BLUESOUND NODE ICON Reference Music Streamer

Specifications

• Supported Audio File Formats: Various audio file formats supported
• Supported High-Quality Audio File Formats: High-quality audio file formats supported
• DSD Support: Yes
• Supported Multi-Channel Audio Formats: Multiple multi-channel audio formats supported
• Native Sampling Rates: Variable
• Bit Depth: Variable
• Audio Controls & EQ: Available
• DAC: Included
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: High
• Distortion: Low
• Headphone Continuous Output Power (THD): High power output with low distortion

Product Usage Instructions

Headphone Amplifier TechnologyThe NODE ICON features THX AAATM technology, providing lifelike headphone listening experience with low noise and distortion. Connect your high-performance headphones to the headphone jacks for exceptional soundstage and clarity.

Smart Acoustics with Dirac LiveThe NODE ICON is equipped with Dirac Live to combat bad room acoustics. Upgrade to Dirac Live directly from Dirac and use their app to measure room acoustics, eliminate unwanted distortions, and achieve clear, balanced sound for your music and movies.
Note: A calibration kit with a high-sensitivity microphone is required for this feature and available from Bluesound.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: Can I use any headphones with the NODE ICON?
  A: The NODE ICON is compatible with high-performance headphones that feature a 1/4 inch connector.
• Q: How do I upgrade to Dirac Live for smart acoustics?
  A: You can upgrade to Dirac Live directly from Dirac and use their app to set up and calibrate your room for optimal sound quality.
• Q: Is the calibration kit included with the NODE ICON?
  A: No, the calibration kit with a high-sensitivity microphone is not included with the NODE ICON and is available separately from Bluesound.

From iconic to icon. The NODE ICON is a flagship wireless music streamer for the audio obsessed. Every detail of the design has been carefully engineered to the highest standard of performance, from its breakthrough Bluesound Dual-Mono design with two ESS SABRE® ES9039Q2M DAC chipsets implemented to perfection, to its sleek aluminum chassis and beautiful 5” full-colour display. The NODE ICON seamlessly connects to any high-performance amplifier, powered speakers or headphones, bringing BluOS hi-res streaming, Apple AirPlay 2, THX AAA™ technology, aptX™ Adaptive Bluetooth® and DSD support to your existing stereo setup. With HDMI eARC, Dolby Digital and Dirac Live Ready, you can also transform the way you experience music and TV with Dolby downmixing and state-of-the-art room correction technology.

BENCHMARK SOUND QUALITY
With carefully selected componentry, and a masterfully engineered Bluesound Dual-Mono design with two ESS SABRE® ES9039Q2M DAC chipsets, the NODE ICON sets
a new benchmark for wireless music streamers. It uses the latest fourth generation ESS Hyperstream® technology to let you experience sound with superior dynamic range, ultra-low distortion, and the highest possible resolution ever heard. From engineering to performance, the NODE ICON is the best streamer we’ve ever built.

BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED FOR THE AUDIO OBSESSED
The NODE ICON features an all-new industrial design, with an aluminium cabinet construction, seamlessly integrated with the large front glass panel and the gorgeous 5″ non-touch display.. Its sleek gloss black finish blends seamlessly into any existing setup, with audiophile-grade connections to support high-quality performance. It also features built-in
IR learning and a proximity-sensing touch panel that provides quick control and access for up to five programmable presets, volume and playback controls.

STREAM EVERYTHING
Stream all the music ever recorded, from popular music streaming services to your own digital music libraries, and access everything you listen to, including hi-res FLAC, MQA and DSD 256, in the BluOS app. Apple AirPlay 2 and aptX™ Adaptive Bluetooth® are also built-in to let you enjoy even more music from more apps and services. With HDMI eARC, you can easily connect the NODE ICON to your TV with a single cable and bring hi-res music streaming together with your movie and gaming experiences.

