[sunnydaze]

Bluesound Node is probably the best option between sound quality and ease of use/setup.  It doesn't do Roon, but it will let you stream your Amazon HD service in true lossless format.

Incorrect.  Bluesound products are Roon ready.

https://roonlabs.com/partners/bluesound

[Tyson]

Incorrect.  Bluesound products are Roon ready.

https://roonlabs.com/partners/bluesound

Well THAT'S cool.  Good to know and thanks for correcting me.

[Huck]

+1 on the Node!   

Yes!  you can download the BlueOS controller app onto a phone, laptop or tablet.  I control both my Node 2i and PowerNode from my phone and laptop all the time.  Easy to use and very reliable in my experience.  Not sure if you can load the app onto a Smart TV.  Probably not.

Thanks!.I would most likely be using a cheap tablet as a controller if anything,so are all tablets compatible,or should I be looking for something specific?..(Sorry,not up on the latest gizmos) Thanks,Huck

[sunnydaze]

Thanks!.I would most likely be using a cheap tablet as a controller if anything,so are all tablets compatible,or should I be looking for something specific?..(Sorry,not up on the latest gizmos) Thanks,Huck

I'm no tech guru, but I'm guessing any tablet will work. 

According to this page on the website, the app can be loaded onto all Apple, Android and Kindle devices (tablet and phone):

https://www.bluesound.com/downloads/

[Huck]

I'm no tech guru, but I'm guessing any tablet will work. 

According to this page on the website, the app can be loaded onto all Apple, Android and Kindle devices (tablet and phone):

https://www.bluesound.com/downloads/

Thanks....Seems that all my usual 'go to' audio places are out of stock on the NODE in black.
Looks like I will have to wait till next year! Huck

[nocrapman]

BS node is excellent.
I have it running off roon and has been working great for me for the last 6 months.

Higher frequency loss not unusual at all and helps us live in peace with bickering/complaining wives

Becoming entrenched in old music/habits/likes/dislikes is a curse of growing older.
Time to branch out a bit outside comfort zone... that where the growth is.

Try Origins Album by Imagine Dragons or Taylor swifts Folklore. Both or devoid of any harshness for the most part and are excellent compositions. I am not a fan of either but loved as I listened to them by some Roon magic happenstance!

[sunnydaze]

Thanks....Seems that all my usual 'go to' audio places are out of stock on the NODE in black.
Looks like I will have to wait till next year! Huck

Plenty of closeout and used deals on the previous Node 2i version.  Check Hifishark.com

Personally, I wouldn't get hung up on needing the "latest and greatest".  But that's just me -- I'd save some $$ and get the 2i.  I read that the main diff is that the current version offers different controls on the top panel.  Also, the DAC is slightly different, but I've read in several places that folks can't detect any SQ diffs when comparing the two versions.      Besides, if you plan to run it into an outboard DAC, the internal DAC is of no consequence anyway.

[Huck]

Plenty of closeout and used deals on the previous Node 2i version.  Check Hifishark.com

Personally, I wouldn't get hung up on needing the "latest and greatest".  But that's just me -- I'd save some $$ and get the 2i.  I read that the main diff is that the current version offers different controls on the top panel.  Also, the DAC is slightly different, but I've read in several places that folks can't detect any SQ diffs when comparing the two versions.      Besides, if you plan to run it into an outboard DAC, the internal DAC is of no consequence anyway.

Thanks.I would be running the RCA outs on the NODE to my pre-amp RCA input so I can run it through my speaker system.
Any experience with audio drop-outs,as I will be using it in a different space farther away from my wireless router upstairs?.Thanks

[sunnydaze]

Thanks.I would be running the RCA outs on the NODE to my pre-amp RCA input so I can run it through my speaker system.
Any experience with audio drop-outs,as I will be using it in a different space farther away form my wireless router upstairs?.Thanks

In my main system I attach my Node 2i directly to router via ethernet cable.  But in my 2nd system I run my PowerNode (basically Node 2i + amp combined) wireless and have zero drop-out issues.  Very reliable, but it is fairly close to router.  Haven't tried either BS product wireless at great distance from router.

If you are far from the router dropouts become more possible.  But that is a distance issue not an issue with the Node.  In my BR I use an old Squeezebox Touch streamer.  It is far from the router and I had dropout issues when run wirelessly.  Got one of these and it works like a charm -- basically turns the home's electrical wiring into an ethernet connection and runs your device directly into the router:

https://www.amazon.com/Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter-Extender-TP-Link/dp/B084CZMYNM/ref=asc_df_B084CZMYNM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459410835726&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15729491667144854272&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010584&hvtargid=pla-919417978924&psc=1

[nocrapman]

I actually have the Node 2i in a corner in the basement powering outdoor speakers.
No issues with connection with a decent wifi signal.
If u listen to a lot of Hidef music, there might be a lag before music starts.
Ideally hardwire it to your router.

[Huck]

In my main system I attach my Node 2i directly to router via ethernet cable.  But in my 2nd system I run my PowerNode (basically Node 2i + amp combined) wireless and have zero drop-out issues.  Very reliable, but it is fairly close to router.  Haven't tried either BS product wireless at great distance from router.

