Good question, I will look today!
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Dolby Digital surround comes to the Bluesound Powernode 2i ⌠somehow 
âsomehowâ because you need to add the Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i´s as rear speakers for 349,- Euro
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Haha. Yeah, thatâs interesting. Maybe theyâll release a streamer solution to connect to the satellite speakers similar to what Bose offers.
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I have had this device for about a month now. I had been contemplating a Pi based solution for quite some time, mostly the Allo digi one signature (?) which is a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the Node. I came across so many reports of problems with the various playback software options that I never took the leap as I am just too old to fart around with problematic software. My age also means that I am only marginally computer literate, and in my career there were people who took care of the i.t. issues, so I never had to learn much about it, and the potential necessity for troubleshooting put me off. I wanted something that was plug and play, and just worked.
More than anything, I was looking for a way to get away from using usb via a computer for music playback. It seemed like the pi based solutions, although eliminating the usb part of the equation, were all really just another computer with its own set of potential problems and traps for the unwary. When some bozo named Trump decided he was going to take $ out of my sonâs pocket and give it to me, I started to look at streaming options again. Since I jumped with both feet into Amazonâs HD Music when it appeared on the scene (signed up for a year), support for that service became a necessity. As near as I can tell, the various Lenbrook companies are about the only ones that support Amazonâs app, and of course the NAD, Marantz, and Denon options are all considerably more expensive, so given that most of the reviews and descriptions were pretty positive, especially of the app, the decision pretty much made itself. After all, I could always return it.
Amazon would have taken about 3 weeks to get it to me, so I ordered a white one (to match the speakers I bought with the other half of the $1200 gummint money, natch) from Crutchfield. I found the Node 2i to be pretty much the plug and play solution I was looking for. The app, while not JRMC or anything, is good enough and allows me to create playlists including tracks from both my library and Amazon, which is nice. It also gets around the issues with the lack of an exclusive mode (although I understand that has been fixed or is about to be) in the Amazon desktop app, although that was not as big a deal to me as it apparently was to all the people I saw in the forums saying it was a dealbreaker. According to the Bluesound support crew, (who have so far been responsive and helpful) the node sends Amazonâs files and my own files to my dac or its own at the native bit depth and sample rate (up to 192k, which is the max my dac can playback anyway without downconversion).
The sound is significantly better using my own dac via coax than from a pc via usb, which was my main goal, so I am happy. I have tried the onboard dac (PCM 5122 x2) and it is serviceable, and in a pinch I could use it and be happy enough, but it is noticeably less pleasing to my ears than my Gungnir Multibit, so it hasnât seen much use. I am using the Node for my TV via the Toslink input, which previously was direct to my dac, requiring me to get my lazy ass up to switch inputs. It is very nice to have all of the sound going through my system controlled by one device with a remote on every device I own, at least one of which is next to me at all times, as one does.
I have 3 different pcs set up as âsharesâ (functionally a NAS) which stream my music files via wi fi to the Node, which is connected to my router via ethernet. I have tried a wi fi connection to my network, and both means of connection have been flawless and sonically indistinguishable. No more switching USB cables from one computer to another and changing settings in the pc everytime I used a different source. I went the streamer route for the potential improvement in sq, which was real, but the increase in convenience was an unexpected bonus. As with all software, there has been a bit of a learning curve with the controller app, but the important functions were immediately intuitive and available, and the rest were pretty easy to figure out. There is a usb A port on the rear for playback from a thumb drive or outboard hard drive, which has also worked flawlessly, although I think network streaming sounds better, so I probably wonât be using it much.
Are there better sounding streamers out there? Probably, but I am pretty sure they are more expensive, less convenient, or both. And between my 60 year old ears (55 of which were spent damaging my hearing on motorcycles at speed before anyone gave a crap about hearing protection) and decidedly mid-fi gear, I am pretty sure I couldnât hear the difference anyway. So, needless to say, I am very happy with my purchase of the Node 2i. Its been revelatory, actually. Thanks Hijo, sorry about your future tax rates.
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thank you for your thoughts on this intereting source
and I send biker greetings 
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Nice review. Iâve had similar results and have come to the same conclusion. Itâs a great little streamer.
Cheers!
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Looks like the control panel on top is changed. Looking forward to seeing this!
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The new node is up on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bluesound-Wireless-Multi-Room-Hi-Res-Streamer/dp/B0937LC7P2/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=bluesound&qid=1620480783&refinements=p_n_date%3A1249034011&rnid=1249031011&s=electronics&sr=1-2
Bluesound continues to lead the HiFi streaming revolution, and the latest generation NODE represents technology upgrades and audio improvements that set the bar higher than ever before. What the previous generation Players did, the new NODE does better. On top of our next-gen processor platform, we have layered several improvements sure to delight the modern audiophile: a new and improved DAC design, an HDMI eARC input, an updated and intuitive touch control panel with proximity sensing, support for USB audio output to an external DAC, and a premium matte satin paint finish, ensuring the NODE fits seamlessly into any listening setup.
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