After struggling for 1,5 years with Bluesound devices having massive issues with stable playback, slow starts, drop of devices etc, (Flexes, Pulse, Node, Powernode) and multiple contacts with the Bluesound support without finding any solution (“It’s your wifi that’s the problem”) I decided to just get rid of them all. (Yes, I tried to run them on WIFI, they are WIFI-devices after all…)
Replaced all Bluesound with Raspberry Pi’s with Hifiberry-hats, and where I had active Flex or Pulse-speakers, I have now Devialet Phantoms or Reactors (both got Roon Ready now) and since this change I am so happy.
No more issues whatsoever. Music just works, across 7x zones, without interruptions
My advice for you, if you struggle with Bluesound hardware in multi zone setups is to get rid of it! Best decision this year! (if you run them wired, it works ok, but wifi… no no…)
Bluesound has some serious crappy WIFI-hardware and/or firmware. I went through two complete network overhauls. Going from cheap Asus routers to Mesh-network, to a complete Ubiquiti setup, just to try fix the issues… Bluesound support kept blaming my WIFI…
Interestingly, once I got rid of Bluesound-devices, everything just works flawlessly!
I don’t understand how Bluesound devices can be “Roon Ready” to be honest… If you run them on WIFI they are crap!
WiFi is a complex beast. In some ways, it has improved in the last decade or so, and in other ways it hasn’t. It’s still inexplicably flaky at times.
Despite having a very sophisticated network setup with multiple Unifi APs, I still don’t use WiFi for anything critical. If it’s physically possible to route a cable to a device, that’s what I do.
I have a weird issue at the moment with some Sonos devices - the wireless ones won’t play BBC Radio 2 via Roon without dropouts. The wired devices are fine. Lots of other higher resolution radio stations play fine via wireless. It has to be a wireless related issue as it only happens over WiFi, but my efforts to resolve it so far have proven fruitless. I have a feeling floorboards will be lifted in the near future for more cable installation…
Streaming via WIFI can challenging but sometimes it is necessary. If you are dealing with WIFI, anything in the chain can cause issues. Audio hardware vendors will always blame your WIFI network if there are issues. You have to rule out everything in your system if you are having issues.
I had an Auralic Aries Mini that never worked consistently on WIFI in spot where it is not possible to run an network cable. A Matrix Mini works just fine using WIFI in the same spot.
That doesn’t mean that I don’t have issues. I listen to folkalley.com through Roon on the Matrix device. Occasionally Folkalley will just stop. I hit the play button and it then works just fine. I can’t figure out why that is happening. That is the reality of streaming high resolution audio. If you aren’t willing to deal with issues, you need to stick with CD’s and LP’s.
I agree, WIFI is complex. I just found it interesting that with other devices I have 0 issues.
I have spent LOTS of time, setting up AP’s and meassuring things, using well picked channels based on environment and it’s all working 100% now, without any problems…
Bluesound… PROBLEMS PROBLEMS PROBLEMS… With 3 different WIFI setups.
Wanted to just give a warning… cause I think Bluesound is crap on WIFI.
Can also mention all the Bluesound devices reported worse signal strength than others… It seems a Bluesound device needs to be placed practically <5 meters away from a regular AP to report “full” signal.
One example. I had 2x Flex 2i in my Kitchen. They both reported around -50 dBm and even though that’s good (?), they had lots of issues. Placing a Raspberry Pi there, or my Devialet Reactors, they both report better signal strengths and have no issues whatsoever.
Did you only have these issues with Roon or with the Bluesound app as well.
I have heard others say that it works perfectly fine if they use the Bluesound App
This hadn’t been my experience at all, as an audiophile I don’t use wi-fi for serious music listening. Is use Bluesound as my main stance DAC for listening to selections through ROON, but PS Audio for serious 2 channel sound
Airplay. Cost me ~$45 to implement two zones. Running Roon core on a Windows box and access thru my iPhone 8 (and occasionally my iPad Pro). Great sound that I can’t distinguish from playing a CD. Works for Roon and Amazon HD music…
Sonos is like Bluesound on the lowest step of the WiFi scale. They use the most poor devices and most poor implementation. If they got problem with wireless it is not the wireless in most cases.
I connected Bluesound to cable, but the dropouts remained.
I once wanted to replace Sonos with Bluesound, but it went to the worse. I did not only have problems with Roon and Bluesound, also with the native app. All Bluesound devices are gone now except one. Everytime I turn this one on to see how it goes, it is a mission to get it to work. I do not like Bluesound at all.
Just for the protocol. My network, including wireless is rock stable. I get gigabit speed (measured) on the wireless network.
When I first got into Roon I wanted to buy a Bluesound streamer amplifier (as reviews were great) but all the negative comments I read on the forums really put me off.
The rest of my house was Sonos, but that didn’t bother me, the lack of reliably working networking for so many did.
I ended up getting a Sonos Amp, and while there were some initial challenges getting Roon to work reliably, these were (relatively easily) solved .
I still regularly read or watch glowing reviews so not sure what percentage of devices it impacts or if mainly with Roon.
Just not prepared to spend the time looking at it now.
I’ve had similar issues even using Ethernet with my Node 2i. My NAD (with Bluos) seems stable except needing to reboot to find the Roon Core after an update.
That leaves me with two options.
Get rid of the NAD
Get rid of Roon
Few alternatives for the NAD. (Naim, Lyngdorf, Premiere) and no alternative for Roon. If Spotify goes Red Book dumping Roon and my library might a workable alternative.
Having spent a couple of days poking about in it, I agree. I have a very well-performing WiFi network with 3 x Ubiquiti AP-AC-Pros. Sonos only works on 2GHz WiFi - it latches on to an AP, then insists on creating its own SonosNet mesh network from that connection. It’s a horrible implementation. It works much better if you connect a cable to each device and disable WiFi, but at present, there are 4 devices to which running cables is very difficult.
A suggestion if you want a cheap replacement for Node 2i is to get a Raspberry Pi with a Hifiberry DAC. I honestly doubt you’ll be able to notice any audible difference from the Node, and my experience is that the Raspberry Pi is 100% stable on my WIFI.
Playback also starts way quicker compared to what it did with Node 2i.
My Node 2i works flawless on my home cabled network.
Have not tested the device with wifi, as i do not need that.
The Node 2i is connected to my Hegel H390 with coax (S/PDIF).
100 % these devices are flawless. Up 24x7 - run headless, they are the ultimate extender for additional zones and speakers. They just work. Showed my wife and she controls all from her iPhone. Sonics wise you have to pay a lot more. And for non critical listening the sound is excellent. Works great for a linked kitchen, den, deck synchronized setup. Great value.
Sadly, my problems around Bluos loosing the Roon Core after an update persist. Also, it doesn’t look like Lenbrook is going to solve this anytime soon. So I’ve cancelled my Roon renewal, so just a few months left. Tidal connect and Bluos are the most usable options for now.
WiFi is complex: I bought a set o four smart WiFi switches. 3 work fine but as soon I try to install number 4 they start to fight and are hidden by random number. I gave one switch to my daughter, problem solved. During the fight no problems with other WiFi equipment.
I have always used a few home plugs, far cheaper than replacing whole systems. These have performed without issue with devialet (read the early threads on connectivity issues) and currently two NADs on BluOS.
Currently devolo magic 2 with Wi-fi and Ethernet. Fab.
