Bluesound NODE ICON Reference Music Streamer Review & Comparison
Read Time: Approx. 15 min.
Bluesound NODE ICON: The Future of Hi-Res Music Streaming
Iconic. Icon. These are just a few words to describe Bluesounds' latest flagship music player. The Bluesound NODE ICON is a part of the iconic NODE series of music streamers, delivering an impressive hi-fi listening experience. With technology upgrades, a complete redesign, and premium sound quality, the NODE ICON Reference Music Streamer is the perfect high-end component for audiophiles and music lovers.
PROS
- DISPLAY SCREEN!!
- Two headphone jacks
CONS
- No balanced 4.4mm jack
- Front panel display isn't touchscreen
Design
The NODE ICON has been completely redesigned from previous generation models, adopting a more modern, sleek look. Immediately, you'll notice the large 5" full-color display (not touchscreen though) that sits front and center on the NODE ICON. Up to this point, we haven't seen any display screens on the NODE products, so it's a welcome change. At approximately 8.7" x 3.3" x 7.6", it's taller and wider than the NODE X and NODE 2.i. With the NODE ICON you get a large 5" full-color display (not touchscreen though), two 1/4" headphone jacks, and a backlit touch panel with presets and controls.
A rather unique twist to what we're used to seeing on most hi-fi components is the placement of the NODE ICON's headphone jacks. You won't find them on the front panel, you've got to check the side. Yep! You read it right, the headphone jacks are on the side of the ICON. Not to mention it's possible to use both of the inputs at the same time. The touch panel controls on the top of the NODE ICON allow you to perform basic playback functions like pause/play, skip, volume, and access the 5 programmable presets.
On the back panel sits the suite of inputs and outputs. You'll find an optical input and output, coaxial output, analog input (RCA), audio output, balanced XLR outputs, subwoofer output, USB type A input and output, HDMI eARC, trigger output, AC Mains input, USB-C input, and LAN port. The LAN port can be used for a wired connection via an Ethernet Cable alongside the option of Wi-Fi connectivity.
The NODE ICON's form factor combined with its sleek black coloring and large display screen make it a component that's easy to integrate into an existing home audio system.
Sound
With all of its fancy design, functions, and features, how does the NODE ICON sound? Much like all hi-fi manufacturers, Bluesound products have a signature sound to them. One that can be characterized as dynamic yet balanced, nuanced, and detailed. It's a likeable sound that's incredibly versatile with every music genre–as it should be. And the NODE ICON is no different.
Sonically, the NODE ICON is in line with that of the NODE-X. In my opinion, there was a clear shift in sound quality between the limited edition NODE-X and the previous generation NODE 2021. I remember when I first listened to the NODE-X I was blown away at how much more dynamic and lively-sounding it was. Well, the NODE ICON is node different–see what I did there.
After setting up and configuring the NODE ICON (which was very easy and took less than 5 minutes), I didn't waste any time grabbing the new Dan Clark Audio Noire X Headphones, which I've been hogging at my desk for weeks now. Paired with the Silver Dragon Premium Headphone Cable I plugged the 1/4" jack into the right-side headphone jack and got to streaming. I used Roon mostly but played around with BluOS and had no problems on either front.
I spent the first hour listening to SZA's newest album LANA which dropped in late December. Anyone not familiar with SZA, she's an R&B singer who's gained a lot of traction recently in the hip-hop space. SZA has beautiful vocals with an excellent range that was evident from the first song I listened to. I was busy working on some other projects that I got completely distracted and didn't even notice I was tapping my toes and had already blown through half the album. The NODE ICON sailed smoothly from one song to the next with no harsh cut offs. When I quickly glanced over at the NODE ICON I saw the track title, album work, and song duration displayed on the screen.
Since I was listening to music at my desk I used the volume adjuster on Roon mostly, but had no problems using the volume slider on the NODE ICON. When I did adjust the volume I noticed I wasn't sitting at anything above 25% volume level. I've mentioned in previous reviews that I enjoy music at high listening levels–to my ear's detriment–so to find a volume level of 20% comfortable and enjoyable was a major plus for me. Not to mention I was listening with Dan Clark Audio Headphones which are notoriously hard to drive. The Noire X cans are on the easier side of the drivability spectrum, but nonetheless as planar magnetic headphones they need a bit of juice to get them going. So to have a semi hard-to-drive headphone perform exceptionally well and at low volume level listening, I've got to give the NODE ICON two thumbs up.
