ND5 XS2 vs BlueSound Node 2i?

I have an Auralic (Altair G2.1) and choose it after comparing an Altair G1 with an ND5 XS2, both auditioned with an SN3. Wouldn’t describe Auralic’s as dull, but rather as neutral and detailed. In contrast the ND5 XS2 added a bit more colour to the music, which I can see some people might prefer. I listen to a lot of vocal / soul / classical music which the Auralic excels at.

2 Likes

I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the ND5 XS2 and the BS Node (2021)/Qutest at the same time. I was not interested in listening to ND5/Qutest as this was too much money for me. I already had the Qutest.

I was able to play the same tracks at the same time and switch between them. From my profile you will see that the Node/Qutest won out. And this was not just my finding - I got my daughter (20s) to listen as well and she agreed with me. The Node (new model) also has the advantage of having 5 presets on the top screen which can be programmed to a radio station/playlist/album etc which makes it quick and easy for those without the app.

Let your ears decide.

9 Likes

How do you connect the node to the qutest ?

Coax at the mo.

Optical as recommended by the designer Rob Watts.

Been discussed before

I have an NDX 2, and sotm SMS200 ultra, a node 2i and a zen stream, the NDX2 and the node 2i have internal dac’s and the ndx 2 is better, but using all of them connected to an external dac,s thay I have a few they all sounded different, and they all have their positives and negatives.

The node 2i with an external dac can give you very good results, the differences between streamers are there, and the more expensive the better, but not that much in the proportion the price suggests.

As a standalone unit using the internal dac of the node 2i is not bad, but is not a jaw dropping sound, but as a transport is very good. Depending if you already have a dac and on the software you will use consider the zen stream, it will give a better sound than the node 2i.

I have tried the bnc with coaxial adaptor on the NDX2 as a transport and I did not find it to be as good as other dedicated streamers. But as a stand-alone streamer is very good.

2 Likes

Hi Sonwleo,I also currently use an if I Zen stream. Reading between the lines,are you saying the Zen stream sounds better than the Ndx2 as a transport into an external Dac?
Personally I think it is really good for the price.

There is a setting on the NDX2 about sample rates and you need to use the correct setting

There’s no way an NDX2 will sound worse than the other streamers as I tested and it’s the best sounding streamer into a chord Dac

He never said he was using a Chord Dac either.:man_shrugging:

Could be a compatibility issue with the dac’s I have here, anyway as a stand alone is a very good and stable streamer.

I do not have a chord dac, maybe in the future I consider it, anyway the Dave Is at the moment the one I would like to have but the price is not for me.

Most Chord DAC owners would like a DAVE…

It’s not too bad especially with an Mscaler :wink:

1 Like

I own a SuperUniti which I used to use as a streamer into my RME ADI -2 DAC. I have tried the NDX2 on loan (demo) in my system, which I didn’t think moved things on much and since then I have bought A node 2i which again I use as a streamer into my RME DAC.

As streamers only they all seemed to be very similar re SQ to me so I have stuck with the Node 2i because i like the interface and it gives me access to Qobuz where the SU does not. I chose not to buy the NDX 2.

3 Likes

That’s the thing I’m after! :grinning:

That comes with the DAVE

I bet it does.

Have been swamped Last term, and am embroiled now in intensive research projects and helping my son with his studies.

Three kids plus job as academic is a recipe for total loss of social life.

But one day I’d love to hear it!

2 Likes

Sorry for the late reply, I have been a little away from the forum little time for me lately.

Regarding the zen stream being better than a stand alone NDX2, no is not, but they are very different products.

What I can say is that I have some expensive cables that here from past systems and tried the config below with the zen stream.

The Zen Stream with an iPower Elite, the power cable on the power elite I only experimented with an audioquest Monsoon and a audioquest tornado, the network cable used was an audioquest vodka and the usb was an audioquest Diamond. This was excessive but where the only better than stock cables I had available and not in use.

And that as a transport made me think is an amazing streamer, used only two dac’s one was the pro iDSD from IFi the other was the internal dac of a Denon pma-2500ne.

If you ask me, the NDX2 has better detail and more texture, and can locate things with more precision, but produces a smaller image. The power cable on the ndx is an audioquest Hurricane source and the network cable an audioquest Diamond.

The zen stream for 399 euros is a bargain when paired with a good dac, and the NDX2 is not 15 times better, but is better and is a stand-alone unit with integrated dac, DSD is not that great on the NDX2. I still think the digital bnc of the NDX is not very good on my external dac’s, and that could be a compatibility issue. If for a moment I though the NDX2 was worse in sound there was no reason to keep it.

The. Zen stream is good for the price and is good for roon use. Better than the node 2i as a transport.

The node 2i has a much better out of the box software than the zen, the node 2i is a more complete and mature product has an internal dac as a bonus, not a great dac but works very well. The software of the zen is bad, at least in my view of it, is based on an old Linux kernel running a personalized old version of volumio.

As a roon user I normally never use the provided software for more than updating the units.

I hope I have helped you with this reply…

2 Likes

I only mentioned the digital out, If in my system I liked more the digital out of the NDX, I for sure removed right away one of the other streamers.

As a stand-alone streamer the ndx 2 is very good and has a lot to it, and I did not say that is bad or has a lesser internal dac, is an amazing stand alone unit, and with the two dac’s mentioned using coaxial out does not combine as good as the others.

Thanks for the clarification sonwleo. I use my Zen stream with Roon too,which is almost a must have with this product.
It is hard for me to tell exactly what the Zen is giving me,because I changed my speakers,streamer and Dac all around the same time.:slight_smile: