Bluesound Node 2i

[HiFiHawaii808]

You can run a node 2i into a headamp, yes.

If you're paying for Tidal you may as well use an MQA DAC. The node 2i has one, schiity DACs do not.

Curiosity is going to kill this cat. I need to hear what it sounds like. I am going to pick one up and test it.

 

[TK33]

Curiosity is going to kill this cat. I need to hear what it sounds like. I am going to pick one up and test it.

It is a great streamer and on sale this month. I think there is someone selling used on headfi as well. I will eventually add one to my existing HEOS system to stream Qobuz everywhere. I am currently using my old Squeezebox Touch for that but I like BluOS so much better than LMS.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

It is a great streamer and on sale this month. I think there is someone selling used on headfi as well. I will eventually add one to my existing HEOS system to stream Qobuz everywhere. I am currently using my old Squeezebox Touch for that but I like BluOS so much better than LMS.

I figure getting rid of all of these cables and any signal processing done by my iPad should improve the sound quality. I like the idea of using my iPad as the controller instead of the streamer.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Okay. I bought a Bluesound Node 2i two days ago on Amazon and it arrived today. It was amazingly easy to set up. Just download the ios app from the app store and follow the instructions. It connects to the wifi network and downloads some software updates. Then, you login to your Tidal account and voila, you are streaming music. I think it's a native Tidal app because all of my playlists and old search requests were in the app. This is excellent.

I tried an A/B test connecting the 2i directly to my BHC and did some A/B testing with my current iPad => Modi Multibit => BHC. I could not hear a difference in sound quality at all.

Then, I used an optical cable to send the signal from the Node 2i > Modi Multibit > BHC and there was a noticeable improvement in sound quality for every genre of music except for classical. Sound stage was bigger. Music seem to become less veiled and more bright. Bass was tight. I was able to set up a true A/B scenario here because I used optical input to Modi Multibt and USB from iPad to Modi Multibit. I started the music from my iPad and my iPhone and then used the A/B/C switch on the Modi to compare sound quality.

then, I did some more testing. Node 2i > BHC using the internal DAC. Compared MQA vs CD versions of music and MQA versions sounded better. But not on all such tracks.

then, I reinserted my Modi Multibit and I found I preferred that sound. There was no difference between the MQA and CD versions of music, but I preferred the sound from my Modi Multibit. I think I am going to keep this set up.

Node 2i > Modi Multibit > BHC. This is a definite improvement over IPad > Modi Multibit over USB.

The bottom line is that MQA was an upgrade in sound using the internal DAC, but the Modi Multibit is better than the internal DAC so the improvements were about the same. I expect that if I upgraded the Modi Multibit to a Bimby that the sound would improve even more even without MQA.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

There are some settings to make sure you're getting the full MQA unfold.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

There are some settings to make sure you're getting the full MQA unfold.

Can you be more specific? The only setting I saw was a toggle for whether or not the external DAC supports MQA.

I also set up Spotify. That was much easier because it just uses the ios Spotify app to control music selection and playback. All you do is change the device to which the content is streamed. This is the way Tidal should work as well. In summary, the control device for picking music is whatever device you are running Spotify whether it be your laptop, iPhone or iPad. You select the device you want the stream to go and the music is streamed directly to it.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Can you be more specific? The only setting I saw was a toggle for whether or not the external DAC supports MQA.

I also set up Spotify. That was much easier because it just uses the ios Spotify app to control music selection and playback. All you do is change the device to which the content is streamed. This is the way Tidal should work as well. In summary, the control device for picking music is whatever device you are running Spotify whether it be your laptop, iPhone or iPad. You select the device you want the stream to go and the music is streamed directly to it.

You have to set that toggle not to passthru MQA, and you should also set the Tidal setting to Master in the bluesound app.

 

[TK33]

Can you be more specific? The only setting I saw was a toggle for whether or not the external DAC supports MQA.

I also set up Spotify. That was much easier because it just uses the ios Spotify app to control music selection and playback. All you do is change the device to which the content is streamed. This is the way Tidal should work as well. In summary, the control device for picking music is whatever device you are running Spotify whether it be your laptop, iPhone or iPad. You select the device you want the stream to go and the music is streamed directly to it.

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you don't want to use the BluOS app? What I really like about BluOS ia that I could merge multiple playlists on Qoboz or Amazon (the two streaming services I currently have) into one larger playlist and also combine content from both platforms in the play queue. Roon was the only other service I am aware of that could do this.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you don't use the BluOS app? What I really like about BluOS ia that I could merge multiple playlists on Qoboz or Amazon (the two streaming services I currently have) into one larger playlist and also combine content from both platforms in the play queue. Roon was the only other service I am aware of that could do this.

Yeah for me as well, the bluesound app is great. You have all your streaming services in one app, and you control all your bluesound devices from your phone or tablet or PC. They did a superb job...I never had an update break anything.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

You have to set that toggle not to passthru MQA, and you should also set the Tidal setting to Master in the bluesound app.

I think I did both of those things. I'll have to double check it and re-run my tests.

