 10 has a glitch that is not present on my newer laptop running Windows 11.

 

[Jflijohn]

That's odd, seems pretty good on my Node. (Although what counts as "pretty good" versus "glitchy" is subjective: given the current state of a lot of personal computing technology, I tend to excuse a lot of minor issues if something works at all.)

But a confusing issue is that there are multiple factors in play: not just Qobuz and the Node itself but also the BluOS software, which is specific to each control platform. For example, the Windows, Android, and iOS (iPad) versions all seem to behave a bit differently. In fact, BluOS on my old Surface Pro with Win 10 has a glitch that is not present on my newer laptop running Windows 11.

One issue that I have with Qobuz is that it either pauses, cuts out or just looses communications. I run both PCs and a Mac (as well as the Node streamer and iPhones). I’m on fiber and my hard-wired speed is normally ~900 Mbps (up and down) and very stable. Im still trying to distinguish where most of the problem resides. Also, my Node is hard wired. Firmware is current.

 

[LuvTheMusic]

One issue that I have with Qobuz is that it either pauses, cuts out or just looses communications. I run both PCs and a Mac (as well as the Node streamer and iPhones). I’m on fiber and my hard-wired speed is normally ~900 Mbps (up and down) and very stable. Im still trying to distinguish where most of the problem resides. Also, my Node is hard wired. Firmware is current.

I'm glad that you mentioned that! I've had occasionally pauses, too. When I experienced a few some time ago, I switched the Node from a WiFi connection to wired and the problem seemed to go away. I had a couple of pauses over the past week, though, which -- in the absence of any better idea -- I attributed to network hiccups. But now I'm wondering if some or all of these were related to Qobuz?

Is there any way to tell reliably where such issues are coming from? I can say that the WiFi and wired connections for other devices seem OK, but the problem is rare and sporadic, so it's really hard to track down anything.

 

[A Cute Earring]

I'm glad that you mentioned that! I've had occasionally pauses, too. When I experienced a few some time ago, I switched the Node from a WiFi connection to wired and the problem seemed to go away. I had a couple of pauses over the past week, though, which -- in the absence of any better idea -- I attributed to network hiccups. But now I'm wondering if some or all of these were related to Qobuz?

Is there any way to tell reliably where such issues are coming from? I can say that the WiFi and wired connections for other devices seem OK, but the problem is rare and sporadic, so it's really hard to track down anything.

I never had a pause with Qobuz via Node until I switched ISPs. Happens less after a year on my new, crappy ISP.

 

[diddley]

with me it's the phone that loses internet connection thus qobuz cant find its machine reset on phone everything great again

 

[ivayvr]

No glitches for me and I am only using WiFi and the distance is 7-8 meters.

 

[A Cute Earring]

Mine is connected by ethernet cable, but it wasn’t cryogenically treated…

 

[xray]

Mine is connected by ethernet cable, but it wasn’t cryogenically treated…

Perhaps you had the Ethernet cable in the wrong direction

 

[ivayvr]

Happens all the time ...

 

[Jflijohn]

Also, prior to the 4.0 software upgrade, I was able to attach my SSD drives, now, it doesnt see them. Ive tried all of the recommended fixes and, believe me, there are quite a few, nothing is working. Im pretty close to moving on and throwing them in the heap.

 

[Timcognito]

Also, prior to the 4.0 software upgrade, I was able to attach my SSD drives, now, it doesnt see them. Ive tried all of the recommended fixes and, believe me, there are quite a few, nothing is working. Im pretty close to moving on and throwing them in the heap.

I had the same problem on Win 11 but finally was able to by plunging my laptop into my router and giving credentials for network shares. Did you contact support through Help on the BluOS app with a support request.

 

[Jflijohn]

I had the same problem on Win 11 but finally was able to by plunging my laptop into my router and giving credentials for network shares. Did you contact support through Help on the BluOS app with a support request.

Yup, Help was no help.
I just did a work-around though, I bit the bullet and got ROON, it did everything I wanted the Node to do but the interface is light-years better than the Node. I have 2 Nodes and Roon located both of them and everything has access to my SSDs. Ive been happy with the sound quality of the Nodes but their interface was terrible, it was like it was a HS science project.

 

[Henry Pootel]

Question for those with the Node 130 using USB output to an external DAC while streaming Amazon UHD 24/192 content... is the data the DAC sees 24/192? Thanks!

 

[VintageFlanker]

Question for those with the Node 130 using USB output to an external DAC while streaming Amazon UHD 24/192 content... is the data the DAC sees 24/192? Thanks!

The Node has no USB output.

 

[Henry Pootel]

Bluesound is confusing with their product naming... Node, Node 2i, Node 130, Node (2021), Node 3... I have a Node 2i and it does not stream audio out its USB port.

I am referring to the latest generation Node which claims USB audio output:

Audio Output​

Analog Stereo RCA (Fixed or Variable)
Coaxial RCA
TOSLINK digital optical
USB Audio 2.0

I had read through this thread and found this post:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/bluesound-node-review-streamer.25578/post-1516679

which says the Node 130 can output via USB to an external DAC. Seems in the past, Amazon was limiting playback to lower resolution for some devices.

So, am wondering if Amazon allows the Node to stream at 24/192 out the USB port. Thanks!

 

[Timcognito]

Bigger knowledge base here, so search and ask there.

https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/topics

 

[Golfx]

Bluesound is confusing with their product naming... Node, Node 2i, Node 130, Node (2021), Node 3... I have a Node 2i and it does not stream audio out its USB port.

I am referring to the latest generation Node which claims USB audio output:

Audio Output​

Analog Stereo RCA (Fixed or Variable)
Coaxial RCA
TOSLINK digital optical
USB Audio 2.0

I had read through this thread and found this post:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/bluesound-node-review-streamer.25578/post-1516679

which says the Node 130 can output via USB to an external DAC. Seems in the past, Amazon was limiting playback to lower resolution for some devices.

So, am wondering if Amazon allows the Node to stream at 24/192 out the USB port. Thanks!

BTW because you are a new member are you aware human hearing stops at 22KHZ for the very best of us. While it is intellectually satisfying to read 24/192 it is a marketing strategy that has started a race that no one can hear. 16/44 is more than adequate and you will note it is double human hearing capabilities.