ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Greetings all,
Is anyone else using the Bluesound Node as a preamp for their beolab speakers? In my case I have the Bluesound node as my source/preamp paired with beolab 9 running power link to rca cables. I find that the node struggle to drive the beolab 9's and yet i feel their are under powered, is there any other recommendations one could look at?
deleted response
Good Day,
Im not an expert but I think you should look at the Blue Node RCA settings
1. The Beolab 9's are self Amplified (600w each) and will easily take any, any line level input and they are not underpowered - nor is the Node doing any (power) driving.
2. The Beolab 9's will take a line-level input through either Powerlink or RCA inputs. +/-2v only.
3. I would look at the fixed/variable output of the Node and ensure you are sending the line-out via the Analogue RCA (Beolab 9s I think cant accept a digital input - unlike the BL20s of BL5)
10
Greetings,
I have checked, I feel like i had more oomph using my pc with the lab 9's vs node. The spl levels are definitely lower vs the pc.
The lab 5's are definitely something else are you using the lab 5's with the node? That's the one speaker I'm looking forward to upgrading to.
Regards,
KM
Does the digital input make any difference? Have no experience in that regard.
Hi,
Have you connected the Bluesound analogue RCA to the line in on the Beolab 9?
Have you ensured the L/R/Line in each speaker is set to Line?
Have you tried Wall/corner/free settings in the input area of the loudspeaker?
Im guessing you are injecting sound via RCA with the powerlink L/R setting on, and its bleeding into the amp. Ensure you are in line mode.
I have made the above selections accordingly. if do l/r there's no signal coming out using the bluesound. Based on my positioning, i have set my speakers to wall, this position sounds very good for me musical consumption.
Kgomotso Mabokela: I have made the above selections accordingly. if do l/r there's no signal coming out using the bluesound. Based on my positioning, i have set my speakers to wall, this position sounds very good for me musical consumption. Regards, KM
The L/R switches control which active speaker plays which channel. The B&O proprietary DIN cable/plugs carry both left and right signals at line level. If you are inputting at Line/RCA from a non-B&O system, you need special cables. You need to ensure these are good and correct.
The cables I use work perfectly fine. set both speakers to line and when in idle/no signal the speakers go on standby mode and lights turn red. I don't have issues on that front, my biggest query is that the node cannot match the beolab 9's properly. By the times you feel the power from the speakers, the volume is maxed out on the node.
Hope my above statements make sense.
Yes your comments make sense. I believe Powerlink works on +/-2v or +/-1.75V
Your 0-100% on the Bluesound RCA output needs to match this for full attenuation of the Beolabs.
If the voltage specs match:-
1. Problem with the Beolabs
2. Problem with the Cable
3. Problem with the Bluesound.
As a potentially expensive way of fixing this, a Beosound Core or essence will natively take signals from the Bluesound Node and put you in the B&O ecosystem.
A perhaps less expensive way is to test if the BSN is problematic by testing a Toslink/Coax to RCA connection to the Cables?
Other than that, I cant think of anything else that will help?
very well noted. Will explore the options and thanks for the recommendations.
A quick update:
I borrowed a marantz SR 5006 amp and connected my speakers to the pre-out section of the amp and the results were just as I suspected! The preamp section of the Marantz has better handling/control over my speakers, the sound is more fuller and very detailed.
In some instances i could not believe I was listening to the same speaker set.
in conclusion the node does not drive my speakers optimally and by the time i reach max volume on the node, only now the speakers are starting to open up. I tempted to get newer marantz amp with phono, preamp and streaming services inbuilt ie Tidal/Qobuz.