Bluesound Node 2

dafos

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2010
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Finally made my foray to streamed music courtesy of Tidal run through a very modest Bluesound Node 2 streamer/dac. I'm running its digital output to my Dcs Puccini digital input. Yes, great for sampling music on the fly but clearly no contest to my Puccini playing redbook cd. Question is, if I invest more than 10x the price of the bluesound for the new dcs digital bridge streamer or any of the "true" high end streamers offered by companies like Naim, Ps Audio, Aurender and the like, will streamed music sound that much better?
 

treitz3

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 25, 2011
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The tube lair in beautiful Rock Hill, SC
Hello dafos. I have mine hooked up to a MF TriVista 21 tubed DAC and a set of Transparent Reference IC's. The sound improved vastly compared to the unit alone but still lacks a slight bit of midbass. This is not really noticeable in the sweet spot but it is greatly noticed when listening in other rooms while casually listening. All of the setups with the Node2 have this same characteristic, regardless of price or setup.

Tom
 

dafos

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2010
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But do you feel it can compare to a cd transport connected to your tri vista dac? I was really hoping that streamed music via Tidal would match the quality of the same music played via cd thru the Puccini.
 

treitz3

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 25, 2011
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The tube lair in beautiful Rock Hill, SC
Unfortunately, I cannot answer that because I have not tried it and have no experience in doing so. I won't even try to speculate as to what it would do. I am unfamiliar with a Puccini (you could fill me in on what it is and what it does if you like) but in my case, compared to the Marantz SA-7s1 I have, the statement aforementioned applies. There is a mid bass "suck out" (as I call it) that if were gone? Would provide an estimated 90% of what the Marantz offers. One does not really notice this in the sweet spot but that's not always where I listen.

FYI, to date I have yet to hear any streamer at any price that will match the quality of physical media. Close? Yes. Same? No cigar.

Tom
 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
2,794
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Near Atlanta, GA but not too near!
Hello dafos. I have mine hooked up to a MF TriVista 21 tubed DAC and a set of Transparent Reference IC's. The sound improved vastly compared to the unit alone but still lacks a slight bit of midbass. This is not really noticeable in the sweet spot but it is greatly noticed when listening in other rooms while casually listening. All of the setups with the Node2 have this same characteristic, regardless of price or setup.

Tom

Tom:

I'm good then because in my theater/listening room I ONLY sit in the sweet spot ........ but NEVER listen in the sweet spot when streaming through a Sonos Sound bar and it is only for back ground music.

I'm curious if you know of any audio product that sounds the same when listening in the sweet spot vs in another room?

I posted elsewhere that I will be doing a blind test of the Bluesound Vault 2 as a server vs a dedicated music server vs Bluesound as a streamer - on a MUCH higher resolution system than mine.

I am in the process of loading all of my music from my server onto the Bluesound Vault and then will coordinate with my friend to do the blind test. He is using the Sonos Connect for casual listening but will be signing up for Tidal so we can do an apples to apples to apples comparison. All products will be connected to his dCS digital stuff into his Magico speakers.

Hopefully we will be able to get this done in then next week or two.
 

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