Bluesound Node (N130) - CRAZY GOOD & MAGIC STREAMER! FULL REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2024
- You know how Morten always bitch about software in HIFI products, trying to disconnect him with his music? This time he is impressed, and gets some of that magic he missed so much back. We test the Latest Bluesound Node (N130) and compare it with the old one for sound, dream about how to use the smart Alarm feature and test out all the features. This is a review you got to watch!
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Review Sample was kindly provided by:
HIFI Klubben, Denmark Visit them here: www.hifiklubben.dk/
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HEAR WHAT I HEAR: THE SONIC SNACKS PLAYLIST:
These are varied and challenging tracks I often use for critical judgement, updated continuously and available for your favourite streaming platform. (suggestions for things to include are very welcome!)
Find them here: sdz.sh/knEB2s
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WEAR WHAT I WEAR! :
Morten is a avid lover of KAMRO shirts, the only fitting clothing for the concerning audio & videophile. Made in sizes for even the manliest of men!
For more info: www.kamro.de/
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CHAPTER INDEX:
(jump around, jump around, jump up, jump up - and get down!)
00:00 - Start
00:05 - The man starts speaking
00:38 - Who is Blusound?
00:48 - What is it doing on stjernholm reviews?
01:03 - Great user experiences are rare
01:31 - Sneaky text story for 4K
01:51 - Connecting with your music
02:02 - Sneaky 4K text about...
02:28 - What a great streamer needs
02:33 - Node N130 Technical Data
03:14 - VS the Node 2i (previous model)
03:38 - THE SOUND
03:42 - Listening session flash
04:16 - Comparing with more expensive DACs
04:46 - Combine with any other DAC
05:07 - Features & Daily use
05:19 - Refinement is key
05:48 - Connectivity heaven
06:16 - Yes, Trigger output!
06:30 - HDMI eARC
06:34 - Headphones
06:42 - INTERACTION - DAILY USE
07:07 - Proximity sensor magic
07:17 - The power of presets
07:41 - Volume slider
07:50 - Track next / previous buttons
08:15 - Optional IR remote
08:34 - SOFTWARE
08:50 - Streaming directly from services
09:05 - Bluetooth
09:16 - The many talents of BluOS
09:30 - Queue FREEDOM!
10:19 - Database of locally stored music
10:28 - WOW FEATURE - ALARMS
10:40 - Custom install
10:50 - Imagine PERFECT wakeup....
11:04 - ...and barry white
11:10 - Multiroom
11:23 - THE BAD
11:34 - DSD
11:46 - Cover Art on local files
12:15 - CONCLUSION
13:37 - How to get more reviews
13:47 - Pros & Cons
14:03 - Review Score
14:10 - Funny stuff & dancing in slow-mo
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Video production shot and production assisted by Tim Harris, Headway Production
headwayproductions.dk/
Channel beats are tapped in and produced by Marcus Stjernholm, aka. Marc Nash as well as stuff from the RUclips archives & Stjernholm Reviews.
Morten Stjernholm & Free ApS do:
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#audiophile #hifistreamers #hifi 
Развлечения
![BLUESOUND NODE, WIRELESS MULT-ROOM HI-RES STREAMER ['BUY' LINKS IN THE DESCRIPTION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KOkyfJU5AeE/mqdefault.jpg)
![BLUESOUND NODE, WIRELESS MULT-ROOM HI-RES STREAMER ['BUY' LINKS IN THE DESCRIPTION]](/img/tr.png)
Thank you for the review, after many videos comparing only sound quality, finaly found yours that covers how it behaves in day to day use :) thanks
Great to hear!
Thank you for this amazing review, which covers just about everything - even when just scratched. It helped me decide to buy one of those gems.
Very indepth, fun editing, great passion. Hammer godt og genial humor 😅 du har sgu fået en følger 😁
I really enjoy your reviews. Thanks.
Thank you for watching!
Another excellent review. I enjoy starting my Sunday mornings with your latest video. Please keep them coming :)
I have a Node in my secondary system with a Teddy Pardo LPS. It is hooked up to an external DAC but I enjoy how rock solid the device is. It never seems to have an issue, it just works. That's very high praise in the world of most modern consumer electronics.
You are so kind, Jordan. Thank you. Ego fed for the next week 🙂. What external DAC are you using with it?
@@stjernholmreviews Denafrips Pontus II. The rest of the system is Schiit Ragnarok, Falcon Q7, REL T/7x. It sounds really lovely in my small room. I usually listen to this system really early in the morning...it's peaceful!
@@JordanPhegley You are a man with his priorities in order. Would love to hear your favorite playlist! 🙂
Hi @@JordanPhegley: Wondering what cable you use to connect the Bluesound Node to the Denafrips DAC? Thanks.
