Bluesound Launches, Node Nano, Node, and Node Icon in Advance of CEDIA 2024

(August 25, 2024) Bluesound is gearing up for fall with a new, exciting group of wireless streamers: the Node Nano, Node, and flagship Node Icon. Shipping will be staggered across the three models, with the Node Nano available now and the Node and Node Icon hitting store shelves on September 24th and November 15th, respectively.

“Since 2013, when it was first introduced, the Node has been our most popular and loved product, with more customers choosing it over any other hi-res music streamer. Today is the next chapter in our mission to bring high-fidelity sound to everyday life,” explains Matt Simmonds, Product Manager at Bluesound. “By creating a family of Node streamers, we can reach more music listeners with hi-res streaming, offering a great entry point for customers, and a sophisticated step-up option for those who are serious about their audio.”

Flexibility and versatility are on full display across the entire platform of new streamers. Bluesound says owners can stream everything at the highest quality on any Node, from popular music services like Amazon Music, TIDAL, and Spotify to personal music libraries with thousands of tracks in HD quality. Each model also supports Apple AirPlay 2 and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth functionality built-in, in addition to support for Hi-Res DSD playback.

The Node and Node Icon take things a step further with THX's AAA headphone amplifier technology. Using THX's patented feed-forward error correction technology, noise and distortion are arrested for crystal-clear playback. The Node and Node Icon are equipped with a full-sized 1/4" headphone jack, while the Node Icon features both left and right jacks for cable management.

The Node and Node Icon can also operate Dirac Live Room Correction with an optional license upgrade from Dirac and a microphone kit available through Bluesound. Owners can use Dirac’s app to measure their room acoustics and eliminate standing waves, reverberations, and other unwanted distortions. That kind of fine-tuning is icing on the cake, layered over what Bluesound calls "an uber transparent signal path with a cleverly designed circuitry layout."

Connectivity-wise, all three Node models can wirelessly pair via BluOS to Bluesound branded speakers and stereo components. Supported by the latest dual-band Wi-Fi technology, music and playlists can be streamed to zones around a home, creating a high-level whole-home audio system. The Node and Node Icon also carry an array of digital/analog inputs and outputs for convenience and flexibility, including RCA, Coax, Optical, HDMI eARC, and USB. The Node Nano is slightly paired down, only including RCA, Coax, Optical, and USB digital/analog outputs.

For integrators, Bluesound has built-in support for popular smart home control systems like Control4, Crestron ELAN, and RTI.

Beyond input/output features and physical size, a big differentiator across all three models is internal digital-to-analog (DAC) conversion. The compact Node Nano relies on a very capable ESS Sabre DAC with Hyperstream IV technology for playback of resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz. The Node ups the DAC game with an ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DAC, while the Node Icon uses two ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DACs and MQA Labs’ QRONO d2a technology. QRONO d2a corrects any timing errors in the digital-to-analog conversion process and realigns the timing response to the original recording.

Adding another layer of elegance, the Node Icon is wrapped in a sleek aluminum chassis with a 5” full-color display and balanced XLR outputs.

The Node Nano is priced at $299, and the Nano and Nano Icon are priced at $549 and $999. You can purchase or pre-order using the links below.

• The Node Nano, available now, can be purchased here.
• The Node, available for pre-order now, can be purchased here. Shipping will begin on September 24, 2024.
• The Node Icon, available for pre-order starting October 17, can be purchased here. Shipping will begin on November 15, 2024.

Related Reading:

• HTNR Podcast 7.8.24: Walkman's 45th Anniversary, Sony Layoffs, News from Dirac, Storm, and Trinnov, NAD's New Streamer, and More!
• Naim Unveils Its Uniti Nova PE Streamer at ISE 2024 – An Elite Streamer with Muscle!
• VIDEO REVIEW: Bluesound Tenth Anniversary Node X Review
• VIDEO REVIEW: Bluesound Node 2i Review
• Affordable WiiM Streamers Can Inject Your Audio System w/ Wireless Hi-Res Functionality! CEDIA 2023

 

[Todd Anderson]

 

[JStewart]

 

[JStewart]

Looking at the Node, it’s pretty cool to see a combined DAC, streamer, and a quality headphone amp in a good looking single box for that kind of coin. With HDMI eARC, subwoofer output, and Dirac capable too?

 

[Todd Anderson]

They've crammed a ton into one box. Great pairing for active speakers or an amp.

How's the price point look to you?

 

[JStewart]

They've crammed a ton into one box. Great pairing for active speakers or an amp.

How's the price point look to you?

I’ll guess Wiim is biggest competitor atm? This device is more, but the build quality looks much better and if you have need for a good headphone amp or Dirac then the Node wins handily. BlueOS was always rock solid for me before I switched to Roon.

 

[Todd Anderson]

In that price range of the Nano, I'd say so... tho, as you point out, this product is a bit of a different beast.

The AAA amp on the top two models is a great add-on. I'll get some good footage of the Icon next week when I visit Lenbrook at CEDIA. You're right, tho... the build quality is looking much more NAD-ish than Wiim-ish.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

The Icon has the same ESS DACs that are in my Matrix mini-i Pro 4 headphone amp, which is astoundingly good. It will be interesting to see the final specs, but assuming they implement the DACs correctly, it should be every bit as good as the Matrix... maybe better. Hmmmm.

If it only had Dirac Virtuo for headphones. I wanted the Monolith headphone amp that has Dirac Virtuo and the THX AAA amps, but it's not a streamer with Roon, and I prefer an all-in-one box.