Bluesound NODE (Gen 3) Wireless Music Streamer

Next Generation NODE Streaming and Multi-room Audio

The BLUESOUND NODE unlocks the world of hi-res music streaming and multi-room audio to create a modern addition to existing hi-fi systems or your favorite set of powered speakers. Discover all the music ever recorded with access to hundreds of internet radio stations, dozens of streaming music services, or even your own digital music library, with a few taps of the BluOS Controller app for iOS, Android, Mac or PC computers.

Inside, the NODE features a new audiophile-grade DAC design with notably improved performance that not only supports 24-bit/192kHz audio processing, but also MQA for studio-quality listening. Powerful, user-friendly software features like tone controls and subwoofer crossover optimization allow you to customize your listening preferences in detail. It is also equipped with an array of digital and analog inputs and outputs for maximum versatility.

Bring music into your NODE using Wi-Fi or ethernet, Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth, or USB Type A connectors, to hear audio content from streaming services, internet radio and your own music library. The NODE now features an HDMI eARC input on the back panel, to keep your setup flexible and future-friendly.

Designed to be as comfortable in a two-channel TV system or gaming console as it is in an audiophile’s dedicated listening room, the NODE provides a hi-res experience no matter where it’s used. Listen to your music through your hi-fi system or through wired or wireless headphones, by connecting to the RCA, Toslink optical, aptX HD Bluetooth, 3.5mm jack, Apple devices, or other Bluesound or BluOS enabled players.

Bit-perfect music listening can happen away from your hi-fi system with the NODE as your multi-room hub. The award-winning BluOS platform is the only platform in the world that can support up to 64 players, all streaming in 24-bit hi-res audio. With a growing stable of brands and devices being added to the BluOS platform, the NODE opens up a world of hi-res listening options throughout your home that no other player can.

In addition to using the BluOS Controller app with your smart devices, quick access controls like play/pause, track skipping, and volume are available as touch panel controls, via voice assistants like Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa, or Google Voice, by programming your own IR remote or using the optional Bluesound RC1.

The intuitive touch panel control with proximity sensor now also features 5 presets. Advanced controls, including tone controls are available in the BluOS Controller app. The NODE can also be integrated into a smart home with full-feature drivers for Lutron, Elan, RTI, Crestron, and other popular home control systems.

New ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core Chipset

Bluesound’s forward-thinking approach continues to push the performance envelope. The new NODE and POWERNODE feature a powerful ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core chipset that processes audio eight times faster than previous generations of Bluesound architecture. Not only does this processor boast all the power and speed required for the latest and greatest hi-fi performance, but these products are also ready for whatever technologies the future may hold.

BluOS Adds Pandora and Presto Music Services

Bluesound is excited to announce the integration of the popular Pandora and Presto Music services into the BluOS platform.

Pandora offers exceptional music discovery features and curated radio stations. Its integration offers BluOS music lovers access to another seamless and intuitive way to enjoy their favorite tracks and discover new music based on listeners' tastes.

Presto Music specializes in classical and jazz recordings with high-quality content. In select markets, users can now savor Presto Music's vast collection of classical and jazz recordings. With a library boasting 200,000 albums in CD-quality and 34,000 albums in stunning 24-bit/192kHz, subscribers will revel in a focused, extensive, and continuously expanding catalog. The service is tailored with a powerful search engine designed explicitly for classical and jazz music, offering rich composers, artists, and genre profiles, recommendations, and featured releases.

To access these new services, simply update to the latest firmware and download the BluOS Controller App (version 4.2.0) from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or bluos.io/downloads.

