NODE ICON
Shipping by the week of January 20, 2025
The NODE ICON is a flagship wireless music streamer, designed for the audio obsessed. With its sleek aluminum chassis, and vibrant 5” full-color display, it sets a new benchmark for wireless music streamers. Seamlessly connect it to any premium amplifier, powered speakers, or headphones, and enjoy BluOS hi-res streaming, Apple AirPlay 2, THX AAA™ technology, and more. HDMI eARC, Dolby Digital, and Dirac Live* ensure an immersive audio experience for music and TV.
- Dual-mono DAC design with 2 x ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DAC
- THX AAA™ headphone amplifier technology with 2 x 1/4" 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-colour HD display and backlit touch panel with presets and controls
*Available via future software update
Reference Music Streamer
The NODE ICON is the reference for wireless hi-res multi-room streamers.
FROM ICONIC TO ICON
The NODE ICON redefines HiFi listening with its expertly crafted Dual-Mono DAC design. Featuring two cutting-edge ESS SABRE ES9039Q2M DACs and transparent circuitry, it delivers sound with unparalleled dynamic range, ultra-low distortion, and exceptional resolution. MQA Labs' groundbreaking QRONO d2a technology further refines DAC performance by correcting timing errors during digital-to-analogue conversion, ensuring the timing response aligns perfectly with the original recording for an authentic listening experience.
BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED FOR THE AUDIO OBSESSED
With a bold industrial design for the next generation of HiFi, the NODE ICON features a high-quality aluminum chassis, balanced XLR outputs, and a beautiful 5” full-colour HD display. Its sleek gloss black finish integrates seamlessly into any setup, while audiophile-grade connections ensure superior performance. Supporting DSD playback, it features the latest ES9826 SABRE ADC, delivering true-to-source analog audio with minimal noise or distortion.
STREAM EVERYTHING
Stream all the music ever recorded with the NODE ICON, from popular streaming services to your personal digital libraries, all accessible through the BluOS app. With built-in Apple AirPlay 2 and aptX™ Adaptive Bluetooth*, enjoy more music from even more apps and services. HDMI eARC lets you connect seamlessly to your TV, bringing hi-res music streaming into your movie and gaming experiences, all with just a single cable.
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'S BEST 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 eliminate standing waves, reverberations, and other unwanted distortions. 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 with additional purchase.
 NODE NANO |
 NODE |
 NODE ICON |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| HD Display | • | • | ✓ |
| DAC Design | Single Stereo | Single Stereo | Dual Mono |
| Balanced XLR Output |
• | • | ✓ |
| Analog RCA Output |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coax, Optical & USB Outputs |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HDMI eARC Input | • | ✓ | ✓ |
| Analog & Optical Inputs |
• | Combo | ✓ |
| USB-C Input | • | • | ✓ |
| THX AAA | • | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dirac Live Ready | • | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adaptive aptX Bluetooth* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| • Not Available | ✓ Included |
* Available via future software update
Customer Reviews
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Too quietPosted onLack of gain is crazy, to point of my having volume of Icon at 100% and my preamp at 100% and my 200 watt amp struggles to output 10 watts to my 86 db sensitivity speakers which is conversation volume. Bass is noticably tubby with loss of overtone articulation with my RELs and trebles certainly don't sparkle. Sound stage is flattened in depth. I can't listen for very long before I turn off due to fatigue. I've removed all HDMI and optical sources and only use for low volume background streaming where I am not in sweet spot to enjoy music. Still sounds better with computer feeding stand alone DAC.
Surprisingly, I was highly disappointed overall in this my first stand alone streamer. Demoted to garage hobby area with home built amp and crappy speakers. I could have bought cheaper unit. -
Magnifiquement assemblé tout en aluminium. Produit hautement qualitatif, s’integre parfaitement dans une installation haut de gamme.Posted onGrande réactivité pour ce produit qui allie performance, technologie et simplicité d’utilisation grâce à l’application blueOS. Le son est juste somptueux, pleins de micro détails, avec une scène très aérée et un dynamisme fabuleux. Ce boîtier a su réveillé mes enceintes avec du caractère et en finesse. Reproduit à merveille l’œuvre initiale de l'artiste. Le fait que l'écran ne soit pas tactile n’est pas un problème, tout se passe via l’application blueOs depuis smartphone ou n’importe quel terminal pc ou Mac. Pas besoin de télécommande, au pire l’apprentissage d’une autre télécommande fonctionne parfaitement. Au niveau des réglages du streamer il y a juste la possibilité de régler la tonalité entre graves et treble, un réglage avec des presets ou un équalizer seraient bienvenue, peut-être dans une prochaine mise à jour? Hormis ce dernier point, c'est du super matériel avec une très bonne expérience et un son incroyable à ce prix là.