The NODE ICON will pair great with your everyday audiophile headphones. It's not a genre-specific component so you can hop all over your music library and be satisfied no matter the selection. With great accuracy and timing, the NODE ICON performed great at my desk and I can only imagine the magic it will do in a home audio setup.
Sun is Shining
By Bob Marley
(African Herbsman)
By Your Side
By Sade
(Lovers Rock)
What Do I Do
By SZA
(LANA)
Would That I
By Hozier
(Wasteland, Baby!)
Features
- Dual-mono DAC design with 2x ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DAC Chips
- THX AAA headphone amplifier technology with 2x 1/4" headphone jacks for cable management
- High-quality balanced XLR outputs
- HDMI eARC, optical, analog, and USB-C inputs
- RCA, coax, optical, USB outputs
- Apple AirPlay 2 and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth
- Dirac Live Ready
- Beautiful 5" full-color HD display and backlit touch panel with presets and controls
The NODE ICON is equipped with several technologies used in previous generation models: BlusOS operating system, THX AAA Headphone Amplifier, and ESS Sabre DAC Chips. If you're unfamiliar with Bluesound products, the company's components boast the unique feature of multi-room lossless music streaming. That means that select Bluesound products–be it a wireless speaker, music streamer, etc–can be synced up to play the same song, or different, in multiple rooms under one music system. Whether you're hosting a party or taking down holiday decorations, you can enjoy music wirelessly throughout your home.
ESS SABRE ES9039Q2M DAC
The NODE ICON uses an expertly crafted Dual-Mono DAC design to deliver premium hifi sound. Two cutting-edge ESS SABRE ES9039Q2M DACs and transparent circuitry work together to deliver great dynamic range, ultra-low distortion, and exceptional resolution. The previous generation NODE (NODE X now dubbed NODE 2024) only featured one ESS SABRE DAC, which delivered a great sound quality–so imagine that doubled with the NODE ICON. As a result, the two DAC chips deliver a sound that's quieter with lower distortion than the previous-gen NODE. Additionally, you'll enjoy a true analytical, reference sound with excellent detail retrieval.
MQA Lab's groundbreaking QRONO d2a technology further refines the ESS SABRE DAC's performance by correcting timing errors during digital-to-analog conversion. The result is a timing response that aligns perfectly with the original recordings for an authentic listening experience.
THX AAA Headphone Amplifier
While the NODE ICON is often associated with multi-room music streaming over speakers, the unit is also great for headphone listening! The NODE ICON is equipped with THX AAA technology, a headphone amplifier that boasts the world's most linear response. With patented feed-forward error correction, headphone listeners will enjoy remarkably low noise and distortion with an exceptional soundstage and great clarity. Connect your favorite pair of high-end headphones to the 1/4" headphone jack and enjoy some carefree audiophile listening.
Music Streaming with BluOS
To set up, configure, and use the NODE ICON, you must download and install the BluOS Controller App. Initial setup will take a few minutes.
Featuring dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet, the NODE ICON's BluOS platform brings integrated support for more than 20 popular streaming services including several capable of lossless and high-resolution audio. BluOS is Bluesound's exclusive music streaming platform that enables devices under its umbrella to connect to each other and stream wirelessly across multiple rooms with as many as 64 zones available. The BluOS app is one of the most intuitive and well-thought-out companion control devices for any streaming device out there. Available on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer, the BluOS platform is the "brain" of your NODE ICON, allowing you to manage all of your music and stream it easily. BluOS supports high-resolution audio to 24-bit/192kHz and has MQA decoding.
Through the BluOS Controller App, you'll be able to access your entire music library, and listen to hundreds of internet radio stations and dozens of music streaming services. Access TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, SoundMachine, and many more streaming services (subscriptions purchased separately). Additionally, BluOS has Roon integration that supports files stored on internal and external hard drives and NAS. You can also connect and share your music collection from a computer or network-attached storage drive to the BluOS app.
BluOS Features
Voice control via Amazon Alexa
Full support for hi-res audio: WAV, FLAC, ALAC
3rd party integrations such as Control4, Crestron, Lutron, ELAN, RTI, and more
Wi-Fi chipset technology
Bluetooth aptX HD
Dolby Atmos 3D experience & Dolby Digital Support
MQA (End-to-end studio-speaker technology)
BluOS has voice control with Amazon Alexa and Apple's Siri so you can play a track, or skip a song, and even say what room you want to listen to music in. Through the app you control the volume in any room, read detailed artist information, and even check what quality you are streaming. No more rummaging through the couch cracks for the missing remote!