In any event, I learned a lot from this process. I am very pleased with my home headphone system now. It sounds really really good. I have gone about as far as I can with this particular set of headphones and amps in terms of sound quality across all the genres of music I listened to regularly. I think the only 2 things left are to potentially upgrade the DAC and the headphone wire. Otherwise, I feel like I am pretty close to done improving this particular set up.

I am not totally satisfied with the classical music sound. It's really good, but it could be better. I'll have to see if an HD800s with a Bifrost 2 DAC added to this system improves it sufficiently.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I think I did both of those things. I'll have to double check it and re-run my tests.

In any event, I learned a lot from this process. I am very pleased with my home headphone system now. It sounds really really good. I have gone about as far as I can with this particular set of headphones and amps in terms of sound quality across all the genres of music I listened to regularly. I think the only 2 things left are to potentially upgrade the DAC and the headphone wire. Otherwise, I feel like I am pretty close to done improving this particular set up.

I am not totally satisfied with the classical music sound. It's really good, but it could be better. I'll have to see if an HD800s with a Bifrost 2 DAC added to this system improves it sufficiently.

I didn't see what setup you have but I recommend running the 800S off a good tube OTL amp. If not, take a look at a V280 depending on your budget. If they're still on drop it's killer for the price and will drive every 300 ohm Sennheiser like a champ.

My node 2i goes into an integrated amp and then to speakers. I don't use it as a headphone rig. My Sennheiser setup is a Brooklyn DAC+ balanced into a V280.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you don't want to use the BluOS app? What I really like about BluOS ia that I could merge multiple playlists on Qoboz or Amazon (the two streaming services I currently have) into one larger playlist and also combine content from both platforms in the play queue. Roon was the only other service I am aware of that could do this.

Now I am using the BluOS app for controlling Tidal. It's good and worth using for the improved sound quality. It's much better than I expected. And, if I decide to add other streaming services, it would be nice to have all music in one place. I don't plan on buying any more music. So, I don't want to have to deal with SD cards and license management. But, never say never I guess.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I didn't see what setup you have but I recommend running the 800S off a good tube OTL amp. If not, take a look at a V280 depending on your budget. If they're still on drop it's killer for the price and will drive every 300 ohm Sennheiser like a champ.

My node 2i goes into an integrated amp and then to speakers. I don't use it as a headphone rig. My Sennheiser setup is a Brooklyn DAC+ balanced into a V280.

I have a Bottlehead Crack with Speedball, Mundorf evo oil caps and Blue alps pot. WE421 power tube and CBS Hytron 5418a input tube. I run Tidal from BluOS controlled by my iPhone and streamed to the Node 2i streamer connected via optical to Modi Multibit RCA to the BHC. Headphones are HD650 ad HD600.

The sound is sublime with small group vocals and instrumentals. Rock, Pop, Vocal Jazz, Bossa Nova, Instrumental Jazz. Classical is decent, but needs more resolution. Sound stage is good and timber is really really good. When I close my eyes, the artists are right there singing to me.

I want hear the HD800s or HD820 headphones with this set up and a Bifrost 2 Multibit DAC. I think it might sound really good.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I have a Bottlehead Crack with Speedball, Mundorf evo oil caps and Blue alps pot. WE421 power tube and CBS Hytron 5418a input tube. I run Tidal from BluOS controlled by my iPhone and streamed to the Node 2i streamer connected via optical to Modi Multibit RCA to the BHC. Headphones are HD650 ad HD600.

The sound is sublime with small group vocals and instrumentals. Rock, Pop, Vocal Jazz, Bossa Nova, Instrumental Jazz. Classical is decent, but needs more resolution. Sound stage is good and timber is really really good. When I close my eyes, the artists are right there singing to me.

I want hear the HD800s or HD820 headphones with this set up and a Bifrost 2 Multibit DAC. I think it might sound really good.

Oh yeah that does sound like a tremendous setup. I would totally pass on schiit dacs though, no DSD and of course no MQA. Probably better off running the node 2i into your BHC.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Oh yeah that does sound like a tremendous setup. I would totally pass on schiit dacs though, no DSD and of course no MQA. Probably better off running the node 2i into your BHC.

That was my original plan (connecting Node 2i directly to BHC), but the sound quality was better connecting the Node 2i to the Modi Multibit. That surprised me. The sound was cleaner and tighter, especially in the bass response. I lose MQA, but other sound improvements made up for that loss vs. the internal DAC of the Node 2i

Now, it's possible that I have the Node 2i configured wrong for MQA. I have to double check that.

I need to decide which major direction I want to go next. I can try to get a Bottlehead Mainline, but that's a lot of money and I'd have to redo all of the testing that I did already. Not ready to do that yet. Need to enjoy this system for a while. My only gap is great classical. If I can get that by adding the HD800s with a better DAC, that might complete this system. Problem is that I really didn't like the HD800s when I first heard them on a Chord Hugo 2. It's only 50/50 that I will like the sound of that headphone with my system.

I will probably work on a high end system with speakers next, but I want to create a dedicated listening room to do that. Last time I spent money on a system for my living room, I did it wrong and over spent and got very average sound. I'll go for great speaker sound and add in a high end headphone listening capability as well.