Review and Measurements of Bluesound NODE 2i Streamer

[GordonParet]

That is an unfair comparison. The Node 2i is much more than a Chromecast Audio, in design, build and features.

@Triumph_900 I assume you understand that you can't hook up your Matrix dac to a toy and still expect the same results. Everything is relative.

A Lumin, Aurender, Innuos et al. is much more than a Nodi 2i in design, build and features as well and this may result in a different sound. Only trying one will anyone know if it's better, to them, or not.

 

[Triumph_900]

A Lumin, Aurender, Innuos et al. is much more than a Nodi 2i in design, build and features as well and this may result in a different sound. Only trying one will anyone know if it's better, to them, or not.

No doubt about that. But my question is: as a STREAMER only, are there differences between them and my Node 2i or not?
Or those devices are superior to the Node 2i because of the Dac they use (the difference between the Node 2i directly connected to my Amp and indirectly through the X-Sabre Pro is perceivable without the need of any measurement gear) or because of the components used in the analog path?

 

[BDWoody]

My response is countering GordonParet's post about comparing a $35 product with others that cost thousands of dollars.

I've got my CCA mixed and matched with my system, and using any other digital transport would not improve it, because it already does it's job with complete competence.

Not sure what you are trying to imply about the CCA being a toy? It's a bit perfect optical streamer and Roon endpoint. I need nothing else, and nothing would give me a sound improvement, because there's no where for that improvement to hide.

Do you have a reason other than it's price to minimize it's ability to do it's job?

 

[T.J. Turner]

I've got my CCA mixed and matched with my system, and using any other digital transport would not improve it, because it already does it's job with complete competence.

Not sure what you are trying to imply about the CCA being a toy? It's a bit perfect optical streamer and Roon endpoint. I need nothing else, and nothing would give me a sound improvement, because there's no where for that improvement to hide.

Do you have a reason other than it's price to minimize it's ability to do it's job?

You usually don't get great performance from something cheap. Your system is likely to be bottle necked somewhere.
The CCA is very limited compared to other streamers. Is it still maxed at 96khz? The last review I saw for it mentioned that the optical out has clock jitter that does effect the sound. If you don't have a problem with yours, then that's good. I own one too. But I think there are better streamers out there. I prefer something with a coax output once I noticed the difference.

 

[GordonParet]

No doubt about that. But my question is: as a STREAMER only, are there differences between them and my Node 2i or not?
Or those devices are superior to the Node 2i because of the Dac they use (the difference between the Node 2i directly connected to my Amp and indirectly through the X-Sabre Pro is perceivable without the need of any measurement gear) or because of the components used in the analog path?

I was referring to streamer only devices like he U1 Mini.

If you believe that bits are bits and that better clocks and electrical isolation in the transport make no difference then you should be happy with the Node.

I don't have any of these devices so I can't say for sure if one is better than the other. In my experience, auditioning gear and experimenting is the best way to find out. If you feel that you need to conduct a series of double blind tests to confirm you're not hearing placebo, that's completely up to you.

 

[Glasvegas]

You usually don't get great performance from something cheap. Your system is likely to be bottle necked somewhere.
The CCA is very limited compared to other streamers. Is it still maxed at 96khz? The last review I saw for it mentioned that the optical out has clock jitter that does effect the sound. If you don't have a problem with yours, then that's good. I own one too. But I think there are better streamers out there. I prefer something with a coax output once I noticed the difference.

Cheap = poor performance can turn out to be an expensive assumption.

In what way is the CCA very limited compared to other streamers?

Does anyone really need greater than 96kHz?

The last review I saw for it (by Amir) IIRC mentioned that it was bit perfect with negligible jitter when used with a competent DAC.

 

[BDWoody]

You usually don't get great performance from something cheap.

I know, that's what so great about it!

Your system is likely to be bottle necked somewhere.

Why?

The CCA is very limited compared to other streamers.

How so?

Is it still maxed at 96khz?

I believe so, but given that 24/96 gives me more amplitude than I can use, and an increased range of
frequencies I can't hear, I don't know why I need to care about that either.

The last review I saw for it mentioned that the optical out has clock jitter that does effect the sound.

I hear nothing but perfect music every timer...no jitter that causes problems.

But I think there are better streamers out there.

Better how? Certainly more expensive, but I'm not actually sure how this little puck could be any better than it is. Perfect lossless streaming up to 24/96, Roon endpoint, perfect sync when I want to sync them, Chromecast (with it's pros and cons, but thats mostly a pros), etc.