Check out the images below for a sneak peek at BluOS on desktop. Through the BluOS app you'll be able to adjust settings on the NODE ICON such as replay gain, DSD playback, crossover, and more.
BluOS desktop application
Dirac Live Ready
Dirac Live Room Correction is a fairly new technology hitting the hi-fi scene. It's been incorporated into several NAD Electronics products and is an available accessory for the NODE ICON. This means that Diac will be available via a future software upgrade. But until then, what's Dirac Live?
Picture this: You and I both buy the same amp for our stereo systems. It arrives at our doorsteps and I go to set it up in my rec room and you place it in your dedicated listening room. We follow the instructions, configure the unit, connect our subwoofers, and when we both hit play we hear two completely different sounds. Who got the dud? No one. Your room is just much more conductive to good audio sound than mine.
Room acoustics can make or break a listening experience. But who has the time and money to configure the perfect space? Some do, but not everyone.
Thanks to Dirac Live Room Correction, you don't have to choose between a high-performance component and room acoustic accessories. Dirac Live software allows you to calibrate and generate correction filters that compensate for acoustic problems like standing waves and unwanted reflections. Using a series of test tones played out to the speakers, Diarc's powerful software analyses the results and creates correction filters to counteract those acoustic problems.
Configuring the perfect listening setup isn't always a possibility. Whether you're just shy of the perfect sound or don't have the ideal listening space, Dirac Live polishes the edges, improving timing and phase while correcting any unavoidable acoustic deficiencies.
Comparisons
Bluesounds' NODE line of music streamers has come a long way since the release of the first-generation NODE. With each iteration comes sonic improvements, new technology, and design enhancements bringing us to the NODE ICON–truly a pinnacle in wireless music streaming. Bluesound has branded and rebranded its NODE line several times, with many product iterations and name changes, so bear with me here as we overview the history of NODE's past.
A little over a decade ago, Bluesound released its first NODE, the N-100. Next came the NODE-2 (N-110), the NODE 2i (N120), NODE (N-130) in 2021/2022, the limited edition NODE-X (N-131) in 2023, and now NODE 2024, NODE ICON, and NODE NANO. We're going to focus on two of the most popular NODE models, the NODE X and NODE 2i.
NODE X
In many ways, the NODE ICON is quite similar to the limited edition NODE X–but also quite different. With the NODE X, you get a 1/4" headphone jack, THX AAA headphone amplifier technology, DSD playback, and more. The NODE X delivers Bluesounds' signature sound quality, with a quite a bit more dynamic range than its previous gen NODE 2021 streamer.
The main difference between the NODE X and NODE ICON is that the ICON features a truly balanced design, front panel display screen, two DAC chips, and two headphone jacks. Not to mention the ICON has been entirely redesigned. Given the limited edition status of the NODE X, it's not available for purchase directly through Bluesound but you might be able to find a unit or two from an authorized dealer.
NODE 2i
Going back several generations, the NODE 2i features Bluesounds' signature sound quality without all the bells and whistles of the newest models. NODE's are kind of like iPhones, with every new generation you get more features, functionality, and higher-quality technology. The NODE 2i features a stereo mini 3.5mm headphone jack over the 1/4" jack we see on the NODE ICON. Additionally, it has Apple AirPlay 2 capability, 5GHz Wi-Fi, and two-way aptX Bluetooth over the previous versions.
Compared to the NODE ICON, the NODE 2i is fairly rudimentary. It doesn't have DSD, a fancy display screen, or 1/4" headphone jacks. Sure it's smaller in size, but it still runs on the BluOS operating system and can be integrated into a Bluesound ecosystem for wireless streaming. As a legacy product, you won't find the NODE 2i on Bluesounds' website, but like the NODE X you may be lucky and can score it secondhand.
Dragon Cables
[Black Dragon Mini Coax Cable, Silver Dragon Toslink Digital Cable]
For the NODE ICON we've recommend two Dragon Audio Cables suitable for the job. Our Black Dragon Mini Coax Cable is an extremely flexible cable, making it a perfect match for home audio digital transmission applications. The Silver Dragon Toslink Digital Cable has the bandwidth to deliver up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution and DSD signals for hi-fi listening sessions.