I’ve had this for about 18 months and it is brilliant. I've tried it with Chord Qutest, Chord MoJo, Chord MoJo2 and a couple of topping Dacs. For me the Bluesound Node Dac is all you need.
Thanks for sharing!
You do very good reviews!!!
Glad you like them! Thank you for watching the channel!!
You're right on the money with regards to the software! Most high end streamer manufacturers should be ashamed of themselves for releasing brilliant/good hardware, yet completely dropping the ball on software/apps... My own Moon streaming dac being a prime example :-( It was only until they made their hardware Roon compatible that I started using the internal streamer again, as the Moon Mind app is nothing short of an offence to users... Happy the new node got the Stjernholm stamp of approval! Now I can recommend it (even more) without any hesitation to my dad who's looking to get into streaming (and who would be completely lost using most other hardware/software combinations)!
Oh yeah. If you set it up for him, he will indeed enjoy using it. Thank you for watching the channel!
Great review, really starting to like your channel and just sub’d. I have had a 2i for a couple years. Really like it. It does everything I want and sounds good. Like all of us in hifi, I suffer from a moderate case of GAS. Would like something ‘cooler’ and just watched your review of the HiFi Rose 150. About 10 times the price yet so full of hiccups. Sure it does much more but who needs most of that? I hopped on the hype train and bought an Ares 2 dac. Could not hear any difference, none, nada. Every time I start looking at something flashier, I have to ground myself and realize that the Node, for the price, is really just about perfect. For me.
I hear you on that. They are great value, and yes - a product like the RS150 is sold with a very long feature list. Thats why I test as much of it like I can, realizing that even though I would want to use a lot of it, as I consume a lot of music from multiple sources and love internet radio, file playback and so on. MOST users is commiting to one source, merely using it as a nice display and DAC. I am a consultant, so I want to know what things are NOT good for too and try to serve everyone that might have different needs that the product should deliver on.
In regards to the Node... Check the NODE X. It looks like the ultimate version with some nice improvements if you use headphones. Thanks for watching the channel!
Great review! I have been using the older Bluesound Node 2 for many years now. The software keeps getting updates without impacting stability. If it ever breaks, the first thing I would be looking for is another Node.
The only issue I had with my device is the sticky rubber coating (which I completely removed). Fortunately the Node N130 does not have this coating.
Oh yes... I got a node 2i lying around with the same problem. There was a time, where a certain plastic was used in many products that went "sticky" and really nasty. Dont know what the technical reason is, though! Thank you for sharing and watching!
Great review. Logitech media server does all the things you rightfully point out!
It might be so. But the formfactor and daily user experience lacks the simplicity I think! Thank you for watching the channel and commenting!
Great video. I had the iFi Zen, Cambridge Audio CXN v2, the SVS Sound Base (Play-Fi)... The new Node is by far the best of the bunch. The only other streamer I would be interested in is the new WiiM Pro, but it does not have the USB output to feed my Ares II DAC. What I like about the Node, is that it is rock solid, all of the before mentioned streamers were buggy as hell, and always were a real PIA to use. The Node, I never touch it, it just works. The only issue I am having with it is the HDMI connection to my Sony TV. By all accounts, this is an issue with Sony and the way they have engineered their HDMI eArc/Arc in regards to handshaking. Not a deal breaker for me, maybe I will figure it out, but still something I wish Sony would rectify. And the BluOs software works fine for my needs, stable and reliable, just like my old AM radio. You cannot ask for much more than that.
Yes, it feels like an appliance for music. 🙂. As far as your HDMI problems goes, it is really a PITA, and something I see with many products. But when it works, it can be great! I have had issues with LG models too.
@@stjernholmreviews It sucks, but I still have AirPlay, and that actually sounds very good, which I never much cared for. I guess Apple has gotten some of the SQ bugs out of the software.
@@michaelwright1602 Yes, Airplay 2 took care of a lot of that.
Thank you for the review and thank you for not pretending that a streamer when dac-less or when used bypassing its dac has any discernible effect on sound quality (unless really broken). So many other reviewers, obviously with platinum ears, pretend otherwise in their quest for clicks by the naive. I am tired of reading streamer reviews where the software is almost not mentioned and the discussion is centred on audiophile sq. The Bluesound software is far from faultless and bug-less but it is miles ahead of other solutions with the exception of Roon integrated systems. The main problem, in my view, lies with the quality of their desktop apps which leaves a lot to be desired. Other problems exist but often it is not clear whether it is Bluesound’s fault or the problem lies mainly with the streaming services API and support.
Nope, the streamer/player software has a massive effect.
@@REX4340 I hereby invite you to a blind listening test 🙂. Yes, digital sources can sound different, but the differences are very small. I actually hear bigger differences based on weather the files are local or delivered via network. But I cant hear any difference between using the Bluesound node or say, the Oppo UDP-205 as digital sources playing back 24 bit / 96 Khz files locally via the same DAC.