There seems to be a very typical audiophool snobbery towards a device like this one, and it is just based on ignorance typically.

 

[Sukie]

You usually don't get great performance from something cheap.

Evidence?

Don't use CCA myself I but trust those on here who do. However I do use "cheap" equipment (Topping & JDS). Not seen any evidence whatsoever that this is inferior to expensive equipment.

 

[Triumph_900]

I went on searching on the Web about my question and... now I know it doesn't make any sense to give away the Node 2i as a pure streamer for other "high end" streamers. Sound Quality (that was my question) would be the same.
On top of that Tidal now offers a direct connection from their App to the Node 2i including Mqa (if interested in that): and I LOVE this feature even if the BlueOS interface was good enough.
Much better value has the Dac. But here I' more than OK with the Matrix X-Sabre Pro Mqa.
Thanks to all those who answered to my enquiry.

 

[Pritaudio]

The Sonos connect seems to have better measurements than this in streamer mode.
it also has more streaming services.
does this mean that high res on the node 2i will still have more distortion than the 16bit equivalent on the Sonos connect. With recordings being the same of course.

 

[Pritaudio]

are there any non raspberry pi streamers that have good measurements outside this?

 

[Sukie]

are there any non raspberry pi streamers that have good measurements outside this?

Raspberry Pi streamers don't have measurements (unless you count the rubbish on-board DAC and HPA which nobody uses for audio listening). When used as streamer the RPi is connected to a DAC (either USB or a HAT).

There's occasionally a bit of chat about power supplies and "clean" USB connection, but no measurements are provided to justify what is, in essence, an attempt to sell unnecessary additions.

 

[Pritaudio]

Why hasn’t the sinad of allo streamers been measured here. Yes there is jitter measurements, but the sinad of purely digital out are unclear.

 

[Sukie]

Why hasn’t the sinad of allo streamers been measured here. Yes there is jitter measurements, but the sinad of purely digital out are unclear.

My apologies. I misread your previous post - you asked "are there any non Raspberry Pi streamers" and I read it as "are there any Raspberry Pi streamers".

 

[Jimbob54]

Why hasn’t the sinad of allo streamers been measured here. Yes there is jitter measurements, but the sinad of purely digital out are unclear.

It's a bit beyond me, but I thought this explains it, kinda. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-of-allo-digione-rpi-s-pdif.5418/post-120132

My takeaway is, doesn't have a negative impact. SINAD is primarily an analog measure, isn't it?

 

[Deleted member 21726]

Is there measurements or listening test about Node 2i headphone output? Is it poor, just okay or good?

 

[Pritaudio]

Jitter of the streamer outbound via spdif may differ from usb async connection to the same dac.
and the node 2i doesn’t have usb out.
also the sonic effects of a given jitter measurements may vary more so than with products with the same sinad output.
the latter part is theoretical of course.

 

[abdo123]

The Sonos connect seems to have better measurements than this in streamer mode.
it also has more streaming services.
does this mean that high res on the node 2i will still have more distortion than the 16bit equivalent on the Sonos connect. With recordings being the same of course.

The node 2i is a much more versatile device. With BlueOS you get tidal connect, spotify connect, Chromcast and Airplay.

Along with Roon and a bunch of other stuff.

i would love to have BlueOS as a standalone OS.

 

[Stephen]

The node 2i is a much more versatile device. With BlueOS you get tidal connect, spotify connect, Chromcast and Airplay.

Along with Roon and a bunch of other stuff.

i would love to have BlueOS as a standalone OS.

The big problem with BlueOS is the poor USB songs management: Shuffle is bery bad, file search is bad, file order option is limited to quality only, you have to put a song in a playlist before you can hear it... I use Bluetooth with another player if I want to play the songs on my USB key. It's just a shame... also, I never managed to make the 12v trigger work on my Node 2i. And the DAC is just awful...

 

[abdo123]

The big problem with BlueOS is the poor USB songs management: Shuffle is bery bad, file search is bad, file order option is limited to quality only, you have to put a song in a playlist before you can hear it... I use Bluetooth with another player if I want to play the songs on my USB key. It's just a shame... also, I never managed to make the 12v trigger work on my Node 2i. And the DAC is just awful...

I hope this improves over time, but the BlueOS is really a do it all OS.

If you skip the DAC, and use your phone to stream to it over DLNA then these problems wouldn't be an issue.