Product Features

Overview

Quad-core 1.8GHz ARM® Cortex™ A53 processor
32-bit/384kHz premium DAC design
HDMI eARC, optical & analog inputs
Stereo analog, optical, coaxial & USB audio outputs
AirPlay 2 for integration into Apple ecosystem
BluOS™ wireless multi-room music capability
MQA music and hi-res audio streaming
Voice control with Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Dual-band Wi-Fi + Gigabit ethernet
Two-way aptX™ HD Bluetooth
IR remote learning capability, IR input, 12V trigger output
Wired & wireless headphone output
Wired & wireless subwoofer output
Touch controls with presets
Black or white finish

Operation

Operating System: BluOS
Supported Controller Operating System: iOS, Android, Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10, macOS 10.10-10.15, 11
Supported Audio File Formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, WMA-L, OGG, ALAC, OPUS
Supported Hi-Res Audio File Formats: FLAC, MQA, WAV, AIFF, MPEG-4 SLS
Supported Network File Sharing: Server Messsage Block (SMB)
Native Sampling Rates: up to 192 kHz
Bit Depths: 16-24
Music Service Integrations: 23+
3rd-Party Integrations: AirPlay 2
Apple Wireless Accessory Configuration (WAC)
Control System Integrations: Crestron, Control 4, RTI, ELAN, URC, Push, Lutron, iPort
Voice Control Integrations: Amazon Alexa Skills; Actions on Google

More Features

Status Indicator: LED x 2
Play/Pause Button: Touch LED
Volume Control Buttons: Touch Slider LED
Previous/Next Track Buttons: Touch LED
Preset Buttons: Touch LED
Proximity Sensor: Yes
Audio Controls & EQ: In-App
Processor: ARM® Cortex™ -A53, Quad-Core, 1.8GHz per core
DAC: 32-Bit, 384kHz
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: -113dBA
Distortion: THD+N, 0.002%

Connections

Power: Universal bi-pin AC cord input (100-240AC)
Ethernet/LAN: Ethernet RJ45, GigE 1000 Mbps
Wi-Fi Built In: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), dual-band
Bluetooth Quality: Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD
Bluetooth Connectivity: Two-Way (transmit & receive)
IR Optical Built In: IR Sensor Built In - front panel with IR Remote Learning
IR Input: 3.5mm Jack
Optical/Analog Input: Combo Mini TOSLINK; 3.5mm Analog Line In
HDMI Input: HDMI eARC
USB IN: Type A (Fat32 Formatted)
Audio Output: Analog RCA Stereo with FIXED option
Coaxial Output: RCA
Optical Output: TOSLINK digital optical
Trigger Out: 12 Volt
Headphone Output: 3.5mm Stereo; Bluetooth
Subwoofer Output: RCA x 1; Wireless to PULSE SUB+

Product Specs

Dimensions (WxHxD): 8.7" x 1.8" x 5.7"
Weight: 2.45 lbs.

Product Warranty

1 Year

Parts & Labor

Bluesound Warranty Information

Product Manual

	Bluesound NODE Owner's Manual (PDF Format)

"Much like past Node devices, the new Bluesound Node 2021 model brings with it the Bluesound feel and style that makes it immediately striking in any setup."

"Bluesound players are devices you buy when you demand quality along with the joys of multiroom audio. There are plenty of options currently on the market, but few boast the same level of features, compatibility or pure audio quality. That is why I can’t recommend Bluesound enough, it brings that all to the table all the while making the experience painless and a joy to indulge in. The Bluesound Node feels like the perfect evolution of an already fantastic product, and a must-have for anyone already invested, or looking to invest in the Bluesound ecosystem."

"The Bluesound Node is the perfect evolution of their product range, bringing new features and performance to an already amazing device."

- Brendan Frye, cgmagonline.com, April 1, 2022

"If you’re the type of listener who places music on a pedestal, on the other hand; someone who obsesses over speaker placement, the quality of your interconnects, and the fatigue that can result listening to aliased digital audio reproduction, don’t deny yourself the subtle yet appreciable enhancements the Bluesound Node can deliver."