@@stjernholmreviews A streamer simply streams digital content, 1's and 0's... I have never been able to wrap my head around this, that folks actually think they can hear a difference between streamers. I cannot tell a difference with just the stream, I have compared to the same tracks on my Oppo with CD's, I can back to back A/B test, no difference to my ear. And then the tests, they are all over YT, real sound and electrical engineers, what they find is inaudible to the human ear. Same thing with cables, a USB cable is a USB cable, it is sending 1's and 0's! If the sound is affected, there is something wrong with the cable. So much snake oil out here. And yes, I have fallen for it too.
@@stjernholmreviews you expect me to trust your ears? You have done valuable sound clips before, why not deliver better value to your audience by always including sound clips for sources.
@@REX4340 The only ears you can trust is your own. When saying "sound clips", do you mean music selections? We did the listening test in the IFI Audio video, and want to try to limit the video length, as most viewers do not have patience to sit through 30 minuttes, data shows. So something has to go. Tracks used can be found on the sonic snacks playlist, available in the description.
This device is very good and for me bug free. DAC is decent but not as good as the DAC in my amp. For most users it will be fine. The UI is very ok but a few improvements would be good. I do find the way they do random play of playlists ridiculously convoluted. Can use my Tidal connect though to override the nodes UI.
I have just purchased this and love the app functionality. To pair it with a NAS is a little work however integrates well. In regards to sound quality, I have to say my old Pioneer N50 is better believe it or not. I am using an old NAD M51 DAC and the Bluesound as a transport. Furthermore, the output sensitivity is lacking to the NAD in comparison to the Pioneer is weaker as to get the same equivalent volume output (from 0dB of the NAD), the DAC needs a higher volume adjustment (+2dB). Therefore at a higher volume, it starts to distort earlier. The only upgrade for me is the app and versatility. If the Pioneer worked well with the app, it would be a waste to purchase this IMO. I haven't used it as a DAC yet however afraid to use the app as the volume sources as it can be easily adjusted to full volume without an effort, which in turn max out on the Rotel RB1590 and possibly blow my speakers. An external remote control may fix but at another expense
Vince, I am sorry you did not get a reply here. Your question is not very clearly defined. As for your volume issues goes, it is not clear how this is even possible, if you connect the Bluesound Node digitally and use an external DAC. When you refer to your pioneer player, I guess that you are talking about the analog outputs being used i.e the built in dacs of the devices?
WIth the bluesound node, my experience that it is one of the few digitally controlled analog outputs that are good and stable to use as a pre-amp for volume control. You can even, set a limit, so the scenario of blowing your speakers cant happen.
It is all the little things that just work, that makes it so satisfying to use.
Thank you for watching the channel!
Waiting for HDMI outs for my favorite Concerts & Music Videos. 🔈🔉🔊
that would be another product. Like a zidoo player or the like.
Wish they make a product only streamer, no built in dac with more digital connections. I bought a seperate DAC but couldnt decide a sub 1000$ streamer with Linear Power supply. All Auralic, Aurender, Lumin streamers expensive.
Totally makes sense. But I dont think they view themselves as a "audiophile" brand.
Great review. I have one question which I can’t seem to get an answer from hi fi shops. Does the node take an external hard drive through the usb in with thousands of albums on it. They talk about usb for thumb drives and one shop said it may struggle with a huge library. Any ideas ? Thanks
Hi Earl. Yes it does. I let it work on my 25.000 track library on a media server. It was indexed fine, but it took a while. (not like roon, that do these things at a blistering pace). I dont know if there IS a limitation to the size of your local library, though. I would recommend you to consider Roon for a large local library. It will give you a much deeper experience, as it associates so much metadata to your library, manages versions (if you have several) AND can combine it all with streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz, making it one, seemless music exploration experience. Downside is, that it requires more "machinery" to work. Thank you for watching the channel!
The Node will in theory index 200,000 songs on an attached hard drive to the USB port on the rear. This theoretical number depends on the songs metadata, long song titles or album names can significantly reduce this number. Album art uses library indexing data too and the art needs to be no more than 600kb per image. You also need to be aware that any indexed library on a USB drive is not stored locally like a NAS library index, so if you turn the Node off that index is gone and it will have to reindex the USB library next time you turn it on. This does not happen with a library indexed from a NAS music library, that will remain after a power off. Additionally the USB drive must be formatted as fat32 or NTFS for it to be recognised by the Node.
If you have a solid state drive of 2TB with around 100,000 songs on and you keep it powered on, you should have no issues. Bluesound does not work well with very large libraries as it's just not powerful enough, keep the library size managable and they are hard to beat at their price point. So just don't expect too much, really large libraries need a powerful machine running Roon or JRiver for example.
