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BluSound Node and Node 2

The purpose of this post is to make everyone aware and think twice before buying BluSound Node / Node 2.

Blusound's customer service is the worst I have ever experienced. As far as sound goes it's decent for the price. Are there better-sounding streaming dacs? Absolutely. I'd spend extra 300 / 400 dollars and get something more reliable vs wasting $549. 

Issue::

Six months after buying my 1st node it failed. It would play songs from the middle and only for 30 seconds and then skip to a random song regardless of what service I used. There are numerous blogs that talk about this same exact problem. It happens if you are streaming locally from your NAS or directly from quboz or deezer. You guys can google this issue. 

 

After several failed attempts with customer service, I sold the device for $75 and bought node 2. I was told by blusound that they have fixed the bugs in node 2 and it sounds way better.

Well there is no difference in sound between node 1 and node 2 and my node 2 failed within 3 months of purchase. After 2 weeks worth of back and forth with blusound tech support and 20 emails from them telling me to reboot / reindex / factory reset my device I was told today that they will take a look at the logs and get back to me. 

Its possible that blusound node owners have owned their devices for years without any problems but it looks like songs skipping and starting from the middle and stopping randomly is a well know issue with the device. 

My suggestion is to look at other brands, spend a little more in order to avoid wasting your $549. 

Im thinking of either getting a used Lumin d2 or the simaudio 280d. 

 

my system:

Simaudio 340i with builtin dac [2019]

Dynaudio C20

2x REL T9is

 

danimaz
gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 

I owned the Node (original one), and it worked well. Customer service can be a bit sketchy, but if you are patient, they will come through-albeit sometimes with a considerable wait time.

Is Bluesound perfect, no.

Is Bluesound a good value for what it offers, yes.

Bob

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,498 posts
 

You have to often clear the data for the app. If insufficient, reinstall. And reboot the router to renew the handshake.  And/or the modem.

invalid
1,073 posts
 

The problem with blue sounds customer service is if they can't figure it out they pass the blame onto the streaming services.

hodu
312 posts
 

My annoying suggestion: Get a Sonos Connect, add a reclocker -- I use a Wyred 4 Sound Remedy -- and you'll be in streaming heaven. The Sonos just works, period. And when it's hooked up to my Moon Audio DAC, coming out of the W4S, the sound is great.

 

Is it as good as the megabux units? Dunno, as I've not tried one. But it's pretty darn good, and never gives me a problem.

 

By the way, the Sonos, without the reclocker, sounds like ass, so don't even go there.

 

Just one man's experience.

 

-- Howard

 

soix
8,655 posts
 

@12many Im not 100% sure, but I don’t think it matters whether you go wired from an iPhone, a switch/router, or Wi-Fi extender as I think Wi-Fi to the Zen Stream from Qobuz/MConnect is what occasionally causes the problem.  Everyone I’ve heard from who’s hard-wired into the ZS has had no problem.

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