Streaming Device Reviews

Bluesound Node Streaming DAC Review Specs

Specs
DIMENSIONS: (WxHxD, inches) 8.7 x 1.8 x 5.7
WEIGHT: (Pounds) 5
AUDIO INPUTS: HDMI eARC, combination mini-Toslink optical digital/3.5mm analog stereo
AUDIO OUTPUTS: Coaxial digital, optical digital, analog stereo RCA, RCA subwoofer, 3.5mm headphone
ADDITIONAL: USB type-A, LAN (Ethernet), IR repeater input
WIRELESS: Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, apt-X Blue- tooth (transmit and receive)
STREAMING: Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Spotify Connect, Deezer, Neil Young Archives, nugs.net, TuneIn Radio, SiriusXM, SMB file sharing
VOICE CONTROL: Amazon Alexa Skills, Actions on Google
ON-BOARD DAC: HRA capable up to 32-bit/384kHz (up to 24-bit/192kHz native sampling), MQA-enabled, Roon Ready

Company Info
Bluesound
bluesound.com

COMPANY INFO
Bluesound
bluesound.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
BudC's picture
Submitted by BudC on December 9, 2021 - 8:59am

Significant fact that Bluesound needs to be held accountable for. To encourage users to upgrade to the 2021 model from the previous 2i, Bluesound promoted that this generation would offer usb audio out functionality via firmware update shortly after release. Apparently this was a bold faced lie as it's still not be implemented and customers are not being given a date when it will be made available. This is a bad look for a company that already needed to improve it's customer service/responsiveness.

brenro's picture
Submitted by brenro on December 9, 2021 - 10:15am

This would make a pretty cost effective streamer to a higher end DAC with a USB out. I have used an original Node 2 as a streamer and a USB out would have sounded so much better than using optical or coax.

John_Werner's picture
Submitted by John_Werner on December 14, 2021 - 11:45pm

Bluesound is to be commended for packing so much into this streamer and keeping it affordable. Only a few other companies seem to offer "high value" streamers Cambridge Audio and Cocktail Audio come to mind. Of those two other nameplates it is the Cocktail Audio N25 I would most like to have a comparison to the Bluesound be made available. The N25, while roughly twice the price (i.e, more money but still affordable) might well be the sweetspot of affordable audiophile approved streaming. Think about a review of the N25 with a comparison.

uavGopherFan's picture
Submitted by uavGopherFan on December 18, 2021 - 4:18pm

We have purchased two Node2 units retail and received a third as a warranty replacement from Bluesound. Over time, all three units became non responsive, displaying a solid red LED. Following recommended procedures from BS tech support was unsuccessful. All three are now worthless bricks.
We really did enjoy the BS units, when functional. The sound quality was, for the money, hard to beat, whether using analog outputs or feeding an external DAC (Simaudio 280D).
But after three failures, never again …

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