Most people however with a few thousand songs will be blissfully happy with a bluesound, they really are superb value and the app is really good and easy to use.
Sometimes I use Bluetooth to run my telly thru my stereo instead of the Canton soundbase
Hi
Do you think it will be a good add to the Technics SU-G700 M2?
At this time I use xduoo xq-50 pro2 in BT. (LDAC)
Thanks 😉
Yes it will. It covers everything* and does it well.
@@stjernholmreviews thanks!
I just bought one Node N130.
What tablet do you use in your video?
@@dansisternas9158 Its a iPad.
Please excuse my ignorance and tardiness, I have Amazon music for my extra lazy days, can i use Alexa voice control via my echo device?
I am not big on voice control, so I have not tried it in real life. But according to their site, it should! www.bluesound.com/voice/
How do you regard it compared with Primare NP5 MK2? It's exactly the same pricetag?
I dont think you can compare them. You get much less for the same money with the primare. DAC wise, there might be a difference, that I dont know. Thank you for watching the channel!
Np5 is just a streamer without a dac. Bluos is much better. I had both, kept Node!
how good is it at receiving internet radio?
I found it to be very good. Good index, easy presets and so on.
How does this compare to the Wiim Pro as the value champion ? Worth the hundreds of extra euros?
I like what I see with the WiiM Pro, and would buy one today if it had a USB out to feed my Ares II DAC. I really like the software on it too, I think it is much better than the software on the Node. If the USB is not a deal breaker, I would recommend it over the Node if you are simply looking to stream music.
@@michaelwright1602 I have 2 wiim pro's. 1 instance I use it as a preamp in a simple stereo setup and in main system use optical to bitstream into my dac. Even without USB in my opinion it pretty much makes the vast majority of streamers on the market seem like devices where style is more important that substance. No offense intended to anyone.
@@pumpituphomeboy Agree with your assessment. Streaming music is nothing magical, and spending boatloads of money for one honestly is ridiculous in my mind, especially if you are using an external DAC.
Michael, I agree in terms of sound, but the primary purpose of the streamer is to be the "emotional transfer device" & functional bridge to the music, empowering the user to discover and enjoy music from whatever streaming source of choice. That in itself is NOT an easy task, and is all down to software & user interface, something most vendors actually suck at :-) Not many products are successful in that the way the Bluesound are IMO, witch hopefully comes across in the review.
Simplicity requires intelligence! :-)
Thank you for watching the channel guys!
Any chance of a powernode review?
No.
hi it can connect with NAS?
yes. It even pre indexes it
I own that unit too but I prefer Zen stream even though app is not as good.
What do you prefer about it?
@@stjernholmreviews More resolution! More musical/analog! More transparent! I still have the Node 130 and I never used it's internal dac! I run the Zen stream into a Denafrips Pontus II! Just beautiful sounding!😃
@@klepp19 Thats the source of the confusion. Now try to run the Blusound through the external DAC too, and you have a comparison. Even better, ask someone to connect them both for you and blind compare though the external dac. If you use roon you can feed both at the same time. Let me know what you find 😁
@@stjernholmreviews I have run Bluesound Node original and the new one with USB with outboard dacs only. Btw I have since sold the Node from 2016. The IFi just is better than Node in every way accept their app and they may be more stable but I did have interruptions with Node too. Yes, it's fair for final evaluation a blind test is in order with a buddy to switch. This is easy as no levels to match and things can be hidden from sight.
And all this, from the digital outputs on both the BS and the ZEN, connected to the same DAC?
Not the best of timings for this review regarding the user interface. Version 4 of the mobile app has been announced and coming in Spring and is, supposedly, a major overhaul. This comment is before I have watched the review. Unfortunately, both the Windows and the macOS apps (neither seems to be a native app) which need major debugging and architectural re-design do not seem to be addressed in this update.
well, here we are… still no version 4… 🤪
now put a LPS on it, twice as good. it'll make you think, how far can a streamer go?
Please do share your experience and specifics. What changes?
You're so lost ... 🤣
It's a cheap product with a crummy dac
is that the pre-justice talking, or did you see the review and our blind test?
@@stjernholmreviews maybe bluesound makes it unpleasant
@@iampuzzleman282 Support experience or sound?
@@stjernholmreviews interface horrifying
@@iampuzzleman282 The software or the panel? 🙂. You are not being very specific
You say you're thorough?? I found this the least thorough review of this device on youtube, What about sound comparisons (with and without an external DAC) to other streamers and streamer DACs??
What did you expect, precisely? Are you sure you were awake, when seeing the video? 🙂. ruclips.net/video/jHdCBy_4b60/видео.html
Where's my cookie bro?!
You ARE a winner! 🙂 Shhhhhh .....from the realm of the hidden words.