"Just listen. Carefully. On the Node, voices seem to share more emotion, guitarists more mettle (and metal), piano chords resonate deeper and sustain longer. Plucked bass strings sound warmer, fuller, enriched with harmonic overtones. You’ll also newly appreciate the fine-tuning percussionists have done with their tom-toms and high-hats; the sweetly pitched chime and more articulate shimmer that can be extracted from a well-made, well-played cymbal."

"Digital audiophiles won’t need deep pockets to revel in this excellent component."

- Jonathan Takiff, TechHive, October 27, 2021

"Wi-Fi your Hi-Fi with this compact, affordable and effective wireless streamer. The BluOS app and extensive connectivity make setup simple and flexible, while an audiophile DAC and quad-core processor delivers top-notch audio."

"The Bluesound Node is well made and easy to set up, with extensive connectivity and an effective remote app. The performance is excellent, the high-resolution audio support extensive, and the multi-room capabilities impressive."

- Steve Withers, Trusted Reviews, October 26, 2021

What Hi-Fi? Awards 2021 Winner

"...the latest, third-gen Node is pushing budget music streamers in the right direction."

"At this money, it represents one of the most entertaining and comprehensive ways of adding music streaming to your hi-fi system – and that's why it's a What Hi-Fi? Award winner."

- What Hi-Fi?, October 4, 2021

SoundStage! Network Products of the Year 2021 Winner

"As the foregoing makes clear, the new Bluesound Node delivers amazing sound quality for its modest asking price."

"But that’s not what impressed me most about the Node. In previous reviews, I’ve expressed my admiration for the rich, robust BluOS platform, and my experience with the Node solidifies this opinion further. Throughout my testing, I experienced no surprises or hiccups—everything just worked."

"BluOS is a rich platform, with many functions, but it’s also well designed. Users who are new to streaming can expect to face a learning curve. What they won’t experience is tear-your-hair-out frustration."

"In short, the Node is an affordable, painless way to add streaming and other 21st-century capabilities to a legacy audio system. Highly recommended."

- Gordon Brockhouse, SoundStage! Simplifi, October 1, 2021

"If you need an affordable streamer right now though, this is the place you start looking. The new Node is compact and attractive and it has a specification that covers off most bases you might reasonably expect and ties it to an interface that is still exceptionally good. The Node is still one of the very best streaming options under £1,000 and is an indisputable Best Buy."

- Ed Selley, AV Forum, August 27, 2021

EISA Award - Best Digital Music Player 2021-2022

"Bluesound’s multiroom wireless system was revolutionary when it first appeared, its BluOS platform having been designed to play music all the way up to hi-res, with a process of refinement and development ever since. This latest version of its NODE music player is a simple way to bring multiroom to your system, with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth and USB-A to access audio content from streaming services, Internet radio and your own music library. And the new NODE now also has HDMI ARC, for audio from TVs and gaming systems – all controlled using the intuitive BluOS Controller app or via the popular voice assistants."

- Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), 2021

"Bluesound has done a fabulous job upgrading the NODE and POWERNODE by giving them a massive boost to the DAC that creates an utterly sublime sound."

"The addition of the HDMI eARC input is welcome and puts the NODE at the heart of a great AV system. There’s hardly anything the NODE and POWERNODE can’t handle. The number of streaming services on offer is so impressive and the support for Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth aptX HD makes streaming music from a smartphone so convenient. Bluesound has updated the NODE so well that if you have one of the previous NODE models, this is one upgrade I can wholeheartedly recommend; the sound is awesome. If you’re looking at adding streaming to an older audio system, Bluesound’s NODE is the way to go."

- Mark Sparrow, Forbes, August 19, 2021

"The new NODE shows that Bluesound is particularly serious about the product line. It plays a little better again but also offers a hdmi-eARC input, which is very nice for users who want to use the NODE as a central hub. Add to that a fine app and you'll understand that we highly recommend this one! Alpha Approved!"

- Jaap Veenstra, alpha-audio.net, June 9, 2021