Continous red light on Node2

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35 comments

  • Official comment
    Tony W.
    Product Support Manager

    Hi Nick

    Your issue has been escalated to our Support Crew as we will need some additional information. We will be in touch via e-mail.

     

  • Chris N.

    Hi Nick, it might be best to contact Bluesound support directly.

    You might be interested in this previous thread. Some Node2's with this issue can be recovered, but mine had a hardware failure. Eventually, being a customer, my top-notch dealer took care of this issue by completely replacing the unit for a new Node2i for a small "upgrade fee". (So, service does still exist). You might contact your dealer as well, in case Bluesound cannot assist.

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  • JanF

    I'm afraid this might be a common issue with the Node2. I've read this too many times. Mine failed after just 4 years (minus a few days).

    It seems the PSU of the Node2 is build with some very low quality capacitors. In my player two where clearly bulging and one of them was even cracked open. You can easily check that for yourself. The back panel of the Node2 is magnetic and behind it you'll find 4 screws. It is very easy to open the unit if you just remove the top 2 screws.
    The PSU board has some SMD's close to the capacitor pins so I didn't dare to replace them myself. Instead I had my player repaired by an "authorized repair centre" which cost me a whopping 135 Euros. In total 5 capacitors where replaced.

    All capacitors fail at some point. That said, I own a lot of (decades) old audio equipment that still work without any issues. Failing capacitors used to be a thing for some years, mostly in computers, and you might have heard the term "capacitor plague". Some computer PSU's are marketed/hyped nowadays as containing only "Japanese" capacitors", instead of "Chinese" that is.

    I love my Node2 and I dearly missed it while it was away for repair. Still, it's not very likely that I'll buy anything from BlueSound again. I've learned my expensive lesson.

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  • Nick Waterman

    Thank you for the replies. @Tony W: I haven't received anything yet. Could you check what additional information is needed? I want a solution to this problem asap. Kind regards, Nick

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  • Carel Brugman

    Thank you @JanF for your reply here. I have the same problem (after 3 years), the play/pause led stays red and the player doesn't react at all to rebooting, factory resets etc.

    I just opened the back of the player and saw a few leaking capacitors in the power supply part. Closed the unit again. This is definitly not ok for a € 600,- player. I'm a laywer in the Netherlands and know this is not acceptable under Dutch law. I think consumers law is more or less equal in most European countries. This is way too soon for such a hardware issue.

    I contacted Bluesound support already, I will post updates here. 

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  • Tony W.
    Product Support Manager

    Hi Carel

    Thank you for your feedback - we do apologise for the undue delay in getting back to you as our call volumes are at very high levels due to the number of consumers enjoying music during social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Your issue has been escalated to me. Thanks for your patience and understanding as I will respond via the support request you opened Sunday.

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  • Carel Brugman

    Update: yesterday I went to my dealer HiFi Klubben in Amsterdam. Thanks to the extended guarantee they offered me (free) three years ago, the Node2 will be repaired. My diagnose was right, leaking capacitors in the power supply unit. Whole unit will be replaced. It’s a well known problem. Hopefully the components in the new PSU will be of better quality.
    Thanks HiFi Klubben for the excellent and fast service!

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  • Sandy Mango

    I have the same problem with my node 2. I bought the node 2 from Coolblue in the Netherlands oct 2016 (almpst 4 years ago). I didn't considered to extent my warranty at that moment with an assumption that the node 2 is a descent product. In my opinion, since the problem is known, Bluesound should repair any leaking capacitors without charge. I kind of regret buying the Node 2. Currently HiFi Klubben @ Den Haag take care of my Node 2. Most definitely I have to pay for the service since I bought the device somewhere else.

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  • Arie van der Jagt

    I am having the same problem with a solid red light. But inside the unit I do not see any leakage of the capacitors. The hardware looks OK. Any other ways to reset the device?

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  • Sandy Mango

    Arie van der Jagt

    It cost me 140 euro to repair my Node 2. Indeed the capacitor need to be replaced. I've tried different methods to reset the Node 2 without any luck.If it is a hardware issue (like mine) then you can't reset the device.

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  • Arie van der Jagt

    Thanks Sandy Mango for your feed back. My Node 2 is 4 years old. This is not something you would expect from a high end device. I am still waiting on the reply of the BS support desk.

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  • frank nagel

    My Node 2 is a little over 2 years old. Same problem here today. Continuous red light and unable to reboot with a proper USB stick. I fear it is a hardware issue. Will visit my retailer HiFi Klubben and see what kind of solution they propose.

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  • Carel Brugman

    Bluesound put a bad PSU in the Node 2. It’s a (made in China) capacitor problem. Very friendly replies here, but no real solutions. Hope your Node 2 has still the extended guarantee of HiFi Klubben. I’m afraid the manufacturer won’t help you. According to consumers law in EU they should, but they don’t act and leave it to the dealer.

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  • frank nagel

    I went to my retailer HifiKlubben in Amersfoort today. They were surprised to note the defect, which they acknowledged after their own test. Great professional response by trading it for a new Node-2i. They will claim at the manufacturer. I have rarely enjoyed such great service. Perhaps the positive response was due to the diagnostics written in this thread. Thanks.