If you are far from the router dropouts become more possible.  But that is a distance issue not an issue with the Node.  In my BR I use an old Squeezebox Touch streamer.  It is far from the router and I had dropout issues when run wirelessly.  Got one of these and it works like a charm -- basically turns the home's electrical wiring into an ethernet connection and runs your device directly into the router:

https://www.amazon.com/Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter-Extender-TP-Link/dp/B084CZMYNM/ref=asc_df_B084CZMYNM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459410835726&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15729491667144854272&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010584&hvtargid=pla-919417978924&psc=1

I guess all I can do is try it as far as drop-outs go.I would rather hard-wire it to my router,but that won't happen(too long).
No stock in black in Canada that I can see.Thanks for that link! Huck

[Huck]

I actually have the Node 2i in a corner in the basement powering outdoor speakers.
No issues with connection with a decent wifi signal.
If u listen to a lot of Hidef music, there might be a lag before music starts.
Ideally hardwire it to your router.

Hard wire would be ideal,but not in my case(too long)
I guess I have to try(drop-outs) and go to a stronger router if needed.
How much of a lag before music starts?Thanks.

[nocrapman]

couple of seconds wait for me for Hires files only.
Take a laptop or phone to that proposed location. Check wireless speeds using speedtest.net or just google internet speed and hit test.
Report back what numbers u r getting for download vs upload.

[Huck]

couple of seconds wait for me for Hires files only.
Take a laptop or phone to that proposed location. Check wireless speeds using speedtest.net or just google internet speed and hit test.
Report back what numbers u r getting for download vs upload.

Believe it or not,but I don't have a lap top or a smart phone,but was hoping to use a cheap tablet or Kindle device to control the NODE.
I am also hoping that the NODE supports Amazon HD and UltraHD (I think it does).
Sorry,would downloading be me placing an album into my library and upload would me playing the music?..(sorry just starting out.)Thanks

[sunnydaze]

I guess all I can do is try it as far as drop-outs go.I would rather hard-wire it to my router,but that won't happen(too long).
No stock in black in Canada that I can see.Thanks for that link! Huck

Like I said, if you are OK with the Node 2i there is plenty of stock.  Cheaper and basically the same device.

Goto Hifishark.com and search on "Node 2i".  There are about 20 available right now in North America -- not all black.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=node+2i

[nocrapman]

Believe it or not,but I don't have a lap top or a smart phone,but was hoping to use a cheap tablet or Kindle device to control the NODE.
I am also hoping that the NODE supports Amazon HD and UltraHD (I think it does).
Sorry,would downloading be me placing an album into my library and upload would me playing the music?..(sorry just starting out.)Thanks

The music is streamed off the servers of the music service u r using. You dont download anything locally. But streaming is still using downloadable data. Thats why you need to know that you have reasonable speeds on your network. sensing your level of discomfort with this, I would recruit a teenager to help you with this project. They can do this at a intuitive level.

[Rusty Jefferson]

It's clearly a change to your hearing, but not at the frequencies you think. I have a couple of local guys in my audio club who have substantial hearing loss of high frequencies (like 20db down @ 6khz) and yet can easily distinguish fairly subtle changes in a system during a double blind test. They clearly hear differences in the 1khz-4khz range they perceive as grainy or etched compared to their system before the change.. I don't know if anyone can explain why but it's fascinating to me. The tendency is to think if someone can't hear high frequencies why are they annoyed by what they perceive as etched sound. They both have systems that they've made very smooth and relaxed. You can play terrible recordings on them (Pretenders, Stones, whatever) and they don't sound horrible the way they will on a neutral system. It's fun to go over and listen to 50s jazz records for a few hours but I couldn't live with that sound all the time. I understand why they like it, I just don't understand why they need softened sound when their hearing is already softened.

[Huck]

It's clearly a change to your hearing, but not at the frequencies you think. I have a couple of local guys in my audio club who have substantial hearing loss of high frequencies (like 20db down @ 6khz) and yet can easily distinguish fairly subtle changes in a system during a double blind test. They clearly hear differences in the 1khz-4khz range they perceive as grainy or etched compared to their system before the change.. I don't know if anyone can explain why but it's fascinating to me. The tendency is to think if someone can't hear high frequencies why are they annoyed by what they perceive as etched sound. They both have systems that they've made very smooth and relaxed. You can play terrible recordings on them (Pretenders, Stones, whatever) and they don't sound horrible the way they will on a neutral system. It's fun to go over and listen to 50s jazz records for a few hours but I couldn't live with that sound all the time. I understand why they like it, I just don't understand why they need softened sound when their hearing is already softened.

Just for kicks I listened to Spotify Lo-Fi  through my speaker system,mostly 'rock' genre for mostly 2 hours and although all the upper ranges were cut off,it was kind of relaxing to hear...now I could turn up the volume on a album or song that I knew to be bright and it sounded kinda nice with no scratchy,gritty annoying top-end....all in all,pretty bad sounding,but I did my ears a favour. Huck

[Huck]

I just bought a Bluesound NODE,so we will see(hear) if it get's rid of the grinding,gritty,glassy top-end from my CD's.
Has to be delivered yet.Thanks,Huck

[nocrapman]

I doubt a source can create that grittiness in the sound.
But its a good buy that will expose you to a lot of new music!
Congrats.