Bluesound , the wireless multiroom audio companionship that contend straight off with Sonos , has three new options for addinghi - Re pullulate audioto exist hi - fi system : theNode Nano($299 ) , Node ( $ 549 ) , and Node Icon ( $ 999 ) . The newnetwork music streamersmark a substantial enlargement of the company ’s product origin , with both more low-cost and more high - carrying into action devices for a variety of vendee .
Given Sonos ’ ongoing woesrelated to its app redesign , Bluesound ’s new waft add up an opportune clock time for Sonos owner ( or those who are contemplating a first Sonos leverage ) , who might be asking themselves if there are other choices .
The Node Nano , which isavailable now , is an extremist - small footprint streamer that focuses exclusively on digital music generator . The Modern Node is an update of Bluesound ’s live streamer , with features and components take over from thelimited - edition Node X , like a THX AAA - powered headphone yield . It ’s available for preorder on August 20 in black or livid and will begin ship starting September 24 . The Node Icon is a no - holds - exclude premium streamer with a 5 - inch coloration exhibit and balanced XLR outputs — the first fourth dimension Bluesound has offered this professional- and audiophile - grad set of connectors .
Another first for Bluesound : The Node and Node Icon can be upgrade with Dirac Live Room Correction with a license buy directly from Dirac . You ’ll also have to bribe Bluesound ’s calibration outfit with a high - sensitiveness mic .
The Node Nano sets a young low price for Bluesound ’s pennon , giving audiophiles a very affordable way to advance its existing hi - fi systems or powered speaker system with wireless , hi - ray audio . Unlike the Node / Node Icon , the Nano does n’t have analog inputs , so you ca n’t use it to convert analogue sources liketurntablesinto digital . However , it has one of ESS ’s late DAC chip ( ES9039Q2 M ) , a USB port that can be used to share local music libraries across Bluesound component , and two - way Bluetooth withaptX Adaptivefor Hawai’i - ray streaming from a phone , or to a solidifying of wireless headphones .
Its front panel includes easy accessible touch controls for favorites , playback , and volume , and around the back you ’ll find an RCA set of analog outturn and two digital output ( optical / coaxial ) . Like all Bluesound machine , it works withApple AirPlay 2 , as well as Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect . It’sRoon Readyand support overbold home command protocol like Crestron , Control4 , RTI , ELAN , URC , and Lutron . MQAdecoding is available by default , and Bluesound say support for DSD256 will get with a future firmware update .
The new Node part the same design as its predecessor , with proximity - sensing top - mounted touch controls , but has been beef up internally with the same ESS ES9039Q2 M DAC as the Nano and revised circuitry . In addition to the usual excerption of analogue / digital inputs and yield , the new Node also nonplus anHDMI ARC / eARCinput for catch digital boob tube audio .
The sylphlike banner also acquire a new quarter - inch headphone seafarer on the front panel that ’s power by a THX AAA - score amplifier , giving the machine a agency to drive even the most demanding wiredheadphones .
The Node Icon kicks performance up several notches with several high - end features that enthusiasts will appreciate . or else of a single DAC performing conversion on both stereo channels , the Icon use two ESS ES9039Q2 M chips in mono mode — one for each line . These twin DACs are further confirm by MQA Labs ’ QRONO d2a , which correct any timing errors in the digital - to - analog conversion cognitive process and realigns the timing response to the original transcription — arguably the biggest selling point of the MQA format ( Lenbrook , Bluesound ’s parent company , acquired MQA Labs in 2023 . )
Its aluminum bod house a 5 - inch color display on the front and a full solidifying of touch controls on the top . There are two earphone output ( one on each side ) , and around the back are linear and digital inputs and output , with the addition of dedicated , balanced XLR analog output . Bluesound say these are connected straightaway to the twinned DACs .
Like the Modern Node , there ’s an HDMI ARC / eARC comment , and the Icon also gets a 2nd USB porthole for greater local mass storage access and sharing . Thanks to an included USB - C larboard , the Icon is the only Bluesound banner that can take USB sound recording straight from a microcomputer or Mac , giving drug user yet another reference of message for their hi - fi system of rules .
