Streamer and bluesound node 2i

[Barnaby]

I'm contemplating replacing my mac mini with a streamer and had a look at WHF best buy guides. I was immediately attracted to the above as it seemed to offer a very good product for the price. In fact, it was tested at below £500 and is currently £724 on Amazon "Extensive specs and excellent sound at a fantastic price." I am wondering if the manufacturers waited until all the hubbub died down and then hiked the price by 50%. This suspicion leaves me with a bitter taste and unlikely to be very well disposed toward the Blusound brand in the future. I also feel the WHF has done us a disservice by not removing it from the list or at the very least making a re-assessment of value.

I'm not sure what the reviews in the magazine are like so I won't be critical of the fairly pointless blurbs on this site in the hope that the printed versions are considerably better but I'm disenchanted.

Can anyone recommend me a streamer that would exceed the performance of my mac mini at around £500 - £750 please?

Thank you for your help

Hmmm. Prompted to have a look. Seems I'm right to be suspicious.

Bluesound is rated "Bad" with 1.6 / 5 on Trustpilot

Do you agree with Bluesound's TrustScore? Voice your opinion today and hear what 60 customers have already said.

www.trustpilot.com

I do wish magazines would do proper reviews of a product including customer experiences. I wouldn't recommend someone to buy an item from a company that disappointed so many of its customers no matter how nice they were at the start or how shiny the product.

 

[nopiano]

You’ve got confused I’m afraid. The 2i was superseded last year by the NODE. (Not the Node 3).
The NODE is £549.

Amazon often show silly prices for discontinued items, so as to ensure nobody orders one, perhaps? Try a Hifi shop! Or Google.

NODE - Bluesound

The Bluesound NODE unlocks the world of hi-res music streaming and multi-room audio to create a modern addition to existing hi-fi systems or your favorite set of powered speakers.

www.bluesound.com

PS. Seems like the WHF staff who compiled this Best Buy list 30 days ago linked to the old model price. But the test is correct. Thank goodness for forums, eh!?

 

[nopiano]

As to your question, I understand the Mac Mini can sound great, if set up carefully, with a highly rated application for music. I doubt anything under a grand will necessarily sound better, but a streamer is often much easier to use, noiseless and convenient.

Are you streaming from a service like Tidal or Qobuz, or playing your own ripped CDs or downloads?

 

[Barnaby]

Thanks @nopiano for the correction which is appreciated. Groggy Saturday morning!

 

[Barnaby]

As to your question, I understand the Mac Mini can sound great, if set up carefully, with a highly rated application for music. I doubt anything under a grand will necessarily sound better, but a streamer is often much easier to use, noiseless and convenient.

Are you streaming from a service like Tidal or Qobuz, or playing your own ripped CDs or downloads?

Hi. Yes I'm streaming from Qobuz. I will probably save my money in that case. Thank you again

 

[nopiano]

Hi. Yes I'm streaming from Qobuz. I will probably save my money in that case. Thank you again

It may depend on the DAC then. The NODE is a great platform, and I know some folks who use it with the like of the Chord Hugo DAC. If you’d rather have a Hifi component than a computer in your system - I know I would - then a Bluesound is worth serious consideration.

Maybe you can get one from a dealer to try, and return if not liked?

 

[Barnaby]

Yes I have a local dealer I know well. I'm sure he'd do that. Will give it a go if you feel that's a good call. Do you feel that's new an improvement over my mini at that price point ?

 

[davidf]

63% 1 star reviews? theres either some campaign going on their by a competitor, people who can’t use anything beyond plug-and-play, or people with very flaky networks that they don’t know how to utilise properly. The app is rock solid, and there’s good support in place.

Alternatively, have a look at the Silent Angel streamers - the Munich, which is Roon ready, or the Bremen, which isn’t, but cheaper. The Munich comes in a digital only version for those who already have a DAC. Going to be about as good as you’ll get under £1k from a streaming manufacturer.

 

[Barnaby]

All right. I admit I woke after a really disturbed night eith a headache and very tired. I was very tetcht and reacted a bit less rationally than I would have liked.

Thanks folks, for talking me down

 

[Barnaby]

63% 1 star reviews? theres either some campaign going on their by a competitor, people who can’t use anything beyond plug-and-play, or people with very flaky networks that they don’t know how to utilise properly. The app is rock solid, and there’s good support in place.

Alternatively, have a look at the Silent Angel streamers - the Munich, which is Roon ready, or the Bremen, which isn’t, but cheaper. The Munich comes in a digital only version for those who already have a DAC. Going to be about as good as you’ll get under £1k from a streaming manufacturer.

Thank you. I will investigate that product

 

[robdmarsh]

All right. I admit I woke after a really disturbed night eith a headache and very tired. I was very tetcht and reacted a bit less rationally than I would have liked.

Thanks folks, for talking me down

Hi there. If you were interested in a Node 3 (white) in as good as new condition I am shortly going to put one up for sale. Please message me if interested.

 

[Barnaby]

Hi there. If you were interested in a Node 3 (white) in as good as new condition I am shortly going to put one up for sale. Please message me if interested.

Hi Rob and thank you. I am not 100% sure where I'm going with all of this at the moment. If you're selling now, it wouldn't be reasonable of me to ask you to wait for me to make up my mind as I'm really only at the research stage at the moment. Thank you for your kind offer.

 

[robdmarsh]

Ok well I'm in no hurry at the moment. But if you decide you want one and white is the colour you're after, then get in touch.

 

[Barnaby]

Ok well I'm in no hurry at the moment. But if you decide you want one and white is the colour you're after, then get in touch.

Thanks Rob. That's great. I will keep your offer in mind.

 

[Tinman1952]

As to your question, I understand the Mac Mini can sound great, if set up carefully, with a highly rated application for music. I doubt anything under a grand will necessarily sound better, but a streamer is often much easier to use, noiseless and convenient.

Are you streaming from a service like Tidal or Qobuz, or playing your own ripped CDs or downloads?

Agreed. I have a silent Mac Mini with Audirvana and use the Audirvana remote app on an iPad. I haven't heard a streamer to better it and the remote app is excellent. I think you may be disappointed....excellent though Bluesound may be.

 

[Barnaby]

Thank you, Tinman. I am likely to hold off on any decision for quite a while. I have a feeling there are other things for me to concentrate my efforts on first in order to make my system sound better.

 

[Tinman1952]

Thank you, Tinman. I am likely to hold off on any decision for quite a while. I have a feeling there are other things for me to concentrate my efforts on first in order to make my system sound better.

Wise decision. Personally I would look at speakers first and then amp to improve your current system. 👍

 

[robdmarsh]

excellent though Bluesound may be.

That's not what I found

 

[Paulq]

Wise decision. Personally I would look at speakers first and then amp to improve your current system. 👍

Dumb question but can you explain how you connect your Mac Mini > Amp > Speakers please and which ports you use? Thanks.

 

[Tinman1952]

Dumb question but can you explain how you connect your Mac Mini > Amp > Speakers please and which ports you use? Thanks.

Hi. Not dumb at all 🙂 I just use the USB output straight into my DAC and then RCA outputs from DAC to my amp.