As we’re getting closer to permanently moving into our house, my thoughts have turned to audio setup and we’re going to have one public room that will definitely not have a TV in it, just audio. I’ve seen that this gets some good reviews and wondered if anyone had any real-life experience of it.
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No experience of that one personally, but I usually turn to reviews in What Hifi? if I am contemplating buying a “gadget”.
Oooh, straight 5s in their review
Personally I would never read What Hifi. I go to my favouriteYoutube hifi reviewer channels.
Here’s one
and another
I have been looking for a decent dac for a long time. I will almost certainly buy a product from Netherlands based EC designs - the Powerdac RV. I need to wait until we move to France else pay tax on it. Not the same product as you are interested in John. It needs a separate amplifier unless you use headphones only.
I use the Qobus streaming service and I have some decent amplificatioon and loudspeakers and headphones.
Anything I buy needs a high degree of WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) so the fact that the Bluesound is a single box that can be controlled via Alexa is a huge plus.
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I know what you mean. My wife fortunately is very tolerant of my hobbies but it is difficult to accommodate the gear. The phono amplifier alone is in two boxes some 40cm wide and probably 30cm deep in total. That’s just to amplify the signal from my record deck cartridge. A diy job.
My wife fortunately is very tolerant of my hobbies but it is difficult to accommodate the gear. The phono amplifier alone is in two boxes some 40cm wide and probably 30cm deep in total. That’s just to amplify the signal from my record deck cartridge. A diy job.
This is mildly amusing. As a guitar player, I’ve tended to keep backline in the living room because it’s often too heavy to lug upstairs. My wife had indeed been tolerant with 3 or 4 guitar amps, plus a 1x15 bass cab and 300 watt head sat around. 
. Not to mention half a dozen guitars.
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We have the Node 2i (not the version including the amplifier) and are very happy with it. The software BluOS) took a little getting used to, but I’m fine with it now (there was a significant update a few months after we got it).
It’s an unobtrusive little box (we have the white version) and it has been faultless.
Of course, what you get out of it depends on the streaming service(s) you use. We have Tidal (not the top tier) and Apple. I really like the My Music functionality, which generally matches my tastes.
Connectivity is good: I found the builder and his boy listening to music from their phones on it 
and, if I had the energy, I believe I could listen to all my ripped CDs too.
And, to my ears, the sound is good. It doesn’t sound any more “digital” than the CD player (MF X-Ray, so quite an old one). I rarely put a CD on any more. We listen to rock, pop, classical and jazz in the main.
Let me know if you want to know anything else (not that I’m saying I’ll know!)
Edit: I was interested to see that the 2023 model, the Powernote Edge, was not as well thought-of: Bluesound Powernode Edge review: a capable space-saving solution with extensive streaming smarts | What Hi-Fi? (there are some differences, however, including power reduced to 40WPC).
No valves?
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I’ve got a couple of valve hifi power amplifiers and a valve preamplifier.
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I’ve no doubt. I was teasing 
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I like Tidal and do have the master quality option, which I like though I’m not entirely convinced that I can hear the difference.
Nor can I. Or maybe I haven’t put enough effort in.
I’m the same with wine 
And they’re stopping MQA too (but replacing it with something similar).
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John I have the Bluesound node 130 and as a one box solution its great. I chose the 130 as it connects to e-arc for the TV which I know you dont want. Its a two box solution as I swapped out the on board power supply for an external power supply which improved the Bluesound even more. Just a note that it does not have on board support for Amazon and others so relies on the apps. I bluetooth those very well.
If I were looking to buy a one box right now it would be the Wiim pro ultra, more connectivity at a great price
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Thanks, I’ll have a look at that
We all probably could have when we were in our twenties.
Once over fifty, especially if your life has been full of load noises and questionable hearing protection, I strongly suspect we couldn’t tell the difference between a €500 system and a €50,000 one.
As a youngster I used to stuff tissue paper in my ears at rock concerts. My friends found it amusing. I wonder how good their hearing is now.
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I left a Saxon concert as our seats were by a left bank of speakers and it was pure pain at that db level. Went to Radio Caroline roadshows and ears would ring for 3 days afterwards. Anazingly my hearing isnt bad for my age.
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I purchased the Node 2i about 5 years ago, to link with my Arcam and Spendor system to allow streaming and playing my archived music on a NAS. It has been faultless and would highly recommend Bluesound. Recent upgrades have improved what was a little clunky operating system, but otherwise it’s been great. I didn’t need the Powernode, but would have gone for that, had I not had the Arcam Amp etc.
Having started my working life, working with Valves, it amazes me people think they are better, but I suppose like VW Campervan owners, it takes all types to make a universe. 
I think the valve amp thing comes from them having a different mix of harmonic distortion, which some people prefer as they reckon it sounds “warmer”.
Also I’ve read that valves go into distortion more gradually and less harshly - which is why they are often preferred by electric guitarists for their amplifiers.
I don’t have the right kind of ears to really notice the difference. 
Glowing valves do look pretty though.
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