[Bhk1004]

If you have only one of the streaming services then isn't their desktop app the easy solution?

I was thinking for people who have several subscriptions, then something like Audirvana or JRiver would work.

In my case I have several DACs connected to a mini PC and I run Tidal MQA into a Brooklyn DAC+ and I set the Windows default device to my RME and used to use that one for Deezer hifi since they had a crappy desktop app that didn't allow selecting specific DACs unlike Tidal. It uses the Windows default device.

With pc removed as an option what do you have? I want to remove the pc from my chain. You seem to mention many options that are better and cheaper but I havent seen one. Want something to be bit perfect and dump the info straight to my dac and let it do its magic.

Also needs to have an option outside of USB for output.

 

[darmccombs]

Definitely a super nice all in one solution even at the full price.

Just saw one used here in the for sale section for much less than the price you mentioned.

Be aware there is no headphone jack on the node 2i. You'll need a headphone amp or an integrated amp with a headphone jack. The latter is not a good solution for many headphones though.

Actually the node 2i does have a 3.5mm headphone jack on the front. It's in the middle of the front panel. It's hard to see, but its there and it works.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

With pc removed as an option what do you have? I want to remove the pc from my chain. You seem to mention many options that are better and cheaper but I havent seen one. Want something to be bit perfect and dump the info straight to my dac and let it do its magic.

Also needs to have an option outside of USB for output.

Depends what you mean when you say you want to remove the PC. You want to remove the need to use a keyboard and screen or you just don't want to use a PC or laptop at all?

If you don't want a pc or laptop involved at all you can use a cheap streamer based on Rasberry PI or other cheap streamer like nVidia shield. If you mean you don't want to have to control music at the PC then maybe one of the apps I mentioned can run on a PC but could be controlled by a phone app.

 

[TK33]

With pc removed as an option what do you have? I want to remove the pc from my chain. You seem to mention many options that are better and cheaper but I havent seen one. Want something to be bit perfect and dump the info straight to my dac and let it do its magic.

Also needs to have an option outside of USB for output.

Following this thread. Would be interested in what you end up with. I am interested in the Node 2i for streaming Qobuz, Amazon and local FLAC files (dont really care about MQA). Seems like a nice compact solution.

Currently use a NAD D 3045 in my desktop setup (love the space saving design) connected via USB to a PC running Roon. Before Roon, I tried Audirvana but stopped using it on day three of the trial as the remote app does not work at all on my network and the desktop app was buggy, constantly crashing, and just not that useful to me (for example switching from my NAD to my Dragonfly Cobalt would require a restart of the app). The Qobuz app is just unreliable and unusable on Windows 10 (constantly hangs) so it is not an option. I am also looking to cut out the PC on my desktop chain since I need both of my monitors for work and constantly minimizing my remote desktop software is annoying. I also like to turn my PC off when not in use (especially at night since it is in my bedroom) but would like to still be able to listen to music with the PC off.

In my living room, I use my old but trusty Logitech Squeezebox Touch via coax to a Denon X4300H (and some HEOS speakers in my kitchen and dining room) for Qobuz and just bluetooth to an old ES100 for Amazon since HEOS is so buggy and limited for Amazon.

I think I like Roon but am not sold on it so I am thinking of giving the Node 2i a shot once my Roon trial is up in September...especially since working from home and social distancing looks like it will be going on much longer than I thought it would. My current thinking is that if I like the Node 2i, I will get some more and use BlueOS for multiroon (and ditch HEOS) if I find that I really really really miss Roon, I could always just use it as an endpoint. Always interested in different opinions of the product.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Node 2i is good for streaming. The integration with streaming services is good and BlueOS is a good ecosystem, good quality and no real bugs.

But the navigation is too slow for local files IMHO. I use other devices and software to play off my LAN.

 

[Bhk1004]

Following this thread. Would be interested in what you end up with. I am interested in the Node 2i for streaming Qobuz, Amazon and local FLAC files (dont really care about MQA). Seems like a nice compact solution.

Currently use a NAD D 3045 in my desktop setup (love the space saving design) connected via USB to a PC running Roon. Before Roon, I tried Audirvana but stopped using it on day three of the trial as the remote app does not work at all on my network and the desktop app was buggy, constantly crashing, and just not that useful to me (for example switching from my NAD to my Dragonfly Cobalt would require a restart of the app). The Qobuz app is just unreliable and unusable on Windows 10 (constantly hangs) so it is not an option. I am also looking to cut out the PC on my desktop chain since I need both of my monitors for work and constantly minimizing my remote desktop software is annoying. I also like to turn my PC off when not in use (especially at night since it is in my bedroom) but would like to still be able to listen to music with the PC off.

In my living room, I use my old but trusty Logitech Squeezebox Touch via coax to a Denon X4300H (and some HEOS speakers in my kitchen and dining room) for Qobuz and just bluetooth to an old ES100 for Amazon since HEOS is so buggy and limited for Amazon.

I think I like Roon but am not sold on it so I am thinking of giving the Node 2i a shot once my Roon trial is up in September...especially since working from home and social distancing looks like it will be going on much longer than I thought it would. My current thinking is that if I like the Node 2i, I will get some more and use BlueOS for multiroon (and ditch HEOS) if I find that I really really really miss Roon, I could always just use it as an endpoint. Always interested in different opinions of the product.

I picked up a used Node 2 cause the 2i had upgrades that did nothing for me. Not using the internal DAC and will be hardlined, so the upgraded dac + upgraded wifi was not needed for my use. My use will be strictly limited to just spotify and tidal, and my attempts to get away from windows mixer. Trying to see if there are any SQ differences. Dont know if my usage will be relevant to people who want to use Roon and stream files off their comps/servers.

 

[TK33]

I picked up a used Node 2 cause the 2i had upgrades that did nothing for me. Not using the internal DAC and will be hardlined, so the upgraded dac + upgraded wifi was not needed for my use. My use will be strictly limited to just spotify and tidal, and my attempts to get away from windows mixer. Trying to see if there are any SQ differences. Dont know if my usage will be relevant to people who want to use Roon and stream files off their comps/servers.

Got it. Thanks. How do you like the Node 2 so far?

Not sure if I will keep Roon yet but just like to keep my options open. Figured the Node 2i DAC could be an upgrade over the internal DACs in my NAD D3045 and Denon X4300H but this is not the primary reason i am considering it and I guess I won't know what I prefer until I actually try it. I too don't like using Windows (for Qobuz in my case) and the Node 2i looks very interesting to me right now for its versatility and broad feature set. I also keep hearing about BluOS.

I was actually about to pull the trigger on Roon because I got fed up with the Qobuz app but then found out the price had gone up and decided the Node 2i might suit my needs just fine and I could try the Node 2i first.

 

[Bhk1004]

Doesnt arrive till friday. Will post up some thoughts after the weekend.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I picked up a used Node 2 cause the 2i had upgrades that did nothing for me. Not using the internal DAC and will be hardlined, so the upgraded dac + upgraded wifi was not needed for my use. My use will be strictly limited to just spotify and tidal, and my attempts to get away from windows mixer. Trying to see if there are any SQ differences. Dont know if my usage will be relevant to people who want to use Roon and stream files off their comps/servers.

If you don't use the DAC on the node 2i and you don't have an MQA DAC you're not getting the most out of Tidal. I'm not sure the node 2 has MQA though...

 

[Luke Thomas]

Node 2i sounds great. Great instrument separation. Via WiFi.
But the mqa in tidal is not any better than non mqa. My previous system mqa was noticeably better. Any ideas?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Node 2i sounds great. Great instrument separation. Via WiFi.
But the mqa in tidal is not any better than non mqa. My previous system mqa was noticeably better. Any ideas?

What was your previous MQA system, how do you have MQA set up on the Node 2i and Bluesound app(s), and what is the Node 2i connected to?

 

[Bhk1004]

are you bypassing the internal dac? i think you have to use the dac for MQA to work.

 

[Luke Thomas]

Old set up-
laptop>
dragonfly red dac>
violectric amp>
Sen 800s cans.
I guess I have to look at settings in the node app?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Old set up-
laptop>
dragonfly red dac>
violectric amp>
Sen 800s cans.
I guess I have to look at settings in the node app?

What is the node connected to now? You need to select master in the bluesound app and use the node dac, not an external dac.

 

[Luke Thomas]

Thx. Node goes straight to a Violectric headphone amp. No external dac