GO BEYOND THE HIFI SYSTEM
The NODE ICON can wirelessly connect to Bluesound speakers and stereo components to create a multi-room music system connected by BluOS® throughout your whole home. With dual-band Wi-Fi for dropout free listening, you can play your new favorite track everywhere or listen to different music and genres in different rooms with total control from your phone, tablet, or desktop.

WORLD-CLASS HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER TECHNOLOGY
Lifelike headphone listening is made possible by THX AAA™ technology, the headphone amplifier that boasts the world’s most linear response.
Its patented feed-forward error correction results in remarkably low noise and distortion, revealing exceptional soundstage and clarity. Connect your high-performance headphones to the left or right full-sized 1/4″ headphone jacks and enjoy audiophile listening without fuss or compromise.

SMART ACOUSTICS
The NODE ICON comes ready to intelligently fight bad room acoustics with Dirac Live, available as an upgrade directly from Dirac. Use Dirac’s app to measure your room acoustics
and eradicate bass traps, echoes, and other unwanted distortions from your audio. The result is clear, balanced, and detailed sound for your music and movie soundtracks. A calibration kit with a high-sensitivity microphone is also required and available from Bluesound.

SPECIFICATION

• BLUESOUND DUAL-MONO DAC DESIGN 2X ESS ES9039Q2M SABRE® DAC BALANCED XLR OUTPUT
• STEREO RCA OUTPUT
• OPTICAL, COAXIAL, USB OUTPUTS SUBWOOFER OUTPUT
• 2X 6.3MM HEADPHONE OUTPUT
• THX AAA™ HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER HDMI eARC INPUT
• USB-C INPUT
• STEREO RCA + OPTICAL TOSLINK INPUT ESS ES9826 SABRE® ADC
• 5” NON-TOUCH COLOUR DISPLAY
• 5 PROGRAMMABLE QUICK-TOUCH PRESETS
• USER INTERFACE WITH PROXIMITY SENSOR
• BLUOS™ WIRELESS MULTI-ROOM PLATFORM
• QUAD-CORE 1.8GHZ ARM® CORTEX™ A53 PROCESSOR
• DIRAC LIVE READY
• MQA AND HI-RES MUSIC STREAMING DSD256 PLAYBACK
• AIRPLAY 2 INTEGRATION
• SPOTIFY CONNECT + TIDAL CONNECT LOCAL SERVER MODE
• DUAL-BAND WIFI + GIGABIT ETHERNET
• TWO-WAY APTX™ ADAPTIVE BLUETOOTH
• IR REMOTE LEARNING CAPABILITY
• 12V TRIGGER OUT
• BLACK FINISH

NODE ICON 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 192 kHz
• Bit Depth: 16-24
• Audio Controls & EQ: BluOS Controller App
• DAC: ESS ES9039Q2M x2
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: TBD
• Distortion: TBD
• Headphone Continuous Output Power (THD<0.1%): 160mW, 16Ω / 230mW, 32Ω / 53mW, 250Ω / 22mW, 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 & 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

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: 12 Volt
• Headphone Output: 6.3mm/1/4″ Stereo x2; Bluetooth
• Subwoofer Output: RCA x 1; 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 Touch LED
• Preset Buttons: Touch LED x 5
• Proximity Sensor: Yes
• Display: 5″ Non-touch display

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: N53

all specifications subject to change without notice

OVERVIEW

Front View

Rear View

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)*

Non-metric measurements are approximate.

Included Accessories

• 120V AC Power Cord
• 230V AC Power Cord
• Ethernet Cable
• Stereo RCA to RCA Cable

© Bluesound International. Bluesound, the stylized wordmark and “B” logotype, the phrase “HiFi for a wireless generation”, NODE and all other Bluesound product names and taglines are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bluesound International, a division of Lenbrook Industries Limited. All other logos and services are trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. 23-045 © 07/24 Bluesound.
BLUESOUND.COM

Documents / Resources

BLUESOUND NODE ICON Reference Music Streamer [pdf] Owner's Manual NODE ICON Reference Music Streamer, Reference Music Streamer, Music Streamer, Streamer

References

• User Manual