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  • Arie van der Jagt

    Today I went to my retailer 010HIFI in Rotterdam. They took it in for repair which will take 2 weeks. So wait and see.

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  • Burak Gokmen

    I have the same issue with my Node2 after an upgrade attempt. I can’t reset or upgrade from USB. The solid red never changes.

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  • Burak Gokmen

    I have many NAD and Bluesound devices and never had such a weird experience where you devices are bricked bu a firmware push by the manufacturer for a supposedly high end brand!

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  • Burak Gokmen

    Any ideas how I can get this resolved since support is usually very slow

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  • Dries Meeusen

    I contacted support and they directed me -after advising some steps to try to recover myself- towards my local Bluesound dealer. The PSU of my device had issues. Since my warranty period had past, I would have to pay myself. Later, I received the news that it would be replaced free of charge by Bluesound. All you can do is try.

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  • Tony W.
    Product Support Manager

    Hi Burak

    Thanks for your patience as we work through the Support Backlog caused by a high than expected volume levels during the Pandemic. We will be in touch very soon.

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  • Dale Brochu

    Similar to a lot of Node2 comments and problems my Node 2 also failed suddenly and displayed the dreaded red light of death. I thought some people would be interested in hearing how I got my Node2 working again. After Bluesound’s lack of support and/or inability to understand their product I did some Google and YouTube research and two general theories seemed to predominate: an update fails to complete, or the Node2 power supply fails such that there is only enough power to energize the red light.

     

    Relying on the age old “first” technical question – “is it plugged in”, I decided to focus on the Node2’s power supply. A YouTube video discussed failed capacitors and upon inspection of my Node2 power supply there were indeed two capacitors displaying signs of failure – their tops were deformed outwards. I removed the power supply and took it to a local electronics technician. He replaced ALL the capacitors on the power supply and after re-installation and connecting the power cord the Node2 was back working in under a minute! The unit has been working for two weeks now. Also, and this is very (I say again – VERY) subjective – the Node2 seems to running cooler than in the past. I assume this is because of better quality capacitors now in the power supply and that this will mean a longer life span.

     

    I hope this is at least informative for other Node2 (and related products?) out there. To Bluesound, your response to this product failure is, at best disappointing. You advertise a quality product but the reality is a second rate product with no functional product (or Brand) support.

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  • Christian Brunner

    I had the the same problem - a continous red light on the Node 2. Disconnecting and connecting the power does not work. I have contacted bluesound but the support - you waited forever for answers and the answers were also not helpful.

    I did some Google research and found a video which describes the problem with the capacitors. I checked with the support of the video the capacitors and noticed their tops were a little bit deformed outwards. I went to a repair shop and asked to change the capacitors. I paid 50 Euros and now its working fine again.

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  • dajon

    Could you tell me where i can buy the capacitors and if there is a tutorial to change them ? Thanks

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  • Mdp246

    Same issue here. And Bluesound wants $275 to fix it. Extremely disappointing

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  • Adam

    So happy I found this thread…

    Three years ago I had the same issue with my Pulse Mini and was given all sorts of “it’s your network dummy” sorts of excuses. I knew in my Xbox-ring-of-death heart that it was a hardware failure.

    I escalated as much as I could @TonyW and ended up with an offer to purchase a refurbished unit at the same price being sold on the Bluesound website.

    As a fellow Canadian who has personally sold (word of mouth) at least a dozen BluOS units for Bluesound it was a shameful and watershed moment for me. I vowed that if it happened again I would sell ALL of my 10 BluOS devices, jump ship to Other RoonReady devices and take to the web….

    Today it happened to my Node.

    But I’m still Canadian and with capacity to forgive. @Tony please reach out with instructions on how to replace my Node and Pulse Mini (which I saved rather than polluting landfill)

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  • Tony W.
    Product Support Manager

    please e-mail us at support@bluesound.com with details

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  • G Zup

    I bought ten node2 players and a vault in 2017 as a multi-room audio system. Six of the ten node 2 players are now dead with a continuous red light. I opened one to inspect the power supply and mine too, looks like it has dead capacitors in the unit I opened.

    Very disappointed. It would be nice if Blusound acknowledged the issue and offered a reasonable fix.

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  • Tony W.
    Product Support Manager

    please e-mail us at support@bluesound.com with details including serial numbers and where they were purchased and we will be happy to make a recommendation.

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  • Poul Arne Juul Rasmussen

    Hi Bluesound. Mine too went constant red about 2 month ago. It worked perfectly, and the next day, it didn't. It is not update or network related. I think, based on the many issues seen on the internet, that you have a design problem like Samsung, that is related to the capacitors. pls. find a solution...

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  • Adam

    Hi All,

    Just checking back in to report that I brought my Node2 back to my dealer (who happens to be a licensed repair guy for many brands) and he was willing to take a look.  

    Sure enough, it was dead capacitors that he managed to replace and now it working like new again.  

    He wasn't able to get into the Pulse Mini given it's not really designed to be easily serviced, so he gave up on that.  

    But... nice to have a working Node2 again.  

    Seems like this is a pretty common story, so figured I'd post the outcome for others to benefit (and or so that Bluesound can collect enough data to justify recall/replace to others who may be affected).

      

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