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Bluesound Vault 2i died

I bought a Bluesound Vault 2i around 2022 and it has worked well since. I ripped all of my 400+ Cds onto it and used it for streaming. Most recently it asked for an update to which I complied. However, when I returned to check up, the device was stuck with a red dot on the front. My iphone app could not find the device.  I disconnected and reconnected several times, including twice over night. I plugged in the ethernet directly to my Xfinity modem but to no avail. After contacting Bluesound support, they asked me to attempt rebooting several more times to no avail. Then they said I was out of the 1 year warranty, so my only option was to send it in and pay for 3rd party repair, or spend another $1000 on a new device from bluesound. That seems like an awfully short life for a piece of audio equipment (still have functional amps from the 70s) and has really soured me on Bluesound. Where did I go wrong? System: Parasound P6 and A21+ preamp/amp, topping DAC, Tekton moab speakers. I don't know what to expect from this community, other than perhaps a pat on the back "there, there..."

tclarkmd
bob540
446 posts
 

I hate to hear this.  I also have a Bluesound Vault 2i, purchased in 2020 or 2021.  I haven’t had any problems with it, but I also don’t use it much.  Knowing that hard drives can fail, I bought a solid state drive to backup the content on the Vault 2i.  I also have a fair amount of the music on desktop and laptop computers.  I’m sorry to hear you are having this problem.  Seems like Bluesound would want to improve reliability, as a reputation for failure would not be good for sales, I would guess.  

tclarkmd OP
5 posts
 

Thank you all for your input. Lesson learned- back up the content. Sounds like a capacitor replacement might be needed. Bluesound did give me a couple of repair contacts so I'll start there and see what it costs. Then I may start looking alternatives since I won't be purchasing another Bluesound product. I'll look at the Innuos and likely others

mahler123
4,130 posts
 

I had the same issue with the Vault2 many years ago, when it was slightly out of warranty.  I had backed up the files to a Synology NAS, which I subsequently backed up to my Melco N 100.  The Synology also failed soon after I had completed that backup.  I backed up the Melco but it has worked flawlessly.

  My only complaint about the Melco was as a player I wasn’t crazy about the app, which is basically mConnect.  I subsequently added a Cambridge Audio CXN 60 which added AirPlay, Chromecast, and Internet/Radio and Podcasts.  All sources feed a Bryston DAC3 and I have been very happy for several years.  mConnect has since updated the functionality of its app but I have just stuck with the CA.

  Bluesound products are poorly made, imo.  I always recommend people new to streaming start with Wiim products as players and if they want to stream a library of ripped albums pick a NAS that will work with any player.  I am biased towards Melco as a NAS but recently attached a back up HD from 10 years ago by USB to my Cambridge and it played flawlessly using the Stream Magic app.

  In this case the OP isn’t new to streaming so I’d skip the Wiim but again pick a NAS that is independent of the streamer 

boxcarman's avatar
boxcarman
600 posts
 

I too would upgrade at this point.  There are plenty of good streamers out there for no more money than a Bluesound.  

retiredaudioguy
330 posts
 

If you get an upgrade get one with a removeable SSD, and keep a backup.

 

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