(Great responsiveness for this product which combines performance, technology and ease of use thanks to the blueOS application. The sound is just sumptuous, full of micro details, with a very airy scene and fabulous dynamism. This box was able to wake up my speakers with character and finesse. Wonderfully reproduces the artist's initial work. The fact that the screen is not touchscreen is not a problem, everything happens via the blueOs application from a smartphone or any PC or Mac terminal. No need for a remote control, at worst learning another remote control works perfectly. In terms of the streamer settings there is just the possibility of adjusting the tone between bass and treble, a setting with presets or an equalizer would be welcome, perhaps in a future update? Apart from this last point, it's great equipment with a very good experience and incredible sound at this price.) -
Audiophile qualityPosted onWell done
Compared to the Node 2021 it replaces it is like using an acoustic magnifiying glass.
Instruments really sound more realistic and Sparkasse Information is significantly improved. -
Super!Posted onTrès satisfait de mon achat, le son et claire et détaillé sans être agressant mais surtout, l'arrière plan est très, très silencieux. Côté casque, il se marie très bien avec mes Grado et mes AKG, toujours cette transparence et cette légèreté. J'utilise mon système pour écouter de la musique et des films, mon signale provient du HDMI, de Airplay ou de l'app Bluesound pour ma bibliothèque numérique personnelle, ça fonctionne super bien. Bonne combinaison avec mon Nad C298 et mes Kef R3.
(Very satisfied with my purchase, the sound is clear and detailed without being offensive but above all, the background is very, very quiet. On the headphone side, it goes very well with my Grados and my AKGs, always this transparency and this lightness. I use my system to listen to music and movies, my signal comes from HDMI, Airplay or the Bluesound app for my personal digital library, it works great. Good combination with my Nad C298 and my Kef R3.) -
Simply SuperbPosted onI have owned several more expensive streamer/DACs over the years, as well as a Node 2i. This is my favourite yet. Into my Anthem STR, I prefer the performance DAC in the Icon via XLR over the digital coax to the preamp . The audio presentation is clean and balanced, the user interface and appearance top notch. Extremely satisfied.
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5 stars - Very good sounding network streamer - great alternative to more expensive streamers!Posted onIm from Germany and bought the Node Icon from Hifi Klubben (with free club membership at Hifi Klubben) and it's been running for over a week.
Before that I was using the Node 2i and N130 - in combination with McIntosh MC 301 monos and Yamaha C85 and Klipsch Cornwall IV.
The Node Icon is entering new sonic territory - it's a clear and audible upgrade - high-end - to the aforementioned and a clear recommendation to buy! Dirac will be coming soon via update - then it will score even more points! A dream sound - great job, you lovely Canadians!
In terms of sound, the Icon is easily on a par with an Eversolo DMP A8 - maybe even better - I also heard the Eversolo at home and it didn't sound any better than the Icon - but the Icon is much cheaper and not as annoying - because the potentiometer on the Eversolo is already annoying - it spoils your listening pleasure.
Fortunately, the Icon does this quietly and better.
The Icon only has one small (update) problem - from MQA to flac, unfortunately, there is currently an audible popping noise coming from the speakers (Klipsch Cornwall IV), which are very efficient and probably amplify the noise even more compared to less efficient speakers.
Bluesound customer service contacted me immediately after I asked and said they wanted to solve the problem as soon as possible - thank you for the quick support!
The look is completely irrelevant to me - but Bluesound could have made the ICON a little wider and made the display bigger - I hope VU meters and graphic EQs will be coming soon after an update.
Very classy design and it weighs a lot more than the previous Nodes.
Overall a great device - definitely and it could be a lot more expensive - great job from Bluesound!
I'll stay loyal to you. -
Amazing DAC!Posted onI was using a Terminator Plus with Gaia DDC and after A/B comparison with the node icon through XLR I couldn’t justify the cost to improvement of the stand alone DAC, they are going up for sale, I can’t believe how good this little streamer sounds! Node Icon/Audioquest Carbon XLR/Luxman L590AXII/bi-wire Canary 4s11/Klipsch Cornwall IV
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Much better than 2iPosted onI wasn't expecting a whole lot more than the 2i but the Sabre Dacs are phenomenal. It's night and day. Sound is more clean and detailed. Bass is tight yet still has plenty of oomph. Marantz AVR, Parasound Halo amps, Klipsch RF7IIS, Rythmik F18s. I'm going through my music library once again thanks to the Icon. Highly recommend if your on the fence!
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My favorite StreamerPosted onI have the first Gen Node , Second Gen Node and also Node X. I am very happy with them ,but the Icon is a plus with all the extra connections. They really did a great job on the improvements on the Icon. The next 100hours will tell me if I really like the sound of the Dac or not, because I just received it. I'll have to update my review in a couple of weeks. So far I'm impressed with the sound and build of the unit.
Thanks to Bluesound for the service and answers to all my questions and issues in the past . Top notch company. Highly recommend Bluesound products. -
Very satisfiedPosted onI have had several networked Node endpoints throughout my home for some time, having originally taken the plunge in 2017. Yesterday I replaced the 2021 Node in my modest desktop system with the Node Icon with stunning results. I was skeptical that it would be an extraordinary improvement audibly, but I am delighted to report that I was wrong. The improvement is definitely notable. Good job, Bluesound.
Specifications
| Price | $999.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| wireless_speaker | No | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Specifications |
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Downloads
