Ifi Zen Blue Ver 2 VS Bludento BLT-HD : what to choose?

[primemerkava]

Hello

need your opinion about comparison from 2 Bluetooth Receiver

• Ifi Zen Blue Version 2 (or Version 1)

• Bludento BLT-HD

which one more interesting in sound and why?

thank you

[primemerkava]

@jmtennapel

It depends on how you want to use it and for what.

I use it to connect a smartphone (iphone) or iPad with the Tidal platform, Qobuz
to my Naim set stereo system

[primemerkava]

@jmtennapel

And what does your Naim set look like?

I am using NAC-122X/NAP-150X plan with single input from this Bluetooth Receiver

[sonwleo]

Bluetooth is not that good for audio, I do not know the other suggested alternatives, but I lived with IFi gear for some years and their DAC’s are quite good for the price.

The ifi dac’s are musical and have a lot of functionality, I have had a few, the micro idsd, the micro idsd black, the pro iDSD still here on my desk, recently brought a zen streamer and a go blu. And for the price they are good. IFi software is terrible you have to use your own.

Also have a Bluesound node 2i and is a very mature product with good stability and a solid free software. The Bluesound does it all and is a very good choice, has an internal dac, wifi, Bluetooth, airplay, digital out, a very solid software that supports a lot of services like no other, you can’t go wrong. IFi dac’s sound for me is better, but I love my Bluesound functionality and versatility and they upgrade frequently the software and firmware on the units without issues, a pretty solid product in my opinion.

IFi on the other end has terrible software sometimes over promises you functionality that will never see the light, but their hardware is solid.

I do not know the zen blue personally, never heard it, but I think the global presentation will be similar to the other IFi products, because all IFi products share the same musical attributes, as you go up in the range of their products, the quality of sound also increases, but that’s the same with every brand you get what you pay.

[primemerkava]

@sonwleo

Bluetooth is not that good for audio, I do not know the other suggested alternatives, but I lived with IFi gear for some years and their DAC’s are quite good for the price.

The ifi dac’s are musical and have a lot of functionality, I have had a few, the micro idsd, the micro idsd black, the pro iDSD still here on my desk, recently brought a zen streamer and a go blu. And for the price they are good. IFi software is terrible you have to use your own.

Also have a Bluesound node 2i and is a very mature product with good stability and a solid free software. The Bluesound does it all and is a very good choice, has an internal dac, wifi, Bluetooth, airplay, digital out, a very solid software that supports a lot of services like no other, you can’t go wrong. IFi dac’s sound for me is better, but I love my Bluesound functionality and versatility and they upgrade frequently the software and firmware on the units without issues, a pretty solid product in my opinion.

IFi on the other end has terrible software sometimes over promises you functionality that will never see the light, but their hardware is solid.

I do not know the zen blue personally, never heard it, but I think the global presentation will be similar to the other IFi products, because all IFi products share the same musical attributes, as you go up in the range of their products, the quality of sound also increases, but that’s the same with every brand you get what you pay.

thanks for the response

What streaming service do you usually use? Tidal, Qobuz or others?
for the DAC installed on the Ifi Zen Blue both V1 and V2 I don’t know the exact type, but it uses ESS Saber, is it the same as the one used in Audiolab 6000N?
Audiolab 6000N using ESS Saber 9018

I have an interest in Bludento BLT-HD because the DAC uses Burr-Brown 5102A, as far as I know Burr Brown’s character is very sweet and is widely used in Arcam’s CD Player if I’m not mistaken

[sonwleo]

To answer your questions:
Streaming services I use Tidal, Apple Music also have Spotify but do not use that mulch.

Software I used Audirvana in the past now I use roon and from time to time Naim software.

For me the dac inside of the units I think going to the IFi page can give you more accurate information. I never give that much importance to the dac inside because there are many dac’s with the same chip but they sound very different, and there more to a dac or streamer than a simple chip.

More than the gear I have, or have owned I can not advise on devices I never listened, because I realy do not know how they sound or if they are good or bad.

I only have some IFi gear, Bluesound, Denon and Naim as digital sources, also have sotm streamers and the zen stream. And even in all this hardware my opinion is subjective.

Resuming, IFi gear for the price sounds great, Naim expensive but sounds great, Bluesound does everything and sounds ok, sotm has very good and solid hardware.

On the other brands can’t help.

[primemerkava]

@sonwleo

To answer your questions:
Streaming services I use Tidal, Apple Music also have Spotify but do not use that mulch.

Software I used Audirvana in the past now I use roon and from time to time Naim software.

For me the dac inside of the units I think going to the IFi page can give you more accurate information. I never give that much importance to the dac inside because there are many dac’s with the same chip but they sound very different, and there more to a dac or streamer than a simple chip.

More than the gear I have, or have owned I can not advise on devices I never listened, because I realy do not know how they sound or if they are good or bad.

I only have some IFi gear, Bluesound, Denon and Naim as digital sources, also have sotm streamers and the zen stream. And even in all this hardware my opinion is subjective.

Resuming, IFi gear for the price sounds great, Naim expensive but sounds great, Bluesound does everything and sounds ok, sotm has very good and solid hardware.

On the other brands can’t help.

right, I think the connection using bluetooth between our device and the streamer box will be unstable, does Bluesound Node 2i use Wifi for connection from our smartphone/laptop/tablet?

[sonwleo]

Hello,

I have an IFi go blu, also Bluetooth and works pretty well, it does not have the same Bluetooth distance as a pair or airpods a little less, but it plays very well.

The Bluesound I have it connected by ethernet and I only use sometimes the airplay from iPhone, it’s pretty stable, except the mobile devices I have all connected by ethernet.

The Bluesound has Wi-Fi but assuming where the device will be has a good wireless connection coverage it would work ok.

[primemerkava]

@sonwleo

Hello,

I have an IFi go blu, also Bluetooth and works pretty well, it does not have the same Bluetooth distance as a pair or airpods a little less, but it plays very well.

The Bluesound I have it connected by ethernet and I only use sometimes the airplay from iPhone, it’s pretty stable, except the mobile devices I have all connected by ethernet.

The Bluesound has Wi-Fi but assuming where the device will be has a good wireless connection coverage it would work ok.

thank you
How does the device (eg smartphone/iPad, or laptop) communicate with Bluesound Node 2i? is it via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth?

[sonwleo]

I only have iPhone and iPad, and they use airplay, Airplay is Wi-Fi only from the iOS device. The bluesound could be connected by cable and Wi-Fi, if the same network is used it works pretty good. I do not have an Android device to give feedback on the platform.

[primemerkava]

@sonwleo

I only have iPhone and iPad, and they use airplay, Airplay is Wi-Fi only from the iOS device. The bluesound could be connected by cable and Wi-Fi, if the same network is used it works pretty good. I do not have an Android device to give feedback on the platform.

thank you
for connection : Bluesound to Internet I know that can be used Wifi/Ethernet LAN cable but connection from your iPad /iPhone to Bluesound totally using WIfi also?

[Neilb1906]

WiFi.

[sonwleo]

I went to the blusound page to confirm as I do not use Bluetooth.

And it supports Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD wireless built-in.

So the unit has the functionality.