Our HiFi Audio Dragon Cables bring out more of what you love in your music and audio gear. If you love your headphones but wish they had a bit more top-end sparkle - a Silver Dragon Headphone Cable would be a great option. If your USB cables keep dying - as many stock cables do - then check out our quality USB Audio Cables. We say time and time again that materials matter, and our audio cables and custom geometries actually help to bring out those desired properties in your gear and music. We make tons of custom options for our customers so that you can get the right HiFi Audio cable for your exact needs. If you have any questions feel free to Contact Us and we'll be more than happy to help.
Verdict
The Bluesound NODE ICON offers a sparkling glimpse of what we can expect to see from future Bluesound NODE models. Having come a long way from the first-generation NODE, the NODE ICON represents the 21st century with its fancy display screen and complete redesign. Two 1/4" headphone jacks on each side of the unit, compatibility with Dirac Live Technology, and two ESS SABRE DAC Chips make the NODE ICON worthy of its flagship status. At $1,234 the NODE ICON is the perfect unit for seasoned audiophiles and curious music lovers looking for the ultimate hi-res music listening experience. I've listened to my fair share of NODE models and with each new iteration comes even better sound quality and performance. Pair the NODE ICON with our Dragon Audio Cables, like the Black Dragon Mini Coax Cable and Silver Dragon Toslink Digital Cable to optimize your home hifi system for the best possible performance. The NODE ICON delivers incredible dynamic range, ultra-low distortion, and excellent detail retrieval for reference-level listening.
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What's in the Box
-Bluesound NODE ICON
-120V AC Power Cord
- 230V AC Power Cord
- Ethernet Cable
- Stereo RCA to RCA Cable
Specifications
AUDIO
Supported Audio File Formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, WMA-L, OGG, OPUS
Supported High-Quality Audio File Formats: FLAC, MQA, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, MPEG-4 SLS
DSD Support: DSD256
Supported Multi-Channel Audio Formats: Dolby Digital
Native Sampling Rates: Up to 192kHz
Bit Depth: 16-24
Audio Controls and EQ: BluOS Controller App
DAC: ESS ES9039Q2M x2
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: XLR: -129dB, RCA: -121dB
Distortion: THD+N, 0.0004%
Headphone Continuous Output Power: 160mW, 16Ω / 235mW, 32Ω / 56mW, 250Ω / 23mW, 600Ω
SOFTWARE & INTEGRATIONS
Operating System: BluOS
App Controller Operating System: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Processor: ARM® Cortex™ -A53, Quad-Core, 1.8GHz per core
Supported Network File Sharing: Server Message Block (SMB) up to 200,000 files
Album Art Supported: JPG, PNG
Music Services and Internet Radio: 23+
3rd Party Integrations: AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Roon Ready, Dirac Live Ready
Control System Integrations: Crestron, Control4, RTI, ELAN, URC, Lutron
Voice Control Integrations: Amazon Alexa Skills
GENERAL
Finish: Black: Anodized Aluminum
Storage Environment: -10°C to 50°C, 20% to 80% relative humidity
Operating Environment: 0°C to 40°C
SKU/Version: N530
CONNECTIONS
Power Supply: Universal bi-pin AC cord input (100-240AC)
Ethernet/LAN: Ethernet RJ45, Gigabit 1000 Mbps
Wi-Fi Built In: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), dual-band
Bluetooth Quality: Bluetooth 5.2 aptX Adaptive
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: Toslink Optical, RCA Analog
HDMI Input: HDMI eARC
USB IN: Type A (Fat32 Formatted) - External Storage only; Local Server Mode
USB (Other): USB Type C (PC input)
Audio Output: Analog RCA Stereo with Fixed option; Balanced XLR Stereo with Fixed option; USB Audio 2.0 (Type A)
Coaxial Output: RCA
Optical Output: TOSLINK digital optical
Trigger Out: 12V
Headphone Output: 6.3mm/1/4" Stereo x2; Bluetooth
Subwoofer Output: RCA x1, Wireless to PULSE SUB+
USER INTERFACE & CONTROL
Status Indicator: LED
Play/Pause Button: Touch LED
Volume Control Buttons: Touch Slider LED
Previous/Next Track Buttons
Preset Button: Touch LED x5
Proximity Sensor: Yes
Display: 5" Non-touch display
Product Dimensions: 220 x 84 x 193 mm (W x H x D) 8.7 x 3.3 x 7.6 in (W x H x D)*
Weight: 2.23kg/4.92lbs
