(May 12, 2023) Bluesound's NODE Hi-Res Player is receiving modern polish with a special celebratory limited edition run. The new "Anniversary Edition NODE X" ships with a unique silver finish and updated guts.
Performance gets a boost in NODE X with ESS's 9028Q2M Sabre DAC, which NAD says delivers musicality, near-zero levels of clock jitter, ultra-low noise, and wide dynamic range. It also sees a high-end headphone amplifier (1/4" jack) driven by THX's AAA technology with patented feed-forward error correction for "infinitesimally low levels of noise, distortion, and power consumption."
NODE X uses enhanced dual-band WiFi to deliver roughly 20 natively integrated music services, thousands of internet radio stations, and audio tracks from a personal digital music library held on a computer or external drive using the BluOS app (iOS, Android, Mac, PC). Additionally, BluOS supports up to 64 different players, all streaming up to 24-bit/192kHz hi-res audio, and lossless file formats, including MQA playback, allowing music lovers to listen to the actual studio masters of favorite albums, as they were intended to be heard.
Bluesound has equipped NODE X with a variety of inputs and outputs, including HDMI eARC, WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth, and USB Type-A. It can also integrate smart home tech using full-feature drivers for Crestron, Control4, URC, RTI, ELAN, and other popular home control systems.
“When we thought about how to celebrate a decade of audio excellence and leadership in wireless hi-res streaming, we knew we had to start with the NODE,” says Matt Simmonds, Product Manager of Bluesound. “The NODE X re-imagines some of the best parts of the critically acclaimed, iconic NODE’s product design - our most popular model - and takes ’just add streaming’ to new performance levels for the next generation of audiophiles. I’m particularly excited to see how our customers use the NODE X with their favorite pair of performance headphones.”
Priced at $749, the NODE X can be purchased now from participating dealers. You can shop all of BlueSound's products by visiting its Amazon Store!
Key Highlights of the NODE X:
- Premium ESS 9028Q2M Sabre DAC
- THX AAA™ Headphone Amplifier technology.
- 6.35mm / 1/4” Wired Headphone Output
- Wireless Bluetooth Headphone Output
- Quad-core 1.8GHz ARM® CORTEX™ A53 Processor
- HDMI eARC, Optical & Analog Inputs
- Stereo Analog Output
- Optical, Coaxial & USB Audio Outputs
- BluOS™ Wireless Multi-room Music Capability
- MQA Music and Hi-res Audio Streaming
- AirPlay 2 Integration
- Works With 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 Subwoofer Output
- Touch Controls with Presets
- Silver Finish
- RC1 Remote Control Included
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