bluesound node hi res not as good as CD

[Tinman1952]

It's not just Bluesound, streaming in general just lacks that certain magic from CD replay somehow. Just listen to any Pink Floyd album and you'll know what I mean.

🤔hmmmmm

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I'm amazed at how perfectly passable the Bluetooth stream from my ifi is, when fed through the CDP's DAC.

 

[robdmarsh]

Oh, and I use Amazon music hd within the bluesound app, and it is a pretty poor experience.

Absolutely second that. If you use Amazon HD and nothing else, the BluOS UI is p*** poor. Amazon HD has a great UI, I've discovered a lot of new music through it and it fits my listening habits to a T.

 

[radiorog]

Absolutely second that. If you use Amazon HD and nothing else, the BluOS UI is p*** poor. Amazon HD has a great UI, I've discovered a lot of new music through it and it fits my listening habits to a T.

Yep, this is my main gripe. On the amazon app after ive listened to an album it plays stuff it thinks id like, and the tunes it comes up with were fantastic and things id not heard of before. It was way better in this respect than spotify. On the Bluos it doesnt do this, it just just stsrts playing precuiusly listened to tracks which becones pretty annoying.

 

[radiorog]

I'm amazed at how perfectly passable the Bluetooth stream from my ifi is, when fed through the CDP's DAC.

Agreed. The sound quality of the bluetooth through the node is clearly better than when i play bluetooth via my roksan amp. A lot of this in sure is that the node uses bt aptx hd, where as my amp doesnt use hd, just plain aptx.

 

[The One]

Agree. I have also a bluesound node and find sound quality, cd's in flac on a nas, very disappointed. I am now looking at the Cambridge cxnv2 or go back to CD with for example a Marantz CD 60.

 

[record_spot]

Hi All

I recently bought a bluesound node and have subs to tidal/Qobuz etc for hi res streaming.

When doing an A-B between cds played on a Naim CD3.5 (old!!) cd player into a Naim Supernait (v1), almost without exception, the soundstage, detail and volume were noticeably better via CD than the streamer. I was playing the same remasters of the same albums and with the exception of PG's Us, CD sounded better, irrespective of which streaming service I used (i also streamed hi res from mac book into the Node) I have tried fixed and variable output on the Node but it makes little difference. Given that it's the same result with all services, I have to assume the limiting factor/bottleneck is the Node.

Overall, in isolation (e.g., when not doing a comparison with the CD), the sound from the Node is good but not earth shattering and I have to say, on balance, I was left a bit underwhelmed and disappointed.

But I have to assume I have got something incorrect, somewhere (setup/configuration etc), given all the outstanding reviews and accoldades this player receives - Am eager to get any feedback/advice on this - Is there something I may be doing wrong or have just not done at all that could be affecting the performance?

Many thanks
M

I wouldn't worry. I use a Kenwood DP-990SG from 1989 that blows the rest out the water. Best CD player I've owned bar none and sound quality that leaves the rest standing. Turns out it came with some high end electronics built in that I had no idea about. Bought it on a whim last year on Ebay and was blown away when I heard it.

Bottom line, I'm not surprised in the slightest that your Naim's cutting it against the Bluesound.

 

[fireboy1968]

All I am going to post here is that the internal DAC in the Bluesound Node is pure garbage. Bluesound even uses a crap Texas Instruments Burr Brown chip. That is the chip used in home theater recievers that cost less than the node, The review was one more reason why WhatHifi is useless. But it is verry much worth it to be paired with and external DAC., And besides I got it open box $480